Friday, March 29, 2024

How To Do A Successful Interview

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Practice Common Interview Questions

How to Ace a Job Interview: 10 Crucial Tips

Prepare answers for common interview questions that hiring managers often ask, such as:

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What is your greatest strength?
  • What is your greatest weakness?
  • Tell me about a challenge you had to overcome at your last job.
  • How do you approach a typical workday?
  • What motivates you?

You can also research specific questions for the job you’re interviewing for. For example, if you’re interviewing for a programmer or developer role, you could practice coding questions.

When you practice your answer to these common questions, you can deliver more confident responses. If you can, practice with a trusted friend or family member who can give you feedback. You can also practice your facial expressions and body language in front of a mirror.

Explain Why Youre Interested In Interviewing With Them

After walking them through your resume, youll probably be asked why youre looking to make a job change, and/or why youre interested in their company in particular. This is where the research youve done pays off. You should already have two specific reasons for wanting to interview with their company.

When explaining your reason for job searching in general, I mentioned one example of how to turn a negative into a positive in Part I. Here are 2 more examples:

If your current company has no room for upward growth, say that youre looking for a job with more room for upward growth. If you dont like your coworkers, say youre hoping to find a team thats more collaborative. See the difference? Youre saying the same thing without sounding negative.

Whatever you say youre looking for, be prepared for them to ask why you cant get that in your current company. Just answer by saying that you dont think theres an opportunity to get this, and you considered this before starting to look externally. Simple and easy. That should end the line of questioning.

Powerful Job Interview Tips From A Recruiter: How To Pass An Interview

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If you think most hiring decisions are based on your experience and qualifications, then you better keep reading. Your resume gets you in the door, but how you interview determines whether youre offered the job.

This article will teach you proven job interview tips to help you pass a job interview and get the job you want. Heres what were going to cover:

  • Part I: Job Interview Preparation Tips everything to do before your interview
  • Part II: Interviewing Tips the best strategies to use during your interview to stand out
  • Part III: Tips for After Your Interview how to make sure you get the job offer after your interview is over

These are the best interview tips that I know, from close to 5 years working as a Recruiter.

After you finish this article, youll know how to stand out from other job seekers and pass a job interview a majority of the time.

Also Check: What Questions Should I Ask For An Interview

Six Ways To Ask Better Questions In Interviews

by Joe Bunting |

In an interview, you want to have a conversation, not an interrogation. A good interviewer makes their interviewee comfortable.

Going back to your list of questions all the time can rattle the person youre interviewing. It also limits your storys potential.

I love this story from Porter Anderson:

I interviewed Cokie Roberts once for a magazine. I asked her about all the needlepoint she had in her office. She grabbed a piece she was working on, a duck, and worked on it as we chatted. We found out her favorite vacation spot wasnt far from my home sea island off the South Carolina coast.

Your ability to be present, to keep your nose out of your notebook, will make your interviews shine with life.

To be more present, I always write out about a dozen questions before going into a face-to-face or phone interview. President Eisenhower said, In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.

Your questions are your battle plans. You might not use them, but they prepare your mind for the task ahead.

The 3 Stages Of A Successful Job Interview

Pin on Learning English Tips

Congrats, your resume caught the eye of your target employer! Now the only thing standing between you and the job is the interview, so its essential that you nail the thing!

Its not only the interview itself that will determine your success, however in order to really put yourself in the running, its important that you are fully prepared ahead of the day and leave a lasting impression after the meeting.

This infographic by Doherty Employment outlines the steps you should follow before, during, and after your job interview in order to land the job!

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Make A Good First Impression With A Nice Firm Handshake

The advertiser paid a fee to promote this sponsored article and may have influenced or authored the content. The views expressed in this article are those of the advertiser and do not necessarily reflect those of this site or affiliated companies.

Do you have an interview coming up soon?

To help you land the job youre applying for, listed below are some tips on how to make a great first impression.

  • Whether the interview is in person or virtually, dress professionally. Its always better to dress to impress the company.
  • Practice makes perfect: Review your answers and questions you may have for the interviewer.
  • Do your homework. Research the company and position youre to which youre applying, along with whats involved.
  • Prior to the interview, update your Linkedin profile page with up-to-date job descriptions youve held.
  • Bring a resume, business card and portfolio — and take notes.
  • Always be at least 15 minutes early to an interview to give yourself wiggle room for travel emergencies. Being on time is not early.
  • Make a good first impression with a nice, firm handshake — but not too hard.
  • Always be friendly, polite and smile to show you are engaged with the conversation.
  • Speak loudly and enunciate during the interview.
  • After the interview, thank the interviewer for their time.
  • Ask about what the next steps are in the job hiring process.
  • Leave the interview with a nice, firm handshake.
  • Prepare for follow-up interviews.
  • Optimize Your Interview Process

    Whichever employee you end up sending a job offer letter to, you want to optimize the candidate experience for each applicant. Using recruitment software will make it easy to see all the candidates currently in the pipeline for various roles.

