The interview panel should review the position before meeting candidates. All relevant information such as job description, organizational structure and more should be well known by the interview panel members.

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Use the 17 tips a checklist to help you prepare for that important interview.

 

Several Days – One Week Before the Interview

 

Spend some time researching the organization and the position. Study up on the company’s products and services, industry, target market, annual sales, geographic locations, structure, history, officers, and any other key information. Look for any new trends in the industry?

Identify the organization’s major competitors and do some basic research on how they differ (either positively or negatively) from the company at which you are interviewing.

Prepare specific examples of how your skills and experience make you a strong fit for the organization’s needs. Practice answering questions about your experience, education, and skills and how they relate to the position.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Be prepared to talk about your weaknesses but find a way to frame them positively. For example, “My biggest weakness is that I am a perfectionist. It may take me a little extra time to get a project done to my satisfaction, but you can be guaranteed that the work will pass even the most stringent review, be 100% accurate, and that no detail will be overlooked.”

Prepare several intelligent questions about the company and position that will demonstrate your knowledge of the company and your sincere interest in the position.

Make sure you have a well-fitting suit or professional attire.

The Day before the Interview

 

Contact the company to confirm the date and time of your interview. Also confirm the name and title of the individual(s) you will be meeting.

Drive to the interview site, I recommend doing this for the exact time you plan on leaving the next day. This will take in account any traffic concerns. Quick story, one of the organizations I worked at, we had a train that came through every morning at 9:50 AM. It never failed that people with 10:00 AM interviews were late 75% of the time. Our Hiring managers did not want us to warn them because if they could not show up early to an interview, they did not want to hire them.

Lay out your entire interview outfit. Check it for any spot, wrinkles, or snags.

Print off a few extra copies of your resume and cover letter on nice paper. Even if the interviewer has a copy of their own, it’s always a good idea to have a backup copy. This is also helpful if you end up interviewing with multiple individuals, since the head interviewer may be the only person with a copy of your resume.

The Day of the Interview

 

Get a good night’s sleep! Your brain needs fuel to run at peak performance and if there is ever a day you needed 110% from your brain, it is today. So, do not skimp on meals. Be cautious about eating large amounts of carbohydrates right before your interview though, since carbs are known to cause sluggishness and may lead to a “post-lunch” naptime.

Get dressed early so you do not feel pressured to dash out the door. Pay attention to the details (brush off any lint, comb your hair, brush your teeth, use deodorant, etc.) and remember that a first impression can reveal a lot about you and your character.

Do not forget to take copies of your resume, your cover letter, and your portfolio if you have one.

Leave yourself plenty of time to get to your interview. If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, it’s best to wait in the car or outside the building. Arriving too early gives off the impression that you have a lot riding on the interview (and have nothing better to do with your time), and also pressures the interviewer(s) into feeling that they have to adjust their schedule to accommodate you.

Smile and shake everyone’s hand when you are meeting for the first time – you should also smile and shake hands when the interview concludes.

Relax! If you have done your homework you are well-prepared for the interview. Take a deep breath and have fun!

After the Interview

 

Write a quick “Thank You” message to the individual(s) who interviewed you.

 

Joshua Crawford | Managing Director | Get Hired Secrets

 

Get Hired Secrets is Launching Careers Daily. My name is Joshua Crawford, and I am a leading authority in all things Recruiting, most things HR, and an expert in helping you Get Hired. Get Hired Secrets is about bringing you powerful, insightful, impactful resume and interview techniques so you can dominate and get the job of your dreams. Check out our trainings, tips, and tricks at www.GetHiredSecrets.com

The interviewer hopes that YOU are the right person for the job. They are under pressure to fill the position so that they can get back to their own work. Therefore, you are in a greater position of strength than you think. Concentrate on what you have to offer in the way of qualifications and experience instead of feeling intimidated. An interview is a quite simply a conversation not an interrogation.

 

An interviewer has 3 aims:

 

1) To learn if you are the right person for the job

 

2) To assess your potential for promotion

 

3) To decide whether you will fit into the company environment

 

The key to a successful interview is in preparation

 

Be prepared: For the types of questions you will be asked

 

Be prepared: To ask questions yourself

 

Be prepared: To research the company

 

Be prepared: To look the part

 

Be prepared: To turn up on time

 

Questions you may be asked

 

Example question: How would you describe yourself?

 

Your answer: Should describe attributes that will enhance your suitability for the position. Have some ready in advance.

 

Example question: What are your long-term goals?

 

Your answer: Should be career orientated. Make sure you have goals to discuss.

 

Example question: Why did you leave your last job?

 

Your answer: Could be more responsibility better opportunity increased income. Do not be detrimental to your previous employer. He could be the interviewer’s golfing partner.

