Guide lines for an interview Hope this help!!
INTERVIEW TIPS Dress/Appearance • Men - Wear a suit unless otherwise instructed. Wear dark colors, usually blue, black or gray with white shirt and maroon/burgundy color tie. • Women - Wear business suit or dress, hair neatly pinned back, minimal makeup.
Be conservative regarding cologne or perfume Look in the mirror before you go in for the interview. Comb hair and make sure your tie/clothing is straight.
INITIAL MEETING • Be on time, arrive 15 minutes early… never be late for an interview • Research the perspective employer • Ask good questions, this shows interest in the company or the position • A Firm Handshake (a weak handshake can be perceived as a lack of confidence and poise) • A Warm Smile (the interviewer wants to like the person who will be working for them) • Voice projection, must be on the high end vs. low end. You must speak up to be heard. • Show Enthusiasm • Good eye contact, look at the interviewer/s • Thank the interviewer for his/her time (at the beginning and the end of the interviewer) • Make a list of your top ten assets both technical and personal attributes and relay them to the interviewer during the interview. For example team player, computer skills, area of specialization, credentials etc… • Bring extra copies of your resume and a note pad to jot down any key points or action items • Never read off of notes or read directly from resume
After introductions ask the first question, for example "Mr/Ms Interviewer I was reviewing your website and I understand that your company does x,y,z and you are looking for someone to come in and do x,y,z can you tell me more about this position or x,y,z? These does two things 1) it shows you've done research on the company and 2) it puts the interviewer on the spot to start telling you all about the key areas of the position which is more than likely what he/she is looking for. Listen carefully and now when they ask you about your experience you can tailor your responses to highlight these key areas.
PREPPING FOR THE BASIC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
a. Tell me something about yourself? Many interviews start with this question. Focus the answer on business related skills. Some get off track by talking about personal matters (family etc…
b. Why are you looking to leave your current position? This can open a can of worms, be careful and never speak negatively of current or past employers. The best answer is that your learning curve has flattened out and you are no longer challenged. Other good answers are the company is doing poorly financially or downsizing.
c. What are you weaknesses? Most candidates freeze on this question and say they don't know or don't have any. The Best answer is to turn it into a positive response. For example "My only weakness is I push myself too hard and often put too much pressure on myself." Or another response is to give a minor weakness (for example being weak in Macros) but tell them what you are doing now to improve the weakness. EX. I am taking a specific tutorial on Macros, etc.
d. Where do you want to be in five years? Never say I want your position…Many people say this and threaten the interviewer. The Best answer is the following "I'd like to work in a progressive company where I can grow and be challenged, hopefully to become an integral part of a management team.
Never give titles because that particular title may not exist or it may be the same one the interviewer has or wants.
e. The compensation question? Never bring up compensation or benefits in the first interview. You should come across opportunity oriented vs. money motivated.
The best answer is: Salary is not the motivating factor, I am looking for the right career opportunity. If the interviewer pursues this line of questioning, tell him/her what you are earning and that you would anticipate an adequate compensation package. Try to stay away from specific dollar amounts or ranges. You could be too low or high. You may possibly cheat yourself out of several thousand dollars or more, or never get an offer because you were too high. This is a very delicate area!!!
Be prepared to answer these questions during an interview:
What are you looking for in a job?Why are you leaving?Can you work under pressure, deadlines, etc.?What are your five biggest accomplishments in your present or last job? Your career?What do you think of your boss? (Don't say anything negative.)Is there anything about your previous job(s) you disliked?Would you describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?How would you evaluate your present company?What interests you most and the least about the opportunity we have?Are you a leader? A good manager? Analytical? A team player? Give an example?How would you describe your own personality? How would your friends describe you?Why should we hire you?What new goals or objectives have you established recently?How long do you think it would take for you to make a contribution to our firm?
Suggested questions to ask during an interview: 1. What skills must I demonstrate to be successful in this position? 2. How do you distinguish yourself from competitors? 3. What do you consider key characteristics of successful people in your organization? 4. What are some changes currently going on the firm? 5. How would you describe your company's culture? 6. Who are your main competitors? 7. How would you describe the job cycles - weekly, quarterly, and annually? 8. Describe your expectations of the right person in this opportunity? 9. If I was hired today, what would be the most pressing tasks to be accomplished? 10. What are you looking for in a person that you need to fill this position? 11. What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of the job? 12. How long have you been with the company? 13. What do you like most about working here? 14. How can I add value to your organization? 15. How can I make the biggest impact in this position?
THE INTERVIEW CLOSE
• Close by thanking the interviewer and telling him/her that you are very interested in the position and if they made you an offer you would be willing to start in two weeks.
• "There should be a good 50/50 exchange between yourself and the interviewer. If one does most of the talking something is usually wrong. Don't give yes or no answers, don't be too short or too wordy. Be concise and to the point, generally two to three line sentence answers are best. Don't ramble.
• Don't lean on interviewer's desk or violate their space. Sit up straight and don't chew gum. Answer directly what is asked, if you don't know, don't be afraid to say you're not sure and that you will research it.
• Remember to cover the three main areas 1), 2)_ and 3)__ I've discussed with you and be: enthusiastic, professional, friendly and a team player – Good luck!
WAYS APPLICANTS STRIKE OUT ON INTERVIEWS
• Poor personal appearance • Lack of interest and enthusiasm (passive and indifferent) • Over emphasis on money (interested only in best dollar offer) • Condemnation of past employers • Failure to look at interviewer when conversing • Limp, fishy handshake • Unwillingness to go where sent • Late for interview • Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time • Asks no questions about company or position • Vague responses to questions • Over-aggressive, conceited with superiority of 'know it all' complex • Inability to express self clearly (poor voice, diction, grammar) • Lack of planning for career (No purpose or goals) • Lack of confidence and poise (Ill at ease, nervous) • Failure to participate in activities • Unwilling to start at the bottom; expects too much… too soon Makes excuses; evasive, hedges on unfavorable factors in record • Lack of tact Lack of courtesy, ill-mannered • Lack of maturity • Lack of vitality • Indecision • Sloppy application or blank application • Merely shopping around • Wants job only for short time • No interest in company or industry • Narrow interest • Inability to take criticism
I truly enjoyed this piece. There was a lot of meat on this bad boy. Thank you. I have an interview tomorrow morning and hope all's well.
WOW! you covered it all. I've added this conversation to my favorites. Thanks for this information, very thorough!
Great, informative article, I truly appreciate the help.