    It will also provide key recruitment metrics which will provide insight into whether you need to recruit externally or promote internally and whether you have understaffing or overstaffing problems.

    Resources for HR professionals

    Also Check: Where Can I Watch The Meghan Markle Interview With Oprah

    Act Interested But Not Desperate While Waiting For Feedback

    Sometimes you wont hear from the employer for many days after your interview.

    They might need to meet more candidates, or might need time to finalize their decision.

    Id recommend wrapping up your interview by asking when you can expect to hear feedback. That way, you wont be too anxious waiting at home.

    If that time passes, its okay to follow up with the employer to get an update from them. But be patient and never sound needy/desperate. Delays happen.

    If they tell you, sorry, things are taking longer than we expected and we are still making our decision, the worst thing you can do is act frustrated or upset. This isnt going to help you get hired!

    The best thing you can do is keep applying for jobs while you wait. Its never smart to wait around for one single employer because so many unexpected things can cost you the job or cause a delay in the process.

    So thats another one of my favorite interview tips when you finish one interview, try to get more lined up! Dont stop interviewing for jobs until youve signed a job offer.

    How To Be A Good Interviewer:

    How to Ace an Interview: 5 Tips from a Harvard Career Advisor

    Read our guidelines below on how to conduct a good interview and find answers to commonly asked questions.

    Be prepared.

    It’s important to prepare thoroughly before interviewing a potential employee so that you don’t come across as disorganized and unprofessional. Be sure to brush up on the interviewee’s skills and employment history beforehand by reading their resume, and print out a copy for reference during the interview.

    Choose your questions wisely.

    Create a list of questions that are tailored to the role you are hiring for, such as questions relating to skills, job knowledge, and work history. You should also include behavioral and situational questions to give you a good idea of how the candidate handles challenging situations. Preparing a list will also ensure that you ask each candidate similar questions.

    Have an interview structure.

    An unstructured interview can cause you to lose track of the interview and end up wasting your and the candidate’s time. The best way to avoid this is to set out a structure during your interview prep.

    For example, make the first part of the interview a brief introduction and description of the main goals of the position and what your company hopes to achieve, followed by the interview questions. Lastly, give the interviewee an opportunity to ask a few questions of their own.

    Take notes and listen carefully.

    Also Check: What Are The Main Questions Asked In A Job Interview

    How Do I Know If I Got The Job

    How to Know If You Got the Job

  • They ask if you have other interviews happening.
  • They ask about your salary requirements after an interview.
  • The company pulls down the job listing.
  • The interviewer is visibly excited/positive toward you in the interview.
  • They tell you that theyd like to offer you the position.
  • Tips For After The Interview

    When the interview is over, give yourself the best chances of moving forward by doing the following:

    20. Ask about next steps. After your interview, it is appropriate to ask either your interviewer, hiring manager or recruiter about what you should expect next. This will likely be a follow-up email with results from your interview, additional requirements like an assignment or reference list or another interview.

    21. Send a personalized thank you letter after the interview. Ask for the business card of each person you speak with during the interview process so that you can follow up individually with a separate thank you email. If you interviewed in the morning, send your follow-up emails the same day. If you interviewed in the afternoon, the next morning is fine. Make certain that each email is distinct from the others, using the notes you took during the conversations.

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    Common Questions And Answers

    Tell me something about yourself.

    Develop a brief summary that includes positive work and volunteer habits. Use your Me in 30 Seconds statement along with Power Statements to answer.

    What are some of your strengths? or Why should we hire you?

    Know your strengths, and use your Power Statements to prove them. Tell how you can add value to the company and how you can help make or save money.

    Why do you want to work for us? or What do you know about our company?

    Do research before the interview in order to give an appropriate answer. Discuss how your skills would fill the needs of that company. Use a Power Statement.

    What are some of your weaknesses?

    Explain how you have turned perceived weaknesses into strengths. For example: Some people say that I am too nice. But I have found that by being nice I am able to serve 14 percent more customers per shift, and I have 40 percent fewer complaints than my average co-worker.

    What do you think of your present employer?

    Never criticize your last company or boss. Always use positive terms. Try using a Power Statement for your previous employer.

    What do you hope to be doing in five years?

    Indicate how you hope to make a positive contribution to the employers company. For example: Id like to be working for you in a position of responsibility. Use a Power Statement to describe how you plan to benefit the company.

    What do you expect as a salary or compensation?

    Avoid mentioning a specific salary. You may respond with:

    Introduce Yourself And Set The Scene

    10 tips for successful interviewing infographic

    First impressions are everything. Introduce yourself and welcome the candidate respectfully.

    By greeting the candidate in a polite manner, you will help ease much of the tension that he or she may be feeling. Tell them a little bit about who you are and then ask them how their day is going or if they have any weekend plans. This will help break the ice.

    Youll also want to make sure the interview space is clear of any kind of distractions so that you can both focus on the conversation. If the interview is virtual, make sure you have a clean background and space to chat.

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    Learn About Behavioral Interviewing Techniques

    Behavior-based interviewing is when your interviewer asks you about how you handled past situations at work. This interviewing technique gives a potential employer valuable insight into the way you approach challenges in your job and turn them into favorable opportunities.

    You can prepare for this type of interview by making a list of your skills, strengths and weaknesses. Prepare an example of a time when you displayed each of these qualities. Your example should show the employer how you successfully handled the situation.

    Related:How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

    Your Job Interview Ran Long

    Recruiters and hiring managers do not like to waste time. If they feel that you are not the right fit for the position, they may cut the interview short.

    Keep in mind that sometimes there is more than one possible explanation for a situation. If your interview ended sooner than you expected, perhaps an urgent issue demanded the hiring manager’s attention immediately. Despite best efforts, work emergencies do happen, whether it is a glitch in the payroll system, an urgent update to a board presentation, or a system conversion gone wrong. An interview running longer than expected could be a sign that it went well, but if it doesn’t happen for you, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re out of the running.

    Read Also: Why Did You Choose Cyber Security Interview Questions

    Dress For The Job Or Company

    Today’s casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as “they” do when you interview. It is important to know what to wear to an interview and to be well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the interview.

    Study The Candidates Resume Or Cv

    Top 10 Interview Tips To CRUSH Your Interview

    Look over the candidates resume. Using a blind resume might offer an opportunity to limit the influence of unconscious bias. You can familiarize yourself with their work history and background. Reviewing the CV in depth ahead of time ensures that you maximize the time you have in the interview. Why?

    Many general questions are often easily answered with just a quick scan of someones CV. When you start with this knowledge already in hand, you can take advantage of the interview to really dig deep into the candidates skills and abilities.

    You can also take the time to highlight any areas in their resume that may seem vague or unclear, or perhaps that contains something that may be unknown to you, such as a unique hobby. Allow the interviewee the opportunity to expand on those areas as it may reveal possible behaviors or personality traits that will have an impact on effective job performance.

    Recommended Reading: What Not To Ask In An Interview

    Create A List Of Questions To Ask The Interviewers

    At the end of the interview, the hiring manager will probably ask you if you have any questions. Have a few questions prepared to show the hiring manager you’re interested in the job and company. Reread the job description and review the company’s website to craft thoughtful questions that can help you learn more about what it would be like to work there. Some good questions to ask include:

    • How would you describe the company culture?
    • What would my day-to-day responsibilities look like?
    • Who would I work with most?
    • How would my performance be measured?
    • Why is the position open?
    • What are the next steps in the interview?

    Poor Communication And Body Language

    However valuable or insightful your answers are during an interview, poor communication or body language can discredit you.

    Focus on being a polite and clear communicator during your interview. Don’t interrupt, no matter how eager you may be to answer the question. If you accidentally talk before the interviewer has finished, apologize quickly and let them continue speaking.

    Speak clearly when it is your turn mumbling comes across as inconsiderate, and it diminishes your confidence.

    Be aware of your body language. Nervous behaviors like fidgeting or tapping your knee are common in stressful situations, but in an interview setting, you run the risk of appearing rude or impatient. Sit up straight and avoid fidgeting as much as possible, and maintain appropriate eye contact.

    The goal is to be engaged and interactive. Looking someone in the eye when they speak to you and while you’re responding indicates respect for the person and that you are present in the moment. Frequently looking away or over your shoulder while talking to them conveys disinterest.

    Read Also: How To Interview A Real Estate Agent

    How To Be A Good Interviewer

    Interviewing is a crucial part of the recruiting process. To be a good interviewer, you have to be prepared, ask the right questions, listen carefully, and evaluate the candidate to see if they’re the right fit for your company.

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