Why Is The Interview Greeting Important
The interview greeting is essential to your success because it can make a good first impression on the interviewer. People form their opinion in a few seconds. You have a limited time to convince your employer that he can trust you and that you are the perfect candidate for the job.
Your interview greeting communicates who you are. It is a part of etiquette, what you wear, what you say and what you bring to the interview. All these elements are powerful communication tools you can use to your advantage.
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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.
Remember Manners Matter At Job Interviews
Regardless of the job you are applying for, you will be expected to act professionally throughout every phase of the interview process, from greeting the interviewer to saying thank you after your interview.
Review job interview etiquette tips for before, during, and after a job interview to ensure that you’re minding your manners. Make sure you know what to say, what to bring with you, and how to answer and ask questions politely and professionally to make the best possible impression.
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Where Do You See Yourself In 5/10 Years
First off, if your five-year plan involves working somewhere different than the company youâre interviewing with, itâs best not to mention it. Rather, talk broadly about the type of projects you would like to be working on, as well as the environment and people you would hope to be surrounded by. Try not to get into the specifics of what salary you want to receive and what title you would like to have. Instead, speak about your overarching goals, and how this job will help you accomplish them.
Be Nice To The Receptionist
The person at the front desk may not be the hiring managerbut that doesnt mean his or her impression of you doesnt matter. In fact, some companies specifically ask their front desk attendants to report back on the demeanor of interviewees who come through the door. And that likely plays a role in the ultimate hiring decisionso its important to treat that person as well as youll treat your interviewer.
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Develop A Connection With The Interviewer
In addition to indicating what you know about the company, you should also try to develop a connection with your interviewer. Know the interviewer’s name, and use it during the job interview. If you’re not sure of the name, call and ask prior to the interview. And, listen very carefully during introductions.
If youre prone to forgetting names, jot it down somewhere discreet, like in small letters at the bottom of your notepad.
Ultimately, building rapport and making a personal connection with your interviewer can up your chances of getting hired. People tend to hire candidates they like and who seems to be a good fit for the company’s culture. Here’s how to get the hiring manager on your side.
What Is The Ideal Feedback On A Candidate Interview Process
The purpose of giving feedback on an interview is to help candidates in their job hunting journey. Candidates can use this feedback to improve their profile and do better in their future job applications.
Therefore, its crucial to provide positive interview feedback with clear and fair answers about improving. The ideal post-interview feedback must have clarity because if its vague, it doesnt help the candidate. You must provide candidates with clear feedback, highlighting the areas they can work on to get the job of their dreams.
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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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What Are You Strengths
Figure out 2-3 things about yourself that you really like about yourself and elaborate. Always give an example after you say your strength. For example, you may say you are dedicated. Then you should follow up with an instance when at your last you job, you had an important project due and you worked extra hours to make sure it got done.
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Why Are You Interested In This Job
This is one of the most important questions youâll be asked, so feel free to really think this one through. This is basically your chance to show the interviewer why youâll 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.
Consider The Style And Number Of Interviewers
Interviews can happen via video, over the phone, or in person, so consider what style of interview is best and plan accordingly. You can also determine how many people you need to hold an interview, like a panel of colleagues for a prominent role or multiple rounds of interviews for a high-level position. Involving other relevant leaders in the interview process can also be useful to get different perspectives on the candidates experience and abilities.
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Acting Overconfident Or Entitled
Valerie Streif, marketing manager at GetMyBoat, warns job candidates to pay attention to their tone.
“Something that hurts a lot of job seekers is being overconfident and unaware of how they sound in an interview,” she said.
While being confident of your skills and excited about the value you can add to a company will benefit you, there is a fine line between poised and arrogant. Acting as if you are entitled to a position will instantly seem rude, no matter how qualified you are. Remember that you were invited to interview, and stay quietly confident and humble.
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Anecdotes About Your Achievements Are Music To A Hiring Managers Ears
Offer specific examples of your accomplishments.
