When You Are Preparing For The Interview:
Great news, give yourself a pat on the back and well done you’ve got an interview for a new job. You have obviously impressed your future potential employer with your CV and your application form to be offered an interview in the first place. You have probably beaten many other applicants but something in your application has made you stand out from the other candidates.
An employer isn’t looking to employ any old person to fill their job hence they have already sifted through all of the applications and compiled a shortlist which you are on! Now all the interviewer needs to do is choose which candidate to fill their job and the only way they are going to do this is meet each applicant in person. There are many variables in choosing a new person for a job, what one employer classes as an important quality another may not. Some feel experience is an important factor others value qualifications or team management skills or a combination of both. What you have got to remember is that you will have to make a lasting impression on the interviewer to get you nearer to securing that new job. Your future employer is going to have to make a choice from several applicants one which inevitably will be a hard decision to make. After all, summing up candidates suitability in a few short hours isn’t easy for any interviewer so you must make an impression. Its no easier sitting in an interviewers shoes than being a candidate. If you go well prepared then you are able to manipulate an interviewer to your benefit to get across your strengths.
Prior To The Interview:
Remember your employer knows all about the job they are looking to fill - what it entails and what qualities they are looking for in a potential candidate. They also have a fair amount of information about you – your CV and application form and it’s always a good idea to take a copy of this with you to the interview. The interviewer will have a checklist of areas they are looking to satisfy themselves over to ensure you can do the job which will encompass some general interview questions and some questions specifically about you as a person such as your interests, hobbies and what you like outside of the workplace.
How Will The Interview Be Structured?
Most interviews follow a fairly similar simple format. Usually you will be invited into the interview room, offered a drink of tea, coffee or water etc and then sometimes a bit of casual chat such as “how was your journey?” – you get the idea! Next your interviewer will ask some general questions, such as “Tell me about yourself” or “Are you an organised person”. They may then ask you questions about your CV such as “You say you are good at time management can you give us an example”. Once the interviewer feels that they have satisfactory answers to all their questions they will then give you the opportunity to answer any questions you may have about the job, the company etc.
Convincing Your Interviewer & Offering Them Reassurance:
It is really important at the interview stage that the interviewer feels happy about all of the areas they have covered. They may keep going back to specific questions if they don’t feel they have got the answer they require – this is often a good sign as it means they are taking your application serious and they may just want reassurance in one or two areas. If you can put their mind at rest it will may you a far stronger contender. If you haven’t been asked any questions you have either done a fantastic job at clarifying all of their concerns and queries or you are unlikely to have got the job. So try and be as open as you can be – without going on and on. Also - and I know it’s not always easy to judge - if you think there is an area that the interviewer has covered and is uncomfortable with try get your point across. There are certain areas that can will cause concern to an employer such as lack of experience or missing periods or employment during your career which have simple answers to them but if your potential employer doesn’t have a good because they haven’t asked you a question about them they are going to be wary so if you think something is bothering the interviewer try and offer a good form of explanation. If you are well prepped before the interview and you think there is an area of your career history that might make your interviewer a little wary you will can have a sensible answer ready and avoid feeling left speechless when the interviewer says – “Why is there a 18 month gap in your employment history”.
Being Interviewed For A Job By Your Existing Employer:
An interview is an interview! Should you be applying for promotion or a change of job in your existing company then your existing employer will have a lot of the current information about you already, such as timekeeping or time management skills, your personal details etc, etc. Other than these details the interview will follow the same structure as any other interview however specific questions about your current position may well come into play and have a more dominant effect on the meeting. It may be that there are certain areas that the interviewer will already know about you but they still may ask you about them things like “How well do you work under pressure and meeting targets?” they will already know this as you work form them but it may well be that they want you to answer this question anyway so just go ahead and give them the answer they want to hear!
Just because you already work for this employer don’t treat the interview any differently to an interview being conducted by a new employer. Sure the interviewer may already know you so the start of the interview may well be a little less informal in their greeting but once you get down to business and the interview commences treat the interview as if you were applying for a job outside of your current employer. Good point of useful information; don’t crack jokes about people you work with or perform chit chatter about Joe in accounts – it isn’t perceived professional and it will do you no favours in your career advancement.
Be Prepared For The Questions That Will Be Asked:
It’s almost impossible to know exactly what questions are going to be asked at the interview but you can expect that there are certain areas that will be likely to be explored. So brief yourself on the skills required to do the job including the experience you have to do it. Think about questions that may arise from the answers you have given on your application and lastly consider any questions that may arise regarding your CV as previously mentioned such as breaks in your career, work experience and so on. If you work in a sales role you will already understand the importance of preparation prior to meeting a new customer or trying to close a deal and it’s no different when presenting yourself at an interview trying to win a new job. You need to “Prepare Your Offensive”, “Do Your Research”, and “Prepare For The Meeting”. The better prepared you are the more professionally and accurately you will be able to answer each question and this will put both you and the interviewer at ease.
