What To Do During An Interview
Your qualifications and skills are only a part of what the hiring manager is looking for when conducting an interview. Whether you get the job depends largely on how you behave at the interviewwhat you do, what you say, and how you say it. From the first door you walk through to the final handshake on your way out, this lesson will help you learn how to behave during an interview. It will help you identify basic business etiquette that can improve your chances, as well as show you how your tone of voice and body language can be interpreted by an interviewer. It will also outline the basic rules for answering questions well.
Your Chance To Interview The Employer
While the main goal of the interview is for an employer to evaluate you as a candidate, it is also one of your few chances to learn more about them. There are many aspects of a job that you can only uncover by speaking with the employer.
- Identify questions that can help you determine if this is the right position for you. Consider asking questions about the role, division, organization, and industry.
Interview Preparation Tips For Introverts
Introverts may find interviews challenging, even overwhelming. A big part of an interview is talking about yourself and detailing your skills and achievements. But an interview also requires you to interact with unfamiliar people and think quickly when youre asked a question you werent expecting.
All of these things are difficult for anyone during an interview. But an introvert may have a harder time with these scenarios because they require you to act in a way that doesnt come naturally.
However, being introverted isnt an automatic barrier to having a successful interview. Its estimated that anywhere from 25% to 40% of the population is introverted, so its probably safe to say that many introverts have successfully navigated job interviews and have satisfying careers. And, you can do the same with a little preparation and practice.
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How To Show Your Personality At A Job Interview
Job interviews don’t have to be dry and boring. In fact, they shouldn’t be. It’s important to act professionally, of course, but it’s also important to show your personality to the interviewer.
However, you dont want to go overboard and overwhelm the hiring managerthis isnt a party or family gathering. Read on to learn how to show your personality at a job interview.
How Not To Behave In An Interview
Now that William’s briefed you on correct behaviour, it’s over to The Gateway for the misdemeanours to avoid – just remember everything your mum told you when you were little, and you’ll be fine!
Don’t be late: Your interviewees are busy people making time to meet you, so it’s inconsiderate to hold up their schedule. And you want to have a few minutes to collect your thoughts once you arrive in the building rather than arriving out of breath and stressed. If an event beyond your control delays you, call your potential employer as soon as possible to let them know what’s going on.
*Don’t be rude: *This principle applies not just to the interviewers but to anyone you meet on the day, including doormen, receptionists, the person who shows you to the room, junior staff, or other candidates. We’re sure they don’t deserve it and you don’t know who’s reporting back on you!
Don’t forget names: Don’t forget the names of your interviewees – make a mental note of them and use when appropriate. If you’re invited for a second interview, make sure you know who you spoke to the first time round.
Don’t be confrontational: Your interviewers might well ask you some difficult questions, then challenge your answers. It’s not a personal attack, so stay calm and measured at all times while standing up for your point of view where appropriate – you need to show you can stay cool under pressure!
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How To Answer Tell Me About Yourself During An Interview
Dont let this common interview question trip you up.
Whether you’re new to the workforce or have over 20 years of experience, “Tell me a little about yourself” is likely to be the first request asked of you in an interview. This is in part because it can be a nice icebreaker to get the interview started. It also provides the interviewer with a starting point that can allow for follow-up questions.
Regardless of why you’re being asked to spill the beans about who you are, you’re in the spotlight and need to be prepared to answer “Tell me about yourself” the “right” way to stand out among your competition. This is especially true when you consider that though the average interview length is 40 minutes, reports have shown that the interviewer knows if they will hire a candidate within the first 90 seconds. With that said, consider the following tips to prepare for being asked to “tell me about yourself” during a job interview.
Don’t Get Caught Unprepared
Don’t get intimidated or appear completely oblivious when the interviewer runs you through a battery of hard questions. Hiring managers ask in-depth questions because they want to make sure the most qualified candidate is chosen for the job. Fall back on the answers that you rehearsed before the interview. Ask the manager to repeat a question, if necessary. Avoid giving answers that are obviously off the top of your head or incorrect. Some managers will understand and respect candidates who say, “I don’t know the answer.”
