Is It Ok To Bring Notes To An Interview
It is OK to bring notes to an interview if those notes are a list of questions for the interviewer. It would be inappropriate to bring notes in the form of a “cheat sheet” to remember information about yourself or how you would like to answer questions. The interview is designed to help employers learn about you, which shouldn’t have to be rehearsed.
Write Down The Questions Youre Likely To Be Asked And Practice Saying Your Answers Out Loud
Its a decent bet that youll be asked questions like: Why are you thinking about leaving your current job? What interests you about this opening? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What experience do you have doing _____ ? You can find other common job interview questions here, along with suggestions for how to answer them.
Once you have your list of the questions you think youre likely to be asked, figure out how youll answer each of them. And I dont mean just get a vague idea or some bullet points you want to hit. I mean come up with your complete answer to each and practice saying those answers out loud. You might feel ridiculous doing that, but theres something about this process that lodges those answers in your brain in a way that will make them much more easily retrievable when youre sitting in the interview. Doing this kind of reflection and practice ahead of time should make a significant difference in how polished and confident you appear when youre talking to your interviewer as well as to the substance of your answers, because you wont be coming up with language and framing on the fly.
What Would The Person Who Likes You Least In The World Say About You
Ah, the dreaded What are your weaknesses? question. This is just another way of asking it. But dont fall into the common trap of I hold myself to a very high standard type of answer designed to make you look good. Savvy interviewers see that tactic a mile away. Be honest, and if possible, show that youve learned from your mistakes. Something like: When I was younger, I wasnt very punctual. I have learned how disrespectful that is, and now Im never late.
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Prepare For Your Trip
If you have the opportunity to choose a time slot for your interview, do it intentionally. Think about whether youre most energized in the morning or in the afternoon and consider if there will be traffic along your route.
Why risk a late arrival due to a traffic tie-up if theres a later morning slot available at 9:45 a.m.? said Timothy G. Wiedman, a retired human resources expert and professor.
He also says to beware of being interviewed late on a Friday afternoon.
By 2:30 p.m., a great many managers start thinking about their weekend plans and may not be completely focused on the quality of the answers that you provide during your Q& A session.
Whatever time you choose, he recommends arriving at least 25 minutes early. Arriving extra early may also provide some stress relief if traffic or parking problems occur.
Spend several minutes in the restroom to get yourself looking your absolute best before you meet anybody including the receptionist, Wiedman said.
If youre unfamiliar with the area you might also want to visit ahead of time so you know where to park and the correct entrance to use.
When you arrive, be polite and respectful as you wait. Receptionists are often asked to provide input from their interactions with candidates to the members of the hiring team.
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Why Should I Hire You
Focus on your assets – what makes you different and where do your major strengths lie? Outline what you can offer in terms of experience, personality and enthusiasm.
“The job description should give you a good indication of what they are looking for,” added Janine Blacksley.
“Make sure you address the particular qualities the employer has stated they are looking for and provide specific examples of what you have done so far in your career that demonstrates how you are particularly suited for the role.”
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Preparing & Conducting Interviews
Being well prepared and then conducting an interview methodically will help you make the most of this important recruitment tool.
When interviewing job candidates, you want to determine what sort of people they are, how good their interpersonal skills are, how they might react under stress, whether they have the skills for the job, and whether they have been honest in their resumes.
Hacking Your Brain To Memorize & Store Your Answers
The best technique I’ve found for quickly storing and recalling answers is Spaced Repetition. It’s a research-backed memorization technique that leverages the Forgetting Curve to help you maximize retention with minimal input.
The technique is center around a 2x2x2 memorization pattern. You start with an initial memorization period. Then you repeat your answers 24 hours later, 48 hours later, 7-10 days, etc:
Here is the practice schedule I recommend for memorizing your answers:
Week 1: Take a full 7 days to write, refine, and initially memorize your answers. It’s important to take the full week, otherwise there will be too much refinement during the rest of the process making it harder to memorize.
48 Hours later: After the first 7 days, take a 24 hour break, then rehearse each of your answers three times the following day.
5 days later: Rehearse each of your answers three times.
10 days later: Rehearse each of your answers three times.
Recurring practice: Moving forward, rehearse your answers once every two three weeks as needed. At this point they should be fairly solidified in your head.
When it comes to getting started, the best time is now. It takes time to prepare and memorize your answers and you never know when a job interview will pop up. If you’re job hunting, you know there will be interviews down the road so don’t put this off. In my opinion, it’s the largest return for the least effort in this entire article.
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How Did You Hear About This Job
When asked this during an interview, donât just say you heard about the job on a website. This is your opportunity to go into more detail about why you love this company and what motivates you to want to work there. Moreover, if you have a personal connection at the company, this would be a good time to mention their name!
Read And Review The Job Description
Youve received a call for that dream job, so how do you prepare for the interview? The first step in the preparation process should be to go back and review the job description. Most job descriptions follow a similar pattern and are usually categorised by the following points:
- Job title/Department
- Duties and tasks
- Skills required
The job title and department will give you an understanding of the major purpose of the position and where the role fits into the organisation, allowing you to discover who your potential line manager could be.
Read and review the job description very thoroughly and be sure to align your competencies with the skills required for the job. You will consequently ready yourself for questions around your previous experiences, performing similar duties in other organisations.
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Read / Listen To Earnings Calls
Public companies are required to share financial information, challenges, initiatives, etc. with their shareholders. They typically do this on a quarterly call and the recordings and transcripts for those calls are available to the public.
All you need to do is search for Earnings Call on Google and it should come right up. For example, here’s a screenshot of the webcast for Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting:
What Does Being Prepared For An Interview Really Mean
For many, the idea of being prepared for anything is a bit ambiguous.
Is there a specific point that separates the prepared from the ill-prepared? Do you have to dedicate a certain number of hours to the process of getting ready? Is there a critical step you have to make to cross the threshold?
Technically, the answer to those questions is no. In many cases, being prepared means youve done some due diligence. You know how to talk about your achievements in a way that entices the hiring manager. You can sprinkle in relevant tidbits of information based on research.
Essentially, being prepared means youve taken whatever steps were necessary to set yourself up for success, allowing you to arrive at your interview brimming with confidence. Youve dedicated time and attention to the process.
Even if the idea of being prepared isnt highly defined, that doesnt mean you cant do what it takes to make it happen. By following the right steps which well cover in a moment you can do proper laser focused research, prepare and practice relevant and engaging answers, and increase your odds of handling even the trickiest questions with ease.
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Do You Know How To Make Your Case To An Interviewer Follow These 10 Interview Tips To Boost Your Chances Of Landing The Job
10 interview tips to boost your chances of landing the job.
The day has come: You found an awesome job on Monster, applied, and got a call from a real-live human being who wants to meet with you. Congrats! But your work has only just begun. Right about now, you need some interview tips. Lucky for you, we’ve got a few good ones.
Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for their job interview. Why, you ask? Interview skills are learned, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. These 10 interview tips will teach you how to answer interview questions and convince the hiring manager that you are the one for the job.
Prepare Your Travel Arrangements
Job interviews tend to be stressful for most people for many reasons, but getting to the interview can be a challenge in itself. If your interview is an unfamiliar area or even an entirely new city, it can be a source of anxiety to find your way around and make sure that you show up on time.
To avoid becoming too anxious for your commute, prepare yourself to ensure everything goes smoothly on the day of the meeting. Here’s how:
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Carefully Examine The Job Description
During your prep work, you should use the employers posted job description as a guide. The job description is a list of the qualifications, qualities and background the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. The more you can align yourself with these details, the more the employer will be able to see that you are qualified. The job description may also give you ideas about questions the employer may ask throughout the interview.
