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Conquering the
Interview
You've made it to the interview and like any normal
human being, your feelings of happiness will not
supersede the anxiety that accompanies interviewing,
even for those who have been through it before. The
only way to really alleviate some of that stress is
to make sure you are truly prepared for the
interview. Young Jobs guidelines of interview
preparation will provide you with the means to have
a successful interview.
Research: Getting to
Know the Company
Being knowledgeable about the company you will be
interviewing with is by far one of the most
important steps in the interview process. Without a
doubt, the interviewer will be impressed with
someone who has taken the time to research the
company before arriving at the interview. If you
make an effort to get to know the organization, you
will find yourself ahead of other candidates.
Employers don't just want someone that can get the
job done; they also want someone that respects their
company and has interest and enthusiasm for their
work.
Nowadays, most businesses and organizations have
their own websites or can be researched through
articles found on the Internet. However, we do
acknowledge that not all companies can be researched
this way and not all job seekers have a great deal
of access to the Internet. If either of these are
the case, try going to your local library and
finding articles or books about the company and/or
the field of work it falls under.
Research: Getting to
Know Yourself
Because you have taken the time to research the
company and learn what it has to offer, you can now
deduce what they might want in their employees and
incorporate your paralleled capabilities into the
interview. Rather than thinking of yourself as an
anxious job seeker on an interview, think of
yourself as a salesperson, selling your skills and
abilities. Review your resume a few times before
your interview. Consider each piece of experience
you have listed and the skills that were required.
Did you gain collaboration skills working at a
restaurant or leadership skills as president of a
club or organization? Whatever the case may be,
chose appropriately for each position you are
interviewing for and utilize those skills in your
"selling points". This not only provides you with
conversation pieces but you will also find that
knowing more about yourself as a potential employee
will give you more confidence.
Also keep in mind the skills or assets that you have
acquired in everyday life. For instance, most
companies are looking for determination in their
employees, so if the moment arises to tell them that
you finished 3rd in the city marathon after months
of training, take it. Even though it is not
necessarily related to the work, it will make a good
impression on your potential employer. To avoid
sounding arrogant, express your experiences as
learning tools and your skills as a gift. The tricky
part is trying not to create so much to talk about
that you dominate the conversation. It's better to
give a shorter answer that's direct and to the
point, than to babble on for several minutes in a
disorderly fashion. It is always best to follow the
interviewer's lead. This brings us to the importance
to practicing...
Practice
Doing research and knowing your "sales pitch" will
definitely help you interview with greater success,
but there is truly no substitute for actually
rehearsing for the interview. Ask a family member or
friend to act as the interviewer, providing them
with a list of questions to ask you. While you might
feel funny doing this, just remember that it will be
even harder to interview with a stranger, so
practicing can only help ease the process. Before
you sit in the hot seat, make sure you have an idea
of how you would like to answer the questions you
have selected. Even having a notion as to how you
will respond will build more confidence and impress
the interviewer.
If
a question arises that is not familiar to you, do
not make something up or change the subject. Rather,
tell them that's a good question but you do not have
an answer for the time being, but are eager to gain
the knowledge. Your potential employer will respect
your honesty and readiness to learn new things.
Aside from verbal communication, it is also
important to acknowledge your body language. Making
eye contact is crucial. If you fail to look the
interviewer in the eyes while they are speaking they
will think you are disinterested; if you fail to
look them in the eyes while you are speaking, they
will think you are nervous of fabricating your
answers. Try not to fiddle around with your hands
too much, or you will appear nervous. A more
effective way to use your hands is with slight
gestures to evoke enthusiasm for what you are
talking about. While it is common knowledge to sit
up straight and observe good posture, you don't want
to seem uneasy. Try to sit back in your chair with
your head held high so the interviewer will know you
are self-assured as well as attentive to what he or
she is talking about. Try practicing your body
language in a mirror or with a video camera.
Appearance
Let's face it, we all know that the visual
impression is the first impression you make when
meeting someone face to face for the first time.
That's why it is essential to dress the part. When
interviewing for a job, it is important to dress the
way that you would if you had the job. If you don't
know what the attire is, ask when you are setting up
the interview or dress slightly more formal than you
think you might need to. Wear clothes that are
freshly washed and ironed. Along with the clothing,
make sure you are up on your grooming: comb your
hair, clean your fingernails, and be sure to brush
your teeth before you go to your interview. Try to
avoid overdoing perfume or cologne, too much
make-up, and excessive jewelry.
Arrive Early
Getting to your interview early does not only make
you look good in the eyes of the employer, but it
will also make the interview process that much
easier. Trust us, there is nothing more stressful
than arriving late to an interview. Not only are you
worried about what the interviewer might think, you
are more likely to forget most of what you've
practiced because you are so overwhelmed with being
tardy. When you arrive 10-15 minutes early, you have
time to look over any last minute notes, use the
restroom, and most importantly, take deep breathes.
Nothing throws up the red flag quicker to a
potential employer than an applicant showing up late
for an interview.
Proper Introduction
As
intimidating as this may sound, you are under
observation from the very first moment you meet the
interviewer. In order to make a proper introduction,
make direct eye contact, extend a firm but
nonabrasive handshake, smile with enthusiasm, and
let them know your name and what a pleasure it is to
meet them. These might seem like obvious and mundane
gestures, but all potential employers will be
examining your interpersonal skills by how you
introduce yourself.
Returning the
Questions
Towards the end of your interview, you will most
likely be given the option to ask any questions you
might have for the company. This is a great way to
let them know that you are just as interested in
getting to know them as they are in getting to know
you. Asking the interviewer questions is a great
opportunity to make sure you have complete clarity
in regards to the position and its expectations. If
you feel uncertain about where you will fit in the
company, what an average day will look like or
anything else to do specifically with the job, feel
free to use this time to inquire further. You can
also ask about the environment of the company or the
rapport between co-workers. However, it is never
wise to ask about pay, benefits, sick days, etc.
during the first interview. Once you have been
offered the position, you are free to ask those
questions before deciding to accept the job.
Now
would also be a good time to tie in any final
reasons as to why you are a perfect match for the
job. It doesn't hurt to make reference to things
that were said during the interview. Emphasize your
enthusiasm for the position and anticipation for
moving forward within the interview process. Avoid
sounding desperate or too eager while maintaining
your interest.
Be
clear on what happens after the interview. Find out
when they will be contacting you again or how you
should follow-up if they would prefer it that way.
Just as you entered with a proper introduction, make
sure you exit just the same, with direct
eye-contact, firm handshake, and a smile.
Follow-Up
Even though you have made it through your first
interview, you have one more crucial step in
completing the interview process, the follow-up.
This is best accomplished by sending a thank you
letter to those you were interviewed by. Make sure
it goes out within 1-2 business days. Reiterate
points that were made during the interview and why
you are the right fit for the position. Try to
customize your thank you letter rather than sending
a generic thank you that won't make much impact on
the company. Remember to acknowledge your
appreciation for their time and consideration. From
there, if you do not have instructions to wait for
them to contact you, follow-up with a phone call
around one week later to check the status on filling
the position.
The
last piece of advice Young Jobs would like to offer
job seekers in conquering the interview is to BE
YOURSELF!
We
would say good luck, but if you follow our
guidelines, we know you won't need luck to succeed!
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