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How To Follow Up An Interview
Congratulations! You made it through the initial interview process, hopefully picking up some great job interview tips we provided in the preceding sections.
Don’t stop there. The next part of the process is just as important, if not more so. In today’s competitive job market it’s imperative you follow up your initial job interview with a thank-you email to reiterate your interest in the role, and brush up on your second interview skills.
Read below for tips on what to do after the interview to make it into the next round of interviews – and successfully achieve your dream job.
Top 5 Things To Remember In An Interview
- Post authorBy Casey Fleischmann
You worked hard on your resume and job application, and now you are called in for an in-person job interview. You are one step closer to your dream job.
Its time to understand how to succeed in the job interview, so that you can actually land the job. Here are the most important things you have to remember.
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Look Your Interviewer In The Eye
In the online environment, eye contact is importanteven though it isnt true eye contact.
Instead of looking at the person on the screen, look directly into the webcam and stay engaged. It can be tricky to look at the camera when you see a person on the screen. But, looking at the screen will make you look like you are staring down .
If youve taken a selfie before, then you probably know the deal. But, somehow, video is harder.
Pro Tip: If you are uncomfortable, put a picture of someone you know up by the webcam. This way, you feel as though you’re chatting with a friend. If you have a webcam on a stand, you can even place it in front of the persons face to make this a little easier.
Give A Little Personal History
It can be good to give a little personal history or insights into who you are when determining how to answer Tell me about yourself, as long as you do it right. Sharing what inspired you to make the career choice you made is OK, for example. Something like “I grew up in a one-stoplight town in the middle of nowhere and decided to go to West Virginia University because it was close to home and a good option for me” or “I love to play golf in my spare time” are acceptable. This is especially true if you’ve done your research and know that the interviewer has similar interests and can relate a bonus for you!
If you are new to the workforce, you may not have a choice but to use some scenarios that are more personal in nature, because you may not have many work stories or experiences to pull from. When I was interviewing for an internship in graduate school, I remember being asked something along the lines of “What’s one of the most difficult scenarios or challenges you’ve dealt with to date?” My answer? Marriage. It was the most honest answer I could give, and I explained why.
Even though I did have work experience, marriage was still the first thing that came to mind. I was able to make the answer work-related by sharing that marriage requires communication, compromise, teamwork, understanding, and more, all of which are requirements for success in the workplace. I received and accepted the offer and was later offered a full-time position.
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Top 10 Job Interview Etiquette Tips
Knowing proper job interview etiquette is an important part of successful interviewing. How you dress, what you bring to a job interview, how you greet the interviewer, and how you communicate can all make a big difference in the outcome of the interview.
Review these job interview etiquette tips for before, during, and after a job interview, to ensure that your job interview etiquette is up to speed and you’re making the best impression on the interviewer.
Find Common Ground With Your Interviewer
Be on alert when you enter an interview room because what you see can help create a collegial atmosphere with interviews.
If youre in an office, look around for a bit to get a feel for your interviewers interests. Do they have photos from a place youve visited and loved? Do they have a poster of a sports team youre a big fan of? Do they have a picture of their pet to compliment them on?
This is a good way to ease your nerves and get things off to a fantastic start as soon as you enter an interview room.
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Know The Industry The Company The Competitors And The Interviewer
Completing the research step ensures that you have fully researched the company, the industry, and the competition. Knowing how to interview well within the industry and company will help you get a second interview. You also might be able to research the interviewer using Google or . Having relevant background information might give you helpful hints on how to position yourself.
Know Your Likes And Dislikes
A huge difference exists between spending your entire workday interacting with people versus sitting in front of a computer screen analyzing data all day. Creating a spreadsheet that highlights sales figures and presenting that to your boss weekly is vastly different from standing in front of a group of twenty to thirty peers and managers and presenting that data.
You must know your likes and dislikes because a workday can be long, and you should at least like most of what you will be doing. Some people are motivated by the amount of money they will make in a job, however, and if that works for them, itâs sufficient. Itâs also important, however, to like the type of work you will be doing. It makes for a miserable day, week, month, and year if you do not.
