5 Steps Towards A Successful Interview and Tips...

[Metalcherry]

I got this information from an agency today, thought it might be helpful....
5 Steps Towards a Successful Interview


you have applied for the job, your cv has gone forward to the company and the employer has selected a shortlist and you have now been invited for interview.

whether the last interview you attended was 5 months ago or 5 years ago, there are some basic steps you can take to improve your chances of being successful at an interview.

Step 1 - Preparation

the more preparation you undertake prior to the interview, the more confident you will be once you are sitting in front of the interviewer.

find out as much about the organisation as possible:-
*nothing is more impressive to a prospective employer than your knowledge about them.
*all local libraries will help you find out what organisations do.
*have a look at the company’s website if they have one.
*look in the local press for up to date information on the company and its industry.

getting to the interview:-
*ensure you have the full address, map and directions well in advance.
*if you are not sure of the location, investigate further or if possible go and find the company in the week prior to the actual interview.
*check on how you are going to get to the interview, if you are using public transport check times and make sure that there are no planned delays for the day, i.e. train strikes.
*make sure that you are not late, aim to arrive 15 minutes early.

make sure your look right:-
*whatever the position you are going forward for, you should dress formally: Men - Business suit, Women - suit or smart co-ordinates
*men - never wear earrings.
*women - never wear sleeveless dresses, they are too casual.

make sure you feel right:-
*you will feel more confident if you feel fresh and have had a good night sleep.

on arrival:-
*give yourself time to tidy your appearance as necessary and to relax before the interview.
*if you are going to be late, try to telephone the company or your consultant to warn them.
*never take shopping bags/excess luggage with you.

what to take with you:-
*sometimes the interviewer does not have a copy of your resume - having one to hand will impress.
*print off relevant information on the company and take it with you.
*make some notes of your achievements and contributions from previous jobs that are relevant and plan answers to questions that you may be asked (See "tough Interview Questions Answered")
*plan some question on both the company and the role to ask at the end of the interview (see step 3)


Step 2 - Make a Good Impression

Be confident:-
*do not ignore the receptionist, secretary or PA, as they may be asked what they thought of you.
*start as you mean to continue: greet the interviewer confidently with a smile and a firm handshake. most people are nervous or shy at interviews and that includes those who are interviewing you. Do not let a situation worry you, speak clearly and do not rush.

Be Polite:-
*show good manners and you should gain respect - some questions can be difficult to answer they are not meant to be offensive.
*do not chew gum or smoke
*wait to be asked before sitting down.

be natural:-
*let your personality show through, be lively, enthusiastic and interested and do not be afraid to give your views when asked.


Step 3 - Find Out The Facts
the interviewer will tell you a great deal about the firm and the job, but it is up to you to get all the information you need.

the interviewer will appreciate and even expect to be asked about the role and the company because eit shows that you have thought about the job and that you know what you want.

some exacmples of questions you need to ask include:-

*what will be your regular duties?
*are there any other occasional duties?
*will I be working in a team or alone?
*are there other people doing a similar job?
*who will be your immediate boss?
*what hours will you generally be expected to work other than in busy periods?
*will somebody train you on new systems you have not used previously?
*when will you hear whether you have been successful or not?

some examples of areas which should be avoided, unless the interviewer directly asks you:-

salary and benefits:-
let your consultant do this as your consultant do this as the company will expect this from the consultancy but not necessarily the candidate.
Prospects:-
unless you are going forward for a position advertising prospects avoid this area as they may not want someone who is looking to move on immediately within the company - instead, ask about the structural and size of the company to find out where you could move onto at a later date.


Step 4 - Show that You Can Do The Job

*highlight what skills you have learnt that are relevant to the job.
*provide examples of your experience where appropriate.
*mention all examinations if asked, but in any case, be sure to mention those particularly relevant to the job.
*say if you have any interesting spare time activity or if you have held positions of responsibility.
*say if you have done any holiday jobs or voluntary work that are relevant to the position.


Step 5 - Say That You Want the Job.

*try not to make your mind up during the interview whether the job or the company is right for you. it is better to come to a decision having thought about it thoroughly, rather than coming across as negative during the interview and then deciding that you actually want the position.
*if you decide that you are interested in the role say so and say why.
*let the interviewer see that you are interested about the job. you can always turn down a second interview or offer if you decide you are not interested.


Tough interview questions answered.

maybe you are trying to land your first job, perhaps you are returning to the workplace, or maybe you are seasoned executive taking another step up the career ladder. whatever your situation, making a success of the job interview is vital.

this brief guide highlights some of the tough questions you might be faced with and suggests strategies to answer them as persuasively as possible. always bear in mind that every interviewer is trying to evaluate you on three criteria:-

1. are you able to do the job?
2. are you willing to put in the efforts to make the job a success?
3. are you manageable?

