Be An Active Listener
Be attentive, ask insightful questions and engage with the recruiter. This will show that youre taking the interview seriously and that you genuinely care about what they have to say. Practicing with friends or family could be greatly beneficial. Make sure youre listening to every word, and follow-up with questions that show you were actively listening to what they were saying.
Related: Active Listening Skills: Definition and Examples
Reread Your Resume Or Application
Reread your resume? Why would you need to do that? After all, you know your own background, right? Well, sort of.
If you tailor your resume to each job , and youve applied to more than one recently, you may not remember which details you included. That could spell trouble.
You can almost guarantee that the hiring manager is going to talk about your resume. If you forgot which accomplishments you mentioned, you might not prepare to discuss them. Then, if the hiring manager asks which they almost certainly will you might give a stumbly answer.
Review your resume! Know what you said! Remember, your resume might be all the hiring manager knows about you, so make sure you can discuss those points with ease.
Research The Company And The Job Position You Are Applying For:
Write down any questions you may have about either so you can ask during the interview. If there any requirement of the job that you are unsure of, you should definitely ask during the interview. It always looks nice when you go into an interview with intelligent questions. It shows you put effort into preparing for the interview. However, never ask questions just to ask questions. The interviewer will see right through that. Your questions should be genuine and relevant.
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Answer Honestly And Well
You’re going to be asked some questions, and there are some tricks to answering them well.
- Don’t ramble. Concise answers with strong points are better than disorganized babble. Respect the fact that your interviewer is taking time out of his or her busy day to meet with you.
- Look the interviewer in the eye when you’re answering.
- Gather your thoughts. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts in order to answer a specific question, feel free to say, “I need to think about that for a moment” or “That’s a great question.”
The interviewer will respect your honesty and your desire to offer a thoughtful answer. If a question is particularly difficult, try to remember how you approached similar questions while practicing. If you blank out, be honest, but definitely put a positive spin on your answer. A little humor, in moderation, never hurts either.
Prove That You Are Committed To The Management Track
If you want to be a people manager, take tangible steps to prepare yourself. Its important to strengthen your skills to ensure youre prepared to step up to the plate. Actively assess the skills you already have, and talk to those already in managerial positions to determine what skills you need to acquire. Do your research, stay up to date on industry trends, and seize any opportunity to strengthen your abilities.
Sign up for classes, get a mentor, invest in a career coach. As you interview, prepare to show how youve taken concrete steps to hit the ground running in this new role. Making the transition from staff to manager is all about being politically savvy, knowing the right people and not letting them down, and most importantly, showing that you have what it takes to do the job and once in it, that you will do it well, says Dr. Michael Provitera, author of “Mastering Self-Motivation.There are three stages of breaking the glass-ceiling of staff-to-manager and here they are: Getting In, Breaking In, and Fitting In. Each stage is critical for success.
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Could You Tell Me About Yourself And Describe Your Background In Brief
Interviewers like to hear stories about candidates. Make sure your story has a great beginning, a riveting middle, and an end that makes the interviewer root for you to win the job.
Talk about a relevant incident that made you keen on the profession you are pursuing and follow up by discussing your education. In the story, weave together how your academic training and your passion for the subject or industry the company specializes in, combined with your work experience, make you a great fit for the job. If youve managed a complex project or worked on an exciting, offbeat design, mention it.
Example: I come from a small town, where opportunities were limited. Since good schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to date with the best. Thats where I learned to code and then I went on to get my certification as a computer programmer. After I got my first job as a front-end coder, I continued to invest time in mastering both front- and back-end languages, tools, and frameworks.
How To Interview For Your First Management Job
Theres no question that job interviews are stressful, but they can become even more nerve-wracking when you have an interview for your first management job. You somehow need to show off your leadership abilities and relevant experience, even when youve never held a leadership title.
However, dont get discouraged just yet. There are still ways you can impress the interviewer and prove why youre the best candidate for the position.
Even though each interviewer will be looking for specific skills depending on the position and the company, there are certain innate leadership qualities that many companies will find relevant and impressive.
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What Are Your Weaknesses
The one that everyone dreads. It is tempting to blurt the words ‘my greatest weakness is that I am a perfectionist’. But let’s be real, the interviewer wants an authentic answer, not one which has been drafted by an unreliable source on Google.
Be honest. You may think owning up to weaknesses will leave you vulnerable to the interviewer, but you could not be more wrong. Interviewers are human too , but they too have weaknesses. Who knows, maybe you will come to learn their weak points!
Show how you changed your weakness into a positive. Highlight to the interviewer that you became self-aware of your weakness and went on the journey to self-improvement, subsequently resulting in a positive outcome.
Example Answer
During my time at University, I had difficulty in presentations. I would be swamped with fear and resulted in me receiving poor grades. In my second year, I decided to act on and this and attended workshop classes in how to present professionally. Although this was challenging, I became more confident and I achieved a 2:1 in my presentation.
Gather All Important Files And Documents
No doubt, you will need several documents and files near you for the interview. Your resume, portfolio , job description, and a piece of paper for notes should be by your side.
Try to make a list of the questions that you will ask the recruiter. Some job seekers also prepare a plan of their monologue they mention their key skills, work experience and accomplishments there. Besides, you can write down important details about the company you apply to this can be useful during the conversation.
If your profession involves having a portfolio, be prepared to have some scans and send examples of your work in the chat to confirm your qualifications. Prepare them in advance so that you wont waste time searching for them during the interview.
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Before Your First Job Interview
Research the company. Take some time to research the company, so you are familiar with how they operate. There is a lