Job Interview Guide
What do you want to accomplish in your next interview? Although
most people know that the interview is important to both you and the
employer, few job seekers have a clear sense of what they need to
accomplish during those critical minutes. Later, we will describe
interview techniques in more detail, but what follows will help you
get a quick understanding of the most important things to do in an
interview. 1. Make a Positive Impression Employers rarely
hire someone who makes a negative first or later impression. These
tips can help you make a positive impression before and during your
interview.
2. Communicate Your skills If you have created a
reasonably positive image of yourself so far, an interviewer will
now be interested in the specifics of why they should consider
hiring you. This back-and-forth conversation usually lasts from
15-45 minutes and many consider it to be the most important and
most difficult task in the entire job search. Fortunately, by
visiting this site, you will have several advantages over the
average job seeker: 1. You will know what sort of job you want.
2. You will know what skills are required to do well in that job.
3. You will have those very skills. The only thing you have to
do is to communicate these three things by directly and completely
answering the questions an employer asks you. 3. Use Control
Statements to Your Advantage A control statement is a
statement you make that becomes the roadmap for where the
conversation (interview) is going. Although you might think you
are at the mercy of the interviewer, you do have some ability to
set the direction of the interview from the chitchat to the focus
you desire. For example, you might say something direct, such as
"I'd like to tell you about what I've done, what I enjoy doing,
and why I think it would be a good match with your organization."
Your control statement can come at the beginning of the interview
if things seem fuzzy after the chitchat or any time in the
interview when you feel the focus is sifting away from the points
you want to make. Here are some other control statements and
questions to ask early in an interview:
- How did you get started in this type of career?
- I'd like to know more about what your organization does.
Would you mind telling me?
4. Answer Problem Questions Well All employers try to
uncover problems or limitations you might bring to their job.
Yet according to employers in Northwestern University Report,
about 80 percent of all job seekers cannot provide a good answer
to one or more problem interview questions. Everyone has a
problem of some sort, and the employer will try to find yours.
Expect it. Suppose that you have been out of work for three
months. That could be seen as a problem, unless you can provide
a good reason for it.
5. Ask Good Questions Many employers ask at some point in
the interview whether you have any questions. How you respond
affects their evaluation of you. So be prepared to ask
insightful questions about the organization. Good topics to
touch on include the following:
- The competitive environment in which the organization
operates
- Executive management styles
- What obstacles the organization anticipates in meeting its
goals
- How the organization's goals have changed over the past
three to five years
Generally, asking about pay, benefits, or other similar topics at
this time is unwise. The reason is that doing so tends to make you
seem more interested in what the organization can do for you, rather
than in what you can do for it. Having no questions at all makes you
appear passive or disinterested, rather than curious and interested.
6. Help Employers Know Why They Should Hire You Even
if the interviewer never directly says it, the question in his
or her mind is always "Why should I hire you over someone
else?" The best response to this question provides advantages
to the employer, not to you. A good response provides proof
that you can help an employer make more money by improving
efficiency, reducing costs, increasing sales, or solving
problems (by coming to work on time, improving customer
service, organizing one or more operations, offering knowledge
of a particular software or computer system, or a variety of
other things.). 7. Close the Interview Properly As
the interview comes to an end, remember these few things:
Don't let the interview last too long. Most interviews last
30-60 minutes. Unless the interviews asks otherwise, plan on
staying no longer than an hour. Watch for hints from
interviewers, such as looking at a watch or rustling papers,
that indicate that they are ready to end the interview.
Summarize the key points of the interview. Use your judgment
here and keep it short! Review the major issues that came up
in the interview with the employer. You can skip this step if
time is short. If a problem came up, repeat your resolution
of it. Whatever you think that particular interview may see as
a reason not to hire you, bring it up again and present your
reasons why you don't see it as a problem. If you are not sure
what the interviewer is thinking, be direct and ask, "Is thee
anything about me that concerns you or might keep you from
hiring me?" Whatever comes up, do as well as you can in
responding to it. Review your strengths for this job. Take
this opportunity to present the skills you possess that relate
to this particular job one more time. Emphasize your key
strengths only and keep your statements brief. If you want
the job, ask for it. If you want the job, say so and explain
why. Employers are more willing to hire someone they know is
excited about the job, so let them now if you are. Ask when
you can start. This question may not always be appropriate,
but if it is, do it. 8. Follow Up After the Interview
The interview has ended, you made it home, and now you just
sit back and wait, right? Wrong. Effective follow-up actions
can make a big difference in getting a job offer over more
qualified applicants. |