Prepare Your Offensive:
Hey going into an interview is no different to going into battle and the end result is to come out the winner! The better your offensive is the more chance you have at winning the interviewer over. Your objective is to win. How are you going to do this? Well you need to know where you are going and how you are going to get there. You need to know what traps or pitfalls there are along the way so the best practice is to plan and be prepared. Simple isn’t it – so what have you got to do? Well you have got to win over the interviewer and the only way of doing this is by convincing him, or her, that you are the man, or woman, for the job. You are going to do this by showing the interviewer that you know about their organisation, know about the job, know how to do the job and would be the best person for the role. The only way you are going to do this is by preparation so you can present yourself as cool, calm, collected but not too cocky! If you have ever played a new computer game or purchased a new item of equipment you know that your job is going to be much easier if you get the instructions our first to work out how to operate the thing than to go rushing in all guns firing without doing any research.
Do Some Research About The Employer:
Now I am no easy employer to work for, I have allocated time to you to attend my interview and by doing so I have had to spend some time reading through your CV and particulars. So in return I think as I have invited you to attend an interview the least I expect is for you to have taken the time to do a bit of research about my company and what we do. Not every employer takes this stance but many do. If you do a little research this will show the interviewer or employer that you have at least put some effort into trying to get this job. Besides which, are you really looking to apply to work for a company you know nothing about, if so you can’t really be that serious about the interview. It’s really simple to do research on a company by getting hold of the companies sales brochures, report and accounts (not so easy if it is only a small employer), looking at the companies web site, or by researching local news items by visiting the local library and searching the newspaper archives outlining press releases – it’s easy to do just visit your local library and explain what your after and I am sure they will help you out. Remember you get out of life what you put in – invest time and effort and your efforts will be rewarded. If you want a copy of the report and accounts the easiest thing to do is ring up the receptionist and ask for a copy, you could say something like “I’ve got an interview with your company and I would like to find out a bit more about the firm so could you send me some information” hey, most secretaries are helpful if they think you are a potential “newbee” and in any case they usually have some info just lying around.
Be Prepared For The Interview:
There are several areas that you must be ensure you have covered when preparing for the interview, the first fundamental one being not to be late for the meeting!. A few days before the big day plan your route, if you are going by car have a trial run and see how long it takes you to get there, the same goes for if you are going by bus or train. When you have determined how long it is likely to take you add half an hour to the journey. If you’re early so what? You can always have a drink or read your magazine but one thing is for sure you will be calm and ready whereas if you are running late you will be on edge – not a good start to an interview. Take a phone with you (or money to use a phone box) just in case something happens. It is very discourteous to be late and it really annoys some people so you aren’t going to get off to a good start on that basis. Just as a pointer it’s always a good idea to take a pen and paper with you or alternatively a briefcase or handbag with a pen and paper in it.
Do First Impressions Count? You Bet They Do!
You would be very surprised at what can be ascertained from the first few moments in some ones presence. An interviewer or employer will discover a great deal about you in a relatively small amount of time by use of their experience in body language. It’s a bit like when you make new friends, generally speaking you know within a few moments of meeting a person for the very first time whether you will like them or not (despite knowing very little about their background). I personally think it is some form of basic primate instinct. So your first few seconds are fairly vital when you walk into that interview room or are greeted by your employer. We all give out different signals and these can be influenced by the way you dress to your body language. In my opinion good body language starts with a firm handshake (that’s firm - don’t shake their hand off!) and being smartly dressed. Don’t bathe in perfume or aftershave as strong smells often give off an overpowering smell and can be very off putting. Not everyone has the same taste in cologne and there is nothing worse than being stuck in a room with a smell that makes you feel ill. It’s always best to be clean and neutral!
Prior To Attending Your Job Interview:
It’s always a good idea (and I think a courteous one which shows manners and initiative) to confirm with your prospective interviewer the interview arrangements by letter once you have been invited to attend the interview. This doesn’t need to be a long winded letter it can just be brief confirming the time and place of the interview. It also gives you the opportunity to send in any documents that the interviewer may wish to see in advance or anything you may have omitted to send when you originally enclosed your CV and job application form.
Dress Code - What Clothes Should You Wear For Your Job Interview?
It’s always a tough call when trying to decide what to wear for a job interview. Traditionally men always wore their smartest suit and tie and the same could be said for women – either a nice skirt and blouse or a suit. However things have changed a lot since the old days, for example if you are going to work for an IT firm or Graphic Designers then the dress code may be smart but casual - by the same token if you are going to work for a firm of Solicitors, Accountants or Insurance Brokers then the chances are the dress code is going to be formal so it can be a hard call to decide what to wear for your interview. If you are applying for an internal job then this won’t apply to you as you will already know what standard of outfit is or isn’t acceptable at your place of work. There are two fairly simple ways to ascertain what type of dress code your potential future employer demands and these are as follows:
1. Drive up to the offices or workplace at a time when the staff will be arriving or leaving – this will give you a good indication of what types of clothes the other employees are wearing.