How to impress at the start...
why do you want to work here?
to answer this question you must have researched the company. reply with the company's attributes as you see them. cap your answer with reference to your belief that the company can provide you with a stable and happy work environment - and that such an atmosphere would encourage your best work.

how do you feel about your progress to date?
this question is not geared solely to rate your progress: it also rates your self esteem. be positive, yet do not give the impression you have already done your best work. make the interviewer believe you see each day as an opportunity to learn and contribute, and that you see the environment at this company as conducive to your best efforts.

what would you like to be doing in 5 years from now?
the safest answer contains a desire to be regarded as a true professional and team player. as far as promotion, that depends on finding a manager with whom you can grow. of course, you will ask what opportunities exist within the company before being more specific.

what are your biggest accomplishments?
keep your answers job-related. if you exaggerate contributions to major projects, you will be accused of "coffee machine syndrome": the affliction of junior clerk who claimed success for an Apollo Space mission based on his relationship with certain scientists at the coffee machine,. you might begin to reply with:- "although i feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, i am proud of my involvement with...i made a contribution as part of that team and learned a lot in the process".


The Real You...

tell me about yourself?
this is not an invitation to ramble on. if the context isn’t clear, you will need to know more about the question before giving any answer. whichever direction you answer ultimately takes be sure that it has some relevance to your professional endeavours.. you should also refer to one or more of your key personal qualities, such as honesty, integrity, being a team player, or determination. for example, if you choose "team player" you can tell a story about yourself outside work - perhaps as a member of a sports team - that also speaks volumes about you at work.

how well do you feel other people rated your job performance?
this is one very sound reason to ask for written evaluation of your work before leaving a company. you should also ask for a letter or recommendation whenever you leave a job. don’t thrust these under your interviewers nose but when you are asked the question, you can produce them with a flourish. if you don’t have written evaluations, try and quote verbal appraisals such as "My Boss said only a month ago that i was the most valuable engineer in the work group because....."

what is your greatest strength?
isolate high points from your background and build in a couple of your key personal qualities such as pride in your work, reliability and the ability to stick with a difficult task, yet change course rapidly when required.

what is your greatest weakness?
this is a direct invitation to put your head in a noose. decline the invitation. if there is a minor part of the job at hand where you lack knowledge, but knowledge you will obviously pick up quickly - use that. for instance: "i haven’t worked with this type of spreadsheet before but, given my experience with six other types, i should be able to pick it up in a few days". another option to design the answer so your weakness is ultimately a positive characteristic. for example:-
"i always give each project my best shot, so if i sometimes feel other are not pulling their weight, i find it a little frustrating. i try to overcome it with a positive attitude that i hope will catch on." also consider the technique of putting a problem in the past and showing how you overcame it.

what are you looking for in your next job?
you want a company where your talents and experience will allow you to contribute to their business. avoid saying what you want the company to give you: you must say what you want in terms of what you can give your employer. the key work is "contribution".

under the spotlight.....

why did you leave your last job?
you should have an acceptable reason for leaving every job you have held but if you don’t pick one of the six acceptable reasons from this employment industry CLAMPS formula:-
challenge: you were not able to grow professionally.
location: the journey to work was unreasonably long.
advancement: there was no where for you to go.
money: you were underpaid for your skill and contributions.
pride or prestige: you wanted to be with a better company.
security: the company was not stable.

what kind of salary are you worth?
this question is asking you to name a desired figure but the twist is that it also asks you to justify that figure. it requires that you demonstrate careful analysis of your worth, industry norms and job requirements. you are recommended to try for a higher figure rather than a lower one. if their immediate response is to say that is too much, accept it as no more than a negotiating gambit, and come back with your own calm rebuttal: "what did you have in mind?".

god, that is soooo tiring to type!

[Mrs.Evil of Hesselink]

I tried to reply to this a minute ago then it disappeared!

It looks really useful but its the kind of thing that I'll look for in a few months time and not be able to find!

Could it be made a sticky in the jobs forum maybe?

[Metalcherry]

i got the booklet through the email from my agency and thought it might help, now i feel more confient than ever for this interview tomorrow, hope it helps anyone else

i'll ask one of the staff to see if it can be made into a sticky xx

[Mos Def]

I can't be assed reading this now, because i don't have any interviews.

Anyone fancy making it a sticky? Not just due to my sheer lazyness, but for people's future reference...

EDIT: My sheer lazyness also forced me not to read the above two posts, already asking to make it a sticky. So aye, batter in

[Metalcherry]

ive asked one of the admins, not sure if they can help but hopefully,

it is a lot of reading but ive found it really helpful!

[Metalcherry]

i wish i could have cut and pasted this but sadly it came in a form where i couldnt highlight it
god! i started typing that at 6.45 taken me an hour and a quarter nearly.

oh well it gets my typing skills up anyhow, good for future jobs, thanks for making it into a sticky Woolies xx

[Ace Merrill]

That's really useful to know that. I'm hoping for some job interviews soon so I'll be looking back over this! Thanks

[Ziggy_Stardust]

To anyone who is unemployed for no good reason,

GET A JOB YA COW!

[Rhythm Junkie]

exellent - ive got an interview in a few weeks against someone already standing in so im gonna have to shine interview-wise. Ive never known the right answer to the 'greatest weakness' question either so thanx

[Draven]

Thanks for putting that up - will come in handy when I search for a new job in a month or so...

[faerie_child]

have interview tomorrow. hate interviews. this may help

[Zooropa]

I have one a week on Monday!

[Tool_ogt]

I have one for a higher position within my work at the moment, I'll give it a good look over for tips thanks.