Know The Company And The Role
Research the company you’re applying to so that you understand the company culture and goals. The interviewers will expect you to have some idea about what the company does and what the role entails. In particular, you should have adequate information about:
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The company’s products or services: It is important to know the products and services they offer, even if the position you are applying for is not directly related to this. If hired, you will represent the company and you should know what type of products or services they offer. You do not need to become an expert, but you must know the basics. This can help you during the interview in case the interviewers ask you any specific product related questions. Drawing a complete blank may ruin your chances of success.
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The company culture: There was a time when information about a company’s internal culture was difficult to obtain, but today, with most modern organizations having social media accounts and openly discussing their culture and industry dynamics, i t is no longer so. By understanding the company’s culture, you can get an idea about its values and whether or not you would be a good fit within the company’s culture. Knowing that your values align with those of the company’s can make you more confident that this is the right opportunity for you.
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Beating The Job Interview Jitters
There are numerous tried-and-true ways to relieve stress prior to an interview. The most important is preparation. The more you know about the company, the products, and the people, the better youll be at answering questions in a thoughtful manner. Since youre already going in with a consultants mindset, youve got the prep work done. Here are some other tactics to beat those jitters:
Ways To Make A Good Impression
As you’re preparing for the interview, think about ways you can show yourself in a positive light:
Prospects · May 2021
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Preparing For A Video Interview:
Make sure that you have a headset and a stable internet connection. If your sound is too scratchy or you have loud surroundings, this may annoy the interviewer and cause miscommunication if they cannot hear you clearly.
Ensure that you are in a well-lit room and that you still dress appropriately for an interview. If you fail to put an effort into your appearance, this will be obvious to the interviewer and reflect badly on your interest in the role.
Follow These Steps To Get Properly Prepared For Your Interview
Alright, now that you know a bit about why preparing for an interview is important, as well as some mistakes to avoid, lets get down to brass tacks: how to prepare for an interview. After all, knowing you need to do it is only half the battle you have to follow through, using the right approach, too.
Luckily, we have your back. If you want to blow away the hiring manager, you need to take your interview prep to the next level. Heres how to do just that:
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Dont Ask For Feedback On The Spot
Ive seen people recommend that you ask for feedback or concerns at the end of the interview. Something like this: Based on what weve discussed, is there any reason you wouldnt consider me for this job? Horrible advice. Never ask this. Ever. Or anything like it.
First of all, they just finished interviewing you. Give them time to think. Youre going to go home and decide whether youre interested, they need time to think too. Dont put them on the spot like this.
Also, youre bringing the negatives to their attention. Youre literally asking them if they can think of a reason thatd stop them from hiring you. Even if they do think of something, they wont tell you for fear of a lawsuit.
I like to say something like this instead: If you need any more info from me or have any questions later, dont hesitate to contact me.
How To Research Your Interviewer
The best places are the ones you’d usually use to look up someone. Start by Googling their name, what comes up? Are there any articles they’ve written? Does a personal website pop up?
Next, hit their social media profiles. What kind of content do they share? Scan through their LinkedIn posts and activity. Scroll through their Facebook timeline. See what they’re saying on Twitter.
It doesn’t take long to get an idea of who they are, what they like, and where you might be able to capitalize on a common interest.
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Plan Ahead With The Travel And Other Practical Aspects
Research the route and how youre going to get there. Check that there are no train engineering works scheduled, no train strikes, or roadworks/traffic issues. Print off a map and all details you need for the day, including contact names and phone numbers, just in case of any issues, contact details for your recruitment agent, in case you need them to help with anything unexpected. Always aim to get there early and build in some extra contingency. Youve done all the hard work preparing, you dont want to blow that by arriving late or by turning up sweaty and out of breath because you had to run!Get your interview clothes ready a few days before the interview, in case you unexpectedly discover they need dry cleaning, or even worse, as happened to me after putting on weight over Christmas one year, that they no longer fit! Dress smart . I would always suggest wearing a business suit .Get your bag/briefcase ready with any notes, business cards, copies of your CV, references etc. Its also a good idea to pack a pen and a notepad . Putting some breath mints and deodorant into your bag is also a good idea, we judge people based on all 5 senses after all .
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