Impressing a hiring manager is no easy feat. In addition to getting a handle on your nerves, you have to figure out what to say in a job interview that will make you stand out from the other candidates. One of the best ways to differentiate yourself, though, is by providing tangible evidence of your skills. Telling stories makes for a good interview. Examples include how you solved a problem, showed initiative, and increased productivity.
You see, hiring managers hear generic statements like these over and over again:
- “I have strong communication skills.”
- “I’m self-motivated.”
- “I’m good at managing my time.”
- “I have excellent leadership qualities.”
- “I work well with others.”
Unfortunately, broad declarations wont blow an interviewer away. A better approach is to offer specific examples of your accomplishments from past jobs that back up your skills.
Good interview examples demonstrate what you’re capable of and help your interviewer imagine what you could do at their company. The thinking is that if you did something great once, you can re-create the success elsewhere.
To help you prepare for your next job interview, we provided a few examples of what to say in a job interview that would impress any hiring manager. You can use them as inspiration when preparing your own anecdotes, which is an absolute must. Its hard to recall relevant stories on the spot, so give yourself an edge by crafting them in advance.
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Do Your Research On The Company
You need to know the company like the back of your hand. Make sure to visit their website and collect information about their history and values. In addition, they might ask you why youre applying for this position.
Tip: work on the job offer to be ready to answer questions about the job. Per example: What are the tasks related to the job?
Tips For During The Interview
After youve spent time preparing, you can be successful on interview day by practicing these tips:
9. Plan your interview attire the night before. If youre speaking to a recruiter before the interview, you can ask them about the dress code in the workplace and choose your outfit accordingly. If you dont have someone to ask, research the company to learn whats appropriate.
10. Bring copies of your resume, a notebook and pen. Take at least five copies of your printed resume on clean paper in case of multiple interviewers. Highlight specific accomplishments on your copy that you can easily refer to and discuss. Bring a pen and a small notebook. Prepare to take notes, but not on your smartphone or another electronic device. Write information down so that you can refer to these details in your follow-up thank-you notes. Maintain eye contact as much as possible. For more, visit What to Bring to the Interview.
11. Plan your schedule so that you can arrive 1015 minutes early. Map out your route to the interview location so you can be sure to arrive on time. Consider doing a practice run. If youre taking public transportation, identify a backup plan if there are delays or closures.
Tip: When you arrive early, use the extra minutes to observe workplace dynamics.
18. Keep your answers concise and focused. Your time with each interviewer is limited so be mindful of rambling. Practicing your answers beforehand can help keep you focused.
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Why Is A Job Interview Important
Job interviews are important because they give you insight into whether you want to hire a candidate. Often in conversation form, the questions asked in an interview can show you a persons skills, job capabilities, and how they contribute to the success of a team or organization. You can use job interviews to compare candidates or build a list of future talent options for other open positions.
Why Are You Interested In This Company
Researching a company before the interview always pays off â the more, the better. Does the company have a new product release next week? Was the CEO on the cover of Forbes last month? If so, you should know. Itâs also important to not just research the companyâs history and the latest news stories itâs been mentioned in, but additionally to gather as much information as you can about the internal company culture. That way, you can speak intelligently about why the companyâs culture and values attracted you, and why youâll be a good fit there.
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Take The Time To Say Thank You After The Interview
Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette. It also reinforces your interest in the position and shows the interviewer that you have excellent follow-up skills. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview.
How Do You Handle Mistakes
This is another great opportunity to tell a compelling story about how youâve grown in your past jobs and experiences. Think of an anecdote you can tell about a mistake you made, what you did about it and how you learned from it. Make sure to make the âwhat you learnedâ universal â talk about how you can apply that strategy to future mistakes with similar success.
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How To Help Your Hiring Team Share Interview Feedback Efficiently
With post-interview communication, it doesnt only matter what you say, but also how you share your feedback with your team members. Timely, well-organized and easily accessible feedback helps make better hiring decisions faster.
