Job Interview Preparation Tips: Dos and Dont's for Success
Prepare effectively for your job interview with dos and don'ts to remember, from dressing professionally to arriving on time, maintaining good posture, and researching the company. Learn how to answer questions, greet the interviewer, and present yourself professionally before, during, and after the interview to increase your chances of success.
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What is your biggest strength? What is your greatest weakness? Explain. Please answer in sentence form.
DO: dress professionally iron your clothes, if necessary Guys: khakis or dress pants, button-up shirt and tie Girls: dress pants and shirt, skirt and shirt, conservative dress DON T: wear sneakers, flip flops, shorts, anything torn or dirty dress for the job wait until the day of to try on your clothes
Dont be Late Arrive early, but dont present yourself until 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment Don t Slouch Be mindful of your posture. Sit up straight Don t Smoke or Chew Gum Use mints. Don t smoke or chew gum once you arrive at the company Don t Talk too Much Answer the questions completely. Don t Forget to Smile and be Pleasant Demonstrate your attitude by smiling appropriately Don t Forget to Prepare for the Weather Check the weather report be prepared Don t Forget to Follow-up Thank You Notes continue to be appropriate via e-mail or U.S. mail depending on the company and the person you interviewed with.
Prepare Complete all the activities in the book Research the company & position Practice answering questions Have a list of questions to ask Listen completely before you answer the interviewer s questions Be On Time Be on time, not too early. It will interrupt the Interviewer s plans for the day if you arrive too early or too late. Use good Posture Practice and be aware of your posture before and during the interview. Dress Appropriately Research the company. When you are interviewing on causal day--don t be casual Maintain Eye Contact
Know the company What do you they do? What are their strengths? Their weaknesses? Practice interview questions Practice answering questions Avoid sounding rehearsed
Greeting: Shake hands Refer to the interviewer(s) by name Make eye contact Bring your resume (several copies, if possible) Seating: Sit after the interviewer(s) are seated Sit still; don t fidget; sit up straight
Answering the questions: answer in complete sentences speak clearly and at an appropriate volume If you don t know what to say: take a few seconds to think before answering avoid um or well ask for clarification if necessary
Do: connect your answers back to the job you re applying for maintain an appropriate amount of eye contact use specific examples when applicable Don t: give one word answers ramble talk negatively about a previous employer
What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness? Describe a difficult work situation and how you overcame it. How do you handle stress/pressure? Tell me about yourself. Where do you see yourself in five years? Why should we hire you? How do you measure success? Tell me why you left your previous job. Why do you want this job?
Discuss attributes that will qualify you for the job. Describe the skills and experience that directly correlate with the job you are applying for. Example: I pride myself on my customer service skills and my ability to resolve what could be difficult situations.
The interviewer is trying to understand the key to your being successful in the job he is interviewing for, and wants to make sure it's a good fit. Consider, in advance of interviewing, what actually does motivate you and come up with some specific examples to share during the interview. Example: I have always wanted to ensure that my company's clients get the best customer service I can provide. I've always felt that it's important, both to me personally, and for the company and the clients, to provide a positive customer experience.
Do your best not to bring up compensation until the employer makes you an offer. Tell the employer you'd like to know more about the responsibilities and the challenges of the job prior to discussing salary. Before your interview, research salaries (on O*Net for example) of the job title for which you are applying. That way you can offer a range based on your research.
The interviewer wants to know what your perception is of what others think about your qualifications and abilities. Example Answer: I'm sure if you asked my friends that question they would say you should hire me because I have the skills outlined in the job description and I bring 10+ years of expertise to this position. Words they've used to describe me are: hard working, professional, trusted and a team player.
Give concrete examples of why your skills and accomplishments make you the best candidate for the job. Take a few moments to compare the job description with your abilities, as well as mentioning what you have accomplished in your other positions. Be positive and reiterate your interest in the company and the position.
Give concrete examples of difficult situations that actually happened at work. Discuss what you did to solve the problem. Keep your answers positive and be specific. Itemize what you did and how you did it. Prepare stories ahead of time that illustrate times when you have successfully solved a difficult situation.
Be prepared and knowledgeable about the company. Spend some time researching the company (the About Us section of the web site is a good place to start) so you can talk about the benefits of working for this employer. Compare your goals with objectives of the company and the position, then reiterate why you would be an asset to the employer. Let the interviewer know what you can do for the company, if you get a job offer.
DONT BE TOO NEGATIVE. Example: I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly and fun atmosphere and I actually enjoyed going into work each morning. I felt the leadership team was great as well. Example: One of the reasons I am leaving is that I felt I was not challenged enough at the job.
Be both honest and positive. If you don t know for sure, answer in terms of in terms of how this job will fit with your future plans, otherwise the employer will think you are not the right person for the job. Example: I hope to start a career here with The Widget Company. My goal is to apply myself and learn this job well. Eventually I would like to receive additional training, take on more responsibility and earn a promotion.
Prepare several questions ahead of time. What are you looking for in the person you hire? How would you describe the responsibilities for this position? What does a typical work day consist of? How often will I be evaluated? How will the evaluations help me improve my performance? What do you like about working here? If I am offered the position, how soon would you want me to start? When can I expect to hear from you? Are there any other questions I can answer for you?
Be honest Do not: answer with I m a perfectionist or I work too much use the term weakness in your answer Consider answering: non-essential skills answer group presentations during a maintenance worker interview skills you ve improved I used to have poor time management skills, but I ve set up a system that helps me stay on track.
Age Are you old enough to legally do this job? OKAY How old are you? NOT OKAY Race/ethnicity/country of origin Are you legally able to work in the U.S.? OKAY Are you a U.S. citizen? NOT OKAY Criminal background Have you ever been convicted of a crime? OKAY Have you ever been arrested? NOT OKAY
Disability Are you able to safely lift 30 pounds? OKAY How much do you weigh? NOT OKAY Family Status How long do you plan to have this job? OKAY Do you have a spouse? Children? NOT OKAY Religion Can you work all the hours we re open? OKAY Where do you attend church? NOT OKAY
What do you say if asked one of these illegal questions? My faith/age/family status/race won t interfere with my ability to do this job. You may choose to end the interview at that time
If given the opportunity, always ask a question about the company Ask more about the position or the company Avoid questions about raises, bonuses, etc Shake hands again Thank the interviewer(s) for their time Use names
Send a thank you card Check back Ask about other available positions Request feedback