2. Pick up the phone and ring up the interviewers’ secretary and ask her what is the typical dress code of the company – as previously mentioned secretaries generally speaking are always keen to offer assistance to the “newbie’s”!
As a pointer it’s always a good idea to “Dress Above The Rest” at an interview – remember you are out to make a special impression so although you will want to fit in if you get the job you need to be appointed first! So a pretty simple rule - if the companies dress code is casual then you need to be dressed casually but a little smarter, for example if the other employees are wearing trousers and open neck shirts then it would be a good idea for you to wear trousers, a tie and a smart jacket. If the dress code is a suit and tie then you need to wear your best suit and tie – get the picture it’s pretty easy for you to judge for yourself. Another good point is when you are invited into the interview don’t ever remove your jacket without be asked. If the room is hot – well quite frankly that’s just a bit of tough luck. I have to admit I have always kept my jacket on even when my interviewer has offered for me to remove it – my reason being that we all perspire during stress and there is nothing worse than seeing perspiration marks around the arms of your shirt!! So what type of clothes should you wear at your interview? Well it’s an individual’s choice really. However I would steer well clear of bright outrageous ties if you are a man as not every interviewer will share your love of cartoon characters such as the Simpson’s - try and settle on neutral colours. Finally as previously mentioned it’s a bad idea to wear overpowering aftershave or perfume – it can be very off putting to others.
On Arrival At Your Job Interview:
If you are organised you will have arrived at your interview in good time and if so you will have a few moments to compose yourself and utilise the rest room before your big moment. If at the office there are some bathrooms in the waiting area (or if not just ask someone to direct you to them) go and make a few final checks on your appearance. You might want to comb your hair, use the lavatory (make sure you do up your zippers) or adjust your make up if you are a lady. This time will give you the opportunity to make sure you are ship shape and looking a million dollars, it will also give you reassurance so that once you are in the interview you don’t have to worry about whether you have done your zips up or whether your hair looks tidy – issues that are important but that you don’t want to have to worry whilst trying to win over the interviewer. It’s always a good idea if you have a briefcase and are wearing a tie to take a spare just in case you spill something down it before going into the interview. It’s easily done I was once attending an interview and on the way I stopped to drink a can of coke as I had arrived early. To say I was mortified when I spilt it down my tie is an understatement. I had no spare and apologised profusely to my interviewer who was very kind and said it didn’t matter but I still spent the entire interview worrying about it and my performance was definitely hindered by it. A lesson learned to say the least!
When Your Interviewer Comes Out To Take You Into The Interview – Or When You Are Called Into The Interview Room:
OK, in my opinion this is the most stressful time of the interview – and when my heart beats the most! This is the time when you are entering the unknown – new surroundings, new people (sometimes as many as four or five) a strange room. As I have stated before you need your maximum concentration at this point as “First Impressions” do count. So how do you greet your interviewer? Firstly look your interviewer in the eyes and smile, everyone likes a smiley face, I don’t mean beam like a Cheshire cat - just a pleasant friendly smile. Secondly, offer your hand out to shake (remember don’t squeeze the interviewers hand until it turns blue – just a firm professional handshake) and offer a greeting (“Hello very pleased to meet you” or something like that). Your interviewer will then either take you into the interview room (or you may already be in there as you have been called in) and offer you a seat. Please do not just sit down when you enter the room, wait to be offered a seat – it’s good manners.
The interview is going to start along the lines of chit chat, you will probably be asked how you journey was etc, etc and then offered a drink. Depending on the type of person you are and how well you cope with nerves (and remember we all have them, from the person applying for a job flipping burgers in a burger house to the Executive applying for a new £ 250K per year position) it’s up to you whether you decide to accept a drink. You won’t be thought of any less should you not accept a drink (and if you think your hands are going to be shaking like a coconut tree in a hurricane every time you pick your cup up) it’s probably a good idea to decline. That way you won’t chance spilling the liquid all down your front should you really lose your nerves!
Nerves – Yep love them or hate them we all have them and they apply to everything we do in life – whether it’s a new job, a date, going to the dentist or being reprimanded. What are nerves? Well they are your bodies’ way of dealing with stress usually caused by a fear of the unknown, your body putting up a protective barrier to help you deal with the unknown. Symptoms include; dry mouth, shaky hands, sweating, thumping heart, faintness, feeling like you need to go to the bathroom – sound familiar! Everyone is nervous when attending a job interview – after all you are doing all this because you want to get that new job. Your body is releasing chemical called adrenalin which assists you in focusing your mind completely on the situation that you are dealing with. The secret is being able to manipulate and control your frame of mind and use that adrenalin to your advantage and not let it take over completely.