 

Example question: Why do you want this job?

 

Your answer: More responsibility or better opportunity or similar. Not: because it is closer to home or the gym.

 

Example question: What are your strengths?

 

Your answer: Should highlight accomplishments and experiences that relate to the position for which you are applying. Also give examples of situations where your strengths have been demonstrated.

 

Example question: What are your weaknesses?

 

Your answer: Should not be a list of deficiencies. Don’t mention anything that could make the interviewer question your ability to do the job, for example “I am always late for everything.” Instead, discuss a weakness that could also be a strength such as “I am a workaholic!”

 

More Examples of Interview Questions

 

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

 

Describe your current / most recent position.

 

What made you want to make this change?

 

What do you most enjoy doing in your current /most recent position?

 

Describe your future ambitions.

 

How would you describe yourself?

 

Questions for you to ask:

 

Asking questions at interview has a number of positive effects:

 

It helps you find out more about the company and the position.

 

It can be used to divert the interviewer away from a subject you may wish to avoid.

 

It can help build a rapport with the interviewer.

 

It demonstrates an interest in the job and the company.

 

The questions must be about the position and the company.

 

Avoid questions about salary, benefits and facilities until after you have been offered the job. You should already have researched the company and its products and services. Your questions should demonstrate knowledge of the company’s history, successes and problems. If the interviewer is a representative of the personnel department the questions should relate to the company and be general. Specific questions relating to the position should be kept for the line manager who will have a more detailed knowledge.

 

Example questions relating to the position:

 

What are the main responsibilities of the job?

 

What are the most difficult aspects of the job?

 

How did the vacancy arise?

 

What is the career path relating to this position?

 

How will my work be assessed?

 

Example questions relating to the company:

 

What is the company hoping to achieve in the next 12 months?

 

What new products are the company planning to introduce in the future?

 

Are any major changes planned for the department/company?

 

Who are your biggest competitors?

 

Where to find company information:

 

Information relating to companies, financial data, industries and business trends is available in business magazines which often publish on the World Wide Web and allow you to order

 

Annual Reports relating to specific companies.

 

Companies often have their own web site.

 

Newspapers – search on-line press reports including archived articles.

 

Local library

 

Presentation tips:

 

Obviously, you should be clean and smart in appearance, but you should also dress appropriately for the position, for example: a student placement that is more expensively dressed than the Managing Director may have a negative impact.

 

Clothes should be on the conservative side, which is more acceptable to people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds. After all, you are asking to be accepted into the company. Therefore, always avoid extremes in hair, clothes, make-up and jewelry. Taking trouble over your appearance shows the employer that the job is important to you.

 

Travel tips:

 

Arrive 15 minutes early.

 

Make sure you have the correct address and know how you will get there:

 

Parking? Public transport access?

 

Do a dummy run if you are not sure.

 

Make sure you have a mobile phone and a telephone number so that you can ring ahead if circumstances beyond your control are making you late.

 

Be polite to everyone you speak to; it could be the Managing Director’s cousin!

 

Have a copy of your CV with you.

 

You should show interest in all aspects of the job and the company especially if shown around the premises. Do your homework on the company and the nature of its business. Take care in how you dress for the interview. First impressions still count!

 

Some of the main influences on the interviewer are:

 

Your experience in other employment or life situations Your personal presentation.

 

How your personality comes across in the interview

 

Your background and references

 

Your enthusiasm for both the job and the organization.

 

Relevant qualifications for the position.

 

Joshua Crawford | Managing Director | Get Hired Secrets

 

Get Hired Secrets is Launching Careers Daily. My name is Joshua Crawford, and I am a leading authority in all things Recruiting, most things HR, and an expert in helping you Get Hired. Get Hired Secrets is about bringing you powerful, insightful, impactful resume and interview techniques so you can dominate and get the job of your dreams. Check out our trainings, tips, and tricks at www.GetHiredSecrets.com

   

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Get Hired Secrets is Launching Careers Daily. My name is Joshua Crawford, and I am a leading authority in all things Recruiting, most things HR, and an expert in helping you Get Hired. Get Hired Secrets is about bringing you powerful, insightful, impactful resume and interview techniques so you can dominate and get the job of your dreams. Check out our trainings, tips, and tricks at www.GetHiredSecrets.com

Don’t ask for W-2s. Whether you’re a hiring manager or a recruiter, avoid the topic. The information on a W-2 is sensitive and may create the opportunity for abuse, leading to potential liability or claims of discrimination. Smart recruiters and hiring managers focus on the fundamentals to make the right hiring decisions. Read this for more information: www.blairkennergroup.com/should-you-ask-w-2-in-hiring/