College internships are key because they expose you to work you might like, as well as work you definitely would not like. Having as many internships as possible is a goal every college student should have. It may be helpful to know that the vast majority of companies hire mostly juniors because they will graduate in one year and some companies would like to extend full-time offers to their summer class. But donât let that dissuade you from seeking an internship if you are a freshman or sophomore. It may be more difficult to obtain an internship, but itâs definitely worth the effort if it gets you closer to what you do or do not want to do on a full-time basis.
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Consider What The Interviewer Wants To Know
Attempt to think of this question from the interviewer’s point of view to help you craft a response. Interviewers are primarily listening to see if you have the experience to do the job, have the ability to learn, and would be a good fit for the work group and organization. This is why focusing on work-related accomplishments and being yourself is essential.
How To Show Confidence In A Job Interview
Employers like to hire candidates with confidence in a job interview.
If you seem confident, theyll assume that youll perform better in their job.
But how can you make sure to sound and appear confident during your interviews?
Feeling confident in an interview is one thing, but its important to make sure that employers can see this.
And if youre not quite sure of yourself or one of the employers interview questions, how can you fake confidence?
Coming up, Ill share the best ways to show confidence in an interview so you can get hired faster.
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Ways To Come Across More Naturally In Interviews
If you want that next job, just act naturally during your interview. Easier said than done, right? The more natural you can perform during times of stress and pressure, such as in an interview, the more confidence your potential employer will have in hiring you for the position.
Use these five tips to give yourself a leg up against the competition to come off more natural in interviews.
Focus On Body Positioning
Once youve made a habit of maintaining eye contact, its time to think about your body positions.
You want to stand and sit in open positions arms by your sides, not crossed. Make your body take up a lot of space, rather than making yourself smaller. This is how to seem confident.
You cant even see the womans face in this photo yet you can tell shes apprehensive and not confident at all
If you want more info and help with body language and power stances, heres a full article on the best body language tips.
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Style Your Hair Neatly
What to do with your hair is a concern for both men and women, as how it looks can say a lot about your personality. For William, the key point to be underlined for both genders is that your hair should be “neat and off the collar”.
Men should “avoid using so much hair product that you look flammable”. Excessive gel or wax can make you look not only unprofessional but also juvenile – in particular, “steer clear of wet-look gel we are not thirteen”, comments William.
William advises women that their hair should be “brushed and under control”. If you have long hair, it should be “tied back or better still, cut!”
Know Your Faux Pas From Foie Gras
Hint: One is a mistake, and the other is a delicacy made from the fattened liver of a duck or goose!
Some interviews are conducted over a meal, so being familiar with proper table manners is imperative to your interview success.
Heres why: The recruiter will be watching to see how youll conduct yourself at a meal with clients, how you handle accidents, and how you treat the wait staff.
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Get More Specific With Position
After opening the interview with some easy questioning, its now time to test your candidate. These position-based questions could be anything from asking about various automotive questions to a potential tire technician, programming questions for a developer, or leadership scenarios for a manager. Position-based interview questions are a great way for candidates to glean information from you as well and turn your interview into more of a conversation. Most importantly, these position-based questions will allow you to see a candidates strengths and weaknesses during the interview.
Would You Consider Yourself Open
Those who can adapt to changes tend to be open-minded. Employers ask this question to see if you welcome new ideas and opportunities. Show them that you are open-minded by sharing that you are interested in learning from others and trying new things. Explain that you are willing to listen to other’s thoughts and opinions in the workplace.
Example:“Yes, I am quite open-minded. While I have a strong set of values and morals, I am always willing to learn another person’s perspective on a topic or issue. By listening to others, there is a lot I can learn. My open-mindedness has made it possible for me to try new things and pursue different opportunities. By looking at the world through an open-minded perspective, I can continue to grow as an individual.”
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Greet The Interviewer Correctly
Your greeting is likely to be your first face-to-face contact with your interviewer, so it’s vital that you get it right. William says you should aim for a “firm not limp, but equally not too firm” handshake. You should only use your right hand, leaving your left hand dormant by your side. Eye contact is essential throughout the interview process, so remember to look the interviewer in the eye when shaking hands. You should introduce yourself by saying your name clearly, followed by “How do you do?”
