Job Interviewing Tips Let’s Review Our Objectives: 1) The purpose of an interview is to get to the next step. 2) To have an exchange of information in which you find out the information you wanted to know about the people, the company, and the position and give the potential employer the same information. Preparing for the Interview Your preparation for an interview should start as soon as the interview is confirmed. First, make sure that you are clear on the details of the interview – where it is to take place, with whom you are meeting, what time, what is the dress, etc. Make sure that you have clear directions and give yourself ample time to get to the interview 10 to 15 minutes early, allowing for traffic and unexpected delays. For most executive and office positions, the dress will be formal. This means a suit (with jacket and tie) for men and a business suit or elegant skirt and blouse for women. Conservative colors are better and gray, black, and navy blue are still very acceptable choices. Do not wear something loud or incredibly vivid. You want your personality and qualifications to make the impression, not your outfit. Do your homework Do some research on the company and the job you are applying for.

Most companies have a website that you can learn quite a bit from. Also, if you have any friends or family in the same industry, ask them what they know about the company. Familiarize yourself with the company’s history and management . Find out what you can about the people who will be interviewing you. Make sure you know what their titles are and that you know their names and can pronounce them properly. If the company is large enough, look them up in national publications like the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Fortune or Forbes. If the company has received any corporate awards or if they are involved in any causes or charities, take note. It might be a great to bring up in the interview. Going to the Interview OK. You are dressed nicely on your business suit, you have arrived early, you are well-rested and looking fresh. You’ve done your homework and you are ready to blow them out of the water. Greet the secretary or receptionist politely and let them know you are there for an interview and give them your interviewers name.

Super Secret Recruiter’s Tip #1 – Before your interview, go to the rest room and let some warm water run over your hands for a little while. Dry them very thoroughly so that when you shake someone’s hand, your hand is warm and dry. The Interview Bring a copy of your resume for every person that you are scheduled to interview with and also, a couple of extras. Also, bring a pad with you so that you can make notes of the conversation, questions you have, and names of your interviewers. Before you sit down to interview with someone, shake their hand firmly and introduce yourself. Offer them a copy of your resume and give them a couple of seconds to read over it to refresh their memory. Also, this might be the first time they have seen your resume.

Super Secret Recruiter’s Tip #2 – Make sure to write down the name of the interviewer at the beginning of the interview or get a business card from them. Often, in the heat of the moment, a candidate will often forget an interviewer’s name. If you have it written down, you can just look at your notes for a quick hint. Also, when you are writing your follow-up “Thank You” notes, you will need those names. Be positive and enthusiastic. Be careful to exude the right body language. Do not fold your arms or adopt a closed position. Smile and don’t be afraid to laugh if something is funny. An interviewer will never forget someone with a great laugh. Incidentally, if you have a really dorky laugh, laugh anyway. Don’t be afraid to let your personality come through. Maintain eye contact with the people interviewing you and try to avoid nervous habits like twiddling your thumbs or playing with your hair. This is another reason to have a pad and pen in your hands at all times. Questions, questions? Go into the interview with 4 or 5 key thoughts that you want to convey to your interviewer. Because most people are not trained as interviewers, they might not know how to direct the conversation properly or know the proper questions to ask. You can use this as an opportunity to introduce or reinforce some of your key thoughts. Sometime early in the interview, try to ask your interviewer what they are looking for in a person for the position and tailor your responses around their answer. Be prepared to answer questions about your background, professional skills, and hopes and desires. Expect questions about job changes, motivations for those changes, and reasons why you are interviewing currently. It is important not to talk badly about previous employers. Instead, talk about things that you learned form experiences with those employers and how they have helped you to grow as a person and as a professional. Asking questions is a great way to show your interest.

Super Secret Recruiter’s Tip #3 - Listening is very important. That’s why you have two ears, but only one mouth. Be careful not to interrupt your interviewer when they are speaking or answer questions before they are finished asking them. Closing the interview Bearing in mind that one of our objectives is to get to the next step, ask your interviewer, “Do you have any questions or concerns that would keep us from going to next step?” Obviously, if the answer is yes, try to answer those questions or address those issues. If the answer is no, shake the interviewers hand again and thank them for their time. Upon leaving the interview, immediately call your recruiter and let them know what your thoughts on the interview are. Be sure to let your recruiter know important details like how long the meetings lasted, who you met with, and what your chemistry was with each interviewer.