We all know how tough the economy is right now. Companies are struggling, and people are being pushed out of their jobs right and left. Which means that, even if you are still holding on to your job, being prepared to ace a job interview is pretty important. You never know when you're going to need to put your smooth-talking skills to work.
There are some obvious things about doing well at a job interview that most people already know. Take a shower first. Have clean breath. Wear nice clothes and try to look groomed and professional. Easy, right? Sure. But there are lots of other things that also you need to keep in mind when going on a job interview, and not all of them are a clear-cut as "use a toothbrush." From the best greeting to the most effective follow-up, read on for some basic --but important-- job interview tips.
Greeting. You know what they say about first impressions. Greeting your interviewer for the first time is your chance to make a good one. First, be sure your cell phone is turned off-- neither you nor your interviewer want the interruption. Then, when your interviewer approaches you, immediately stand up. Shake their hand, make eye contact (this is often the first thing to go if you're nervous, so pay attention) and be sure to smile, even if it feels strange. Most of us develop instantaneous opinions about the people we meet. Be sure that your interview's instant opinion of you is a good one.
Making Conversation. The key to pulling off a job interview conversation is to prepare for it. You want everything you say to express your complete interest in getting the position. So be sure to prepare some good questions (whether they be about the job, the company, etc.) beforehand. Listen closely when the interviewer talks about the position, then use any new information to form new questions and a better idea of what the employer is looking for.
And don't forget to make small talk. You might think that the focus should be 100% professional, but being able to connect on a personal level is also important, and should help you stand out. If you can gather information about the interviewer on the company's website, use it to come up with a few small-talk questions to ask. Or even look around his or her office for photos, memorabilia, etc., that will help you to make a personal connection. This is more important than you might think.
Presentation. Next, of course, you've got to present yourself. Depending on what kind of job you're looking for, how you talk about yourself is going to be different from case to case. But for most professional interviews, it's a good idea to carry any presentation materials (such as work portfolios or your CV or resume) in a professional portfolio in a briefcase. Have your resume and any recommendation letters, etc., printed up on heavy bond paper. Sure, your interviewer already has a copy, but it doesn't hurt to be --and especially to look-- prepared. Another thing that will make you appear prepared and organized? Bring along a small, clean pad of paper and a pen, and jot down a few notes about the position during the course of your interview.
Follow-Up. Now, get ready for the follow-up. Walking out of an interview, you should generally have a good idea of how well or how poorly you did. But you can almost never be sure of the result, so it's important to prepare. First, be sure your voice mail message on your home and mobile phone are clear and professional. Then be ready with a thank you note. Writing thank you notes is a good idea whether you get the job or not. Think about it this way: people turn down job offers all the time, or quit a new job early on when something else comes up. Sending out a thank you note even if you don't get the position will make you the candidate a prospective employer remembers. And you may be the first person he or she calls if that position (or another) opens back up.
Big Job Interview Don'ts
In addition to the "should do's" above, there are also some things you should never do during a job interview. Here are the five biggest:
Don't complain about your previous company. This is ugly, ugly behavior that will immediately turn prospective employers off. Even if your previous employer was pure evil, never say so in the interview. In fact, try to find something positive to say. Even if you don't mean it.
Don't let your resume or CV speak for you. Yes, your resume or CV is probably what got you the interview in the first place. But now that you're in front of the interviewer, you've got to add a sale of your own on top to the one your resume makes. Your resume is just a piece of paper-- it's your job to sell yourself.
Don't allow yourself to ramble. A lot of interviewers give candidates a bit of extra rope to see if they'll hang themselves. They ask a question, and don't interrupt even when the candidate starts to ramble. You may feel a need to fill all silences. Don't. Answer all questions thoroughly but succinctly, and then wait for the next. If you tend to ramble on, you need to bite your tongue.
Don't be too honest. Now, this doesn't mean you should lie, because you shouldn't. Ever. But you don't have to lay it all on the table. Sure, your last boss may have fired you for spending all your time tweaking your internet dating profile at work, but your interviewer doesn't need to know this. Don't volunteer your flaws.
Show up unprepared. If you don't spend time preparing (doing mock interviews, planning questions they'll ask and ways to answer) your chances of getting the job are probably slim. Go in there knowing the company and feeling confident that you know what to say-- it'll give you a definite edge.
Author Resource:-
This article was written by Shawn Wilson, a member of the customer support team at Datepad, where we always offer free internet dating. Datepad has a massive directory of informative free dating articles along with a great list of dating site reviews on our dating blog.
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