Job interview tips

[Sammy Boy]

I am posting this in the hopes that some of you are looking for work and will have the opportunity to attend interviews.

1. Before the interview, learn a little more about your potential employer's history and/or culture.

This will help you get a sense of how you might (or might not) fit into the company by understanding its core values, and allow you to ask intelligent questions about the job (e.g. how your role fits into the bigger picture).

2. Relax and don't be nervous.

This can be hard, especially if it is your first interview, or you are being interviewed by more than one person at once.

All you can be expected to do is your best in preparing for the interview and writing the job application. As long as you have done your personal best, you cannot improve your chances by worrying or getting nervous.

In one of the first interviews I attended the interviewer said to me "It's good to see you." I got so nervous that I thought he said "How are you?", to which I promptly replied "Good."

And then, an awkward silence followed...

3. When in the interview, concentrate on the interview (e.g. switch your mobile phone to silent).

If you do have to take a call due to an urgent reason (e.g. family emergency), explain why you have to take the call and people will usually understand.

But don't fail to pay attention during the interview when you are being asked questions, or pretend that you are still listening when you're not.

My boss conducted an interview some years ago and the guy being interviewed started replying to a text message on his mobile phone under the desk. He wasn't paying attention, pretended to be listening, and thought nobody could see him texting. Needless to say, my boss was too eager to wrap up the interview.

4. Answer the question

Yes, it sounds obvious and it should be...

But, in one of the interviews I conducted, this guy kept telling me about something totally irrelevant to the question I had asked him, and kept repeating the irrelevant statement even when I asked him other types of questions. He then proceeded to ask me if I had any other questions for him!

If you are asked a question, but do not understand it, it is okay to ask the interviewer to clarify the question before attempting to answer it.

5. Honesty is the best policy

You may really want this job ... and may be tempted to fudge the facts a little to do better in the interview. But, resist the temptation. It may get you the job, but it won't earn the respect of your co-workers.

That said, you can show your keen interest by admitting that you may not have all the required skills, but learn quickly and are prepared to work hard.

In many cases, employers not only look for someone with the required skills and knowledge, but how the potential employee is as a person, whether you are a good fit for the company, your personal values and ethics, and any other 'hidden' skills you may bring to the company (e.g. strong customer service focus, ability to multi-task, deep knowledge of some obscure tool the company has that no one seems to know how to use, etc.).

So don't rule yourself out just because you don't have 100% of all the advertised skills.

These tips are from my personal experience or having direct secondhand knowledge, so they are limited in scope, but I still hope they will be useful.

[Lynna]

Thank you so much! I'm sure I'll find this helpful soon

[ClaecElric4God]

Wow, this is really informative and educational. They're definitely things to apply. I'll have to keep them in mind, as I intend to start job-hunting in the winter/fall.

[silvanis2.0]

It is also a good idea to clean up and dress nicely. Even if it is a more casual job, the first time they see you has a large impact on the interview.

[K. Ayato]

Sit up straight and lean forward slightly. It shows you're alert and ready to listen.

[shooraijin]

Having been on both side of the interviewer's table (as both interviewee, of course, and now an interviewer), you will make a profound impression on your interviewers by being well prepared. I have marked people off for giving answers that I knew were wrong or ill-researched, but I have also written strongly positive opinions of people whom you can tell did their homework. If you're going to work for a company or agency, understand as much as you can about it, what it does, other lines of business it operates as well as the one you'll be working in, and be able to clearly explain what you feel your role in it will be, even if it's just an entry level position. One of the longest serving executives for McDonald's started out flipping burgers and he moved up from there. He couldn't have done it if he didn't have some fundamental understanding of the operation from the beginning, even if only starting from a basic notion.

Certain questions pop up all the time once you get above a certain level, especially in academic or management positions. One of the hackneyed ones is "describe a challenging situation you experienced and how you dealt with it." Have this answer in your back pocket. Another popular set is to describe your strengths and weaknesses, and you should have ready answers here too. The finesse for this question is to sell yourself without appearing egotistical, and to be realistic without being brutal.

And, as silvanis and K allude to, presentation is everything. Dress nice.