Heres how to build systems and scores to document interview feedback for hiring managers and the whole hiring team consistently throughout your recruiting process:
Keep all comments in one place. Exchanging emails to share feedback may result in clogged inboxes and miscommunication Instead, use a shared document or a platform that all team members can access at any time. And ask team members to write down their feedback right after the interviews, when the conversation is still fresh in their minds.
Use interview scorecards. Share lists of interview questions per stage so that everyone on the hiring team knows what other interviewers have covered. Each interviewer should ask different questions so they can learn something new about the candidate at each stage. This helps make the final decision more informed and also makes for good candidate experience by avoiding repetitive questions.
Heres an example:
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Heres an example from Workables interview scorecards:
Be On Message From The Outset
Politicians coached in handling the media are always advised to have a maximum of three key messages to get across, which they should stick to and repeat throughout any interview.
Similarly, its a good idea to have two or three key points that you want to make about what you have to offer and what youre looking for for example, Im ready for the challenge of managing a team, I combine compliance experience with technical expertise, in my career, Ive developed an extensive digital transformation skillset.
These are the three key points that you want your interviewer to remember about you. So try and work them in naturally whenever you can, even in the first few minutes. Its also important to have a ready answer for some of the most common questions that come up early on such as Tell me why you want this job and Whats your understanding of what this job involves?
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Why Would I Hire You
For this answer you need to realize that the better answer you give, the easier it is for the employer. Its up to you so give the employer a reason to hire you. This is a great time to tell the interviewer about any past work experience you have. You might say, When I was working at XXX, I did XXX. I feel that experience will allow me to excel at this position I am applying for. Even better, think of a specific example or story to tell about a situation you have been in before and how that could be useful to the company.
Tips For A Successful Interview
The impression you make on the interviewer often can outweigh your actual credentials. Your poise, attitude, basic social skills, and ability to communicate are evaluated along with your experience and education.
You and the interviewer must engage in a conversation – a mutual exchange of information and ideas. Only through such a dialogue can you both determine if you, the organization, and the job are well matched. Preparation is the key.
Be on time.This often means 10-15 minutes early. Interviewers often are ready before the appointment.
Know the interviewers name, its spelling, and pronunciation.Use it during the interview. If you dont know the name, call beforehand and ask the secretary. Also, note the secretarys name in case you have to call back. Secretaries can influence the hiring decision!
Have some questions of your own prepared in advance.There is nothing wrong with having a short list of questions and thoughts- it shows you have done your research and want to know more about the organization and the position.
Bring several copies of your resume.Also, bring a copy of your transcript. Carry your papers in an organized manner.
Have a reliable pen and a small note pad with you.But do not take notes during the interview. However, immediately afterward, write down as much as you can remember, including your impression of how well you did.
Greet the interviewer with a handshake and a smile.Remember to maintain eye contact .
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Tips: How To Give A Great Interview
Whether over the phone or in front of a camera, use these tips to give a great interview.
Let’s face it, all business owners want a little more presspreferably the good kind. Over the weekend I was asked to do an interview for a newspaper and I went through my usual ritual and thought I’d share these five simple tips to help when journalists start ringing your phone.
Be available. As a journalist myself, I can tell you that when I’m on a deadline sometimes the first person I want to interview is not always the one who makes the final storyit’s often the person I’m able to get a hold of. This weekend was a holiday, but I made sure I was able to carve out a little time to be available. When opportunity comes calling, be sure you are there to pick up the phone.
Do your homework. Most of the time you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re being interviewed about. Even if you feel you know what’s coming at you, be sure to brush up on your own facts, industry numbers and whatever else you think they might ask you. Being prepared will also boost your confidence, which can be heard in your voice and it will make the entire interview easier. If they mention something that isn’t true be sure to correct them. If they ask you a question and you’re unsure, tell them you’ll look up the information and will follow-up via e-mail.
