How To Be Good In An Interview

What Should I Know Thats Not On Your Resume

Interviewer Technique – Getting it right

Its a good sign if a recruiter or hiring manager is interested in more than just whats on your resume. It probably means they looked at your resume, think you might be a good fit for the role, and want to know more about you. To make this wide-open question a little more manageable, try talking about a positive trait, a story or detail that reveals a little more about you and your experience, or a mission or goal that makes you excited about this role or company.

Why Should We Hire You

While this question may seem like an intimidation tactic, interviewers generally ask to offer another opportunity to explain why youre the best candidate. Your answer should address the skills and experience you offer, why youre a good culture fit and what you believe youd bring to the role.

One thing to remember as youre discussing your fitness for the company with employers is that the idea of culture fit can sometimes be used as a way to eliminate and discriminate against candidates, however unknowingly, who dont think, act or look like existing employees. A better alternative concept you might consider speaking to is culture add, or your ability to bring fresh and additive ideas and feedback to the team. Culture adds make the company stronger by diversifying the experiences and perspectives of its workforce.

Example answer:My experience accurately managing inventory intake and skills in creating effective, streamlined schedules make me uniquely qualified to succeed in this kitchen manager position. I understand that you require a highly organized candidate with acute attention to detail. In my previous job, I successfully handled schedules for 20 employees and reduced food waste by 15%. Im confident in my ability to use my organizational skills to bring efficiency and order to your restaurant.

S To A Successful Interview

Step 1 PREPARE for the InterviewGather InformationFirst, make sure that you know the time that the interview is scheduled for, where the interview will take place, the name and job title of the person who will interview you, and whether you need to bring anything to the interview.Then gather as much information as you can about the company. Having this background information also makes it easier for you to think of questions to ask the employer during your interview. Find out the essential elements of the job and think about how they match your skills and interests.Knowing in advance where the interview will take place increases your confidence and decreases the possibility of arriving late. Allow extra time for unexpected delays. If the place of interview is in a busy part of town or where parking spaces are limited, you may want to consider using public transportation.What to Bring

Paper and pen for taking notes
Your driver’s license
Samples of your work
Copies of transcripts, educational certificates, and professional qualifications
Copies of your résumé
A copy of your application
Your reference list
Your list of questions that you would like to ask

Step 2 DRESS for Success

Get a haircut
Groom your hands and nails
If you have a beard or moustache, trim it so it looks neat
Lay your clothing out the night before so you are sure it is clean and all there
Get a good night’s sleep

Step 3 PRACTICE Makes PerfectStep 4 The INTERVIEWQuestions to AskDiscussing Salary

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What’s The Biggest Decision You’ve Made Over The Past Year Why Was It Such A Big Deal

This shouldn’t be seen as a way of delving into a candidate’s personal life, you don’t want to find out why they’ve just broken up with their partner!

Instead, interview questions like this are designed to show you how the candidate approaches the decision making process. Do they make choices impulsively or do they conduct painstaking research. Did they make a plan, or did they talk it through with friends?

The answers to this question will if they’re style of decision-making and their thought process fits the way you do things at your company.

Determining if a candidate has the relevant skills and experience is only half the battle. You need to make sure that they’re a good cultural fit for your company if you want to make good hiring decisions. Here are a few questions that can help you find this out:

If I Gave You 50000 To Start Your Own Business What Would You Do

Job Interview Skills to Help You Get Hired

“Hold on a second, I thought we were trying to hire them not invest in them!” Relax, this question is a great way to illustrate business acumen and creativity.

£50,000 is not to be sniffed at, but when it comes to starting a business it’s hardly a king’s ransom. As a result, candidates should think carefully about how they would spend it and what early hires or decisions would give them the best ROI.

The best answers will get specific. They might touch on logistics, hiring, product decisions and services. You’ll also be surprised at how creative candidates can get when you challenge them like this.

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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.

Things You Should Say In An Interview

The Bottom Line

Today’s job market is as competitive as ever. You need to be able to effectively communicate your skillset so that you will give yourself the best competitive advantage to secure employment. During the interview process, you want to highlight as many of your strengths as possible.

An easy way to do this is by slipping a few simple phrases into your next job interview. Here are seven things you should say in an interview.

7 Things You Should Say In An Interview

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Why Interviewers Ask About Your Strengths

What is your greatest strength? seems like a pretty easy and straightforward question after youve walked a recruitment manager through your resume, but theres a reason the hiring manager wants to probe the topic based on your response. The manager is looking to:

Determine if your greatest strengths and skills align with the companys direct needs. This is why its important to have a clear understanding of the job description and make sure you choose a strength that is relevant to the position.

Gauge how you are different from the competition. Sometimes two equally qualified candidates might have very similar resumes, but hearing the applicants discuss their own perceived strengths and weaknesses can help a company determine which individual will be the better fit for the companys culture.

Your answer needs to set you apart from the other candidates.

Test your ability to provide an objective self-assessment. Great employees are aware of their strengths and know how to leverage them for success while also being aware of their weaknesses, so they can ask for help when needed and take steps to improve in areas where they know they struggle.

This question is known as a behavioral interview question, and based on the skills, habits, and personality traits revealed in an applicants answer it can provide a hiring manager with a surprisingly accurate insight into the type of person theyre interviewing.

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

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Preparing talking points for common interview questions can help you feel confident and prepared. While every interviewer is different and their questions may vary depending on the job and industry, there are a few common questions you can expect and prepare for such as, “Tell me about yourself.”

Below, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of commonly-asked interview questions including what interviewers are looking for in your response, plus example answers to help you make a great first impression.

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Getting Ready To Interview

Wear appropriate interview attire. It can be awkward if you show up at a job interview overdressedor underdressed. Always dress appropriately for an interview, so you make the best first impression.

Go light on the perfume or cologne. Some people have sensitivities or allergies to fragrances. Others have strong reactions to scentsand not always positive ones. Make sure the interviewer can focus on your qualifications, not your perfume selection.

Avoid sweaty palms. Nobody wants to touch a slimy, wet hand. If you can visit the restroom on the way to the interview, wash and thoroughly dry your hands. When thats not possible, use a tissue to make sure your hands are dry.

What Would Your Former Colleagues Say About You If You Weren’t In The Room

Hopefully nice things! Everyone wants to be thought highly of by their friends, family and colleagues, but if a candidate has significant drive and ambition it’s possible that not everyone was her biggest fan at her last company.

Most candidates will probably answer this awkwardly, it’s an uncomfortable idea, but the best responses will be balanced. Something like: “my colleagues would probably say that I’m pretty passionate about my work but that I can occasionally overlook small details”.

If everything goes to plan, your new hire will be at your company for many years to come. With that in mind, you should ask a few interview questions that give you an idea of how candidates see their career evolving and how they handle strategic decisions.

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Scan The News Headlines For Red Flags

Its a good idea to scan headlines for major changes in a companys recent past. Note any significant events, such as widespread layoffs, corporate mergers or buyouts, a new CEO, etc. Such changes can bring opportunities, but could also result in low employee morale and leave a volatile work environment in their wake. Proceed with caution.

Dont Ask Silly Interview Questions

If youre following the advice above, hopefully youre not going to ask oddball questions like If you were a tree, what kind would you be? or What song would you sing on American Idol? But in case youre tempted, let me say in clear terms: Dont do it. These questions are irrelevant to your must-haves, and theyll irritate good candidates.

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What Are You Passionate About

Much like the previous question about motivation, employers might ask what you are passionate about to better understand what drives you and what you care most deeply about. This can both help them understand whether you are a good fit for the role and if it fits into your larger goals. To answer, consider this structure:

1. Select something you are genuinely passionate about and explain why youre passionate about it:As a software developer, Im passionate about creating truly beautiful, efficient digital products to make peoples experience with technology memorable…

2. Provide examples of how youve pursued this passion:“…One of the things I loved about my last job was witnessing the results of my teams code update and watching as our months of work yielded positive user feedback…

3. Relate it back to the job:“…Having the opportunity to lead projects from ideation through launch was one of the reasons I was so excited to apply for this role.

What Are Your Strengths

A simple list of four attributes is not what the interviewer is looking for with this question. You need to flesh each of these attributes out preferably with compelling, relevant anecdotes. Instead of just saying Im a good listener, tell a story about how you caught something important a client had said during a meeting that none of your other colleagues had heard. These are the stories the interviewer will remember when they think back to the interview.

Choose Your Interview Attire

The day before your interview, choose what you intend to wear so you don’t feel rushed. Make sure your clothes are free of wrinkles and stains and they fit correctly. If you’re unsure of the dress code at the company, it’s best to dress more professionally to make a good impression. You can also call or email the person you’ve been communicating with to get more information about the dress code.

What Is Your Definition Of Hard Work

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Some organizations move at very different paces, and this question is an effective way to tell whether your candidate will be able to keep pace with the rest of the team. It also helps you identify someone who is a “hard worker in disguise,” meaning someone who might currently be at a slow-moving organization or in a role that is not well-suited to them, but wants to work somewhere where they can really get their hands dirty.

A good answer to this question:

A good answer doesn’t have to produce evidence of hard work — it should rather reveal if your candidate knows what it takes to get something done and solve the problems it was designed to solve.

Answers that talk about working hard by working smart are great, as well. Always listen for this — putting in the work to find the best way of doing something is often just as important as the task itself.

Why Are You Interested In This Job

This is one of the most important questions youll be asked, so feel free to really think this one through. This is basically your chance to show the interviewer why youll be a perfect fit for the role, and what about the role and company attracts you. To give a full answer, you can tell an anecdote about how your background has led you to applying for this position, and how this role is critical for moving you forward in your career.

What Makes You Unique

Employers often ask this question to identify why you might be more qualified than other candidates theyre interviewing. To answer, focus on why hiring you would benefit the employer. Since you dont know the other applicants, it can be challenging to think about your answer in relation to them. Addressing why your background makes you a good fit lets employers know why your traits and qualifications make you a strong candidate.

To help you prepare this answer consider the following:

Example answer:“What makes me unique is my ability to meet and exceed deadlines. In my previous role, my manager consistently praised me for completing my projects efficiently with a high level of quality. This allowed me to take on additional responsibilities and eventually led to a promotion.”

Do You Have Any Questions

This might be one of the most important questions asked during the interview process because it allows you to explore any topics that havent been addressed and shows the interviewer youre serious about the role. Remember that you are interviewing the company too. Take time to ask the interviewer questions about their own experiences with the company, gain tips on how you can succeed if hired and address any lingering questions you have. Some examples include:

What do you love most about working for this company?
What would success look like in this role?
What are some of the challenges people typically face in this position?
How important is it that you hire someone with XYZ qualities?
Do you have any hesitations about hiring me?

Whats A Time You Disagreed With A Decision That Was Made At Work

The ideal anecdote here is one where you handled a disagreement professionally and learned something from the experience. Zhang recommends paying particular attention to how you start and end your response. To open, make a short statement to frame the rest of your answer, one that nods at the ultimate takeaway or the reason youre telling this story. For example: I learned early on in my professional career that its fine to disagree if you can back up your hunches with data. And to close strong, you can either give a one-sentence summary of your answer or talk briefly about how what you learned or gained from this experience would help you in the role youre interviewing for.

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The Recruiter Or Hiring Manager Seemed To Enjoy The Conversation

Pay attention to the hiring manager’s body language and overall demeanor. If they look relaxed, immersed in the flow of the conversation, and focused on you, you have some good signs that the interview is going well.

Try not to read too deeply into the reverse of that experience. If the hiring manager seems distracted, it is possible that they have already made up their mind and are simply going through the motions to check the box. It is also possible that job stress, deadlines, or illness is a factor. Stay professional and do your best to focus on the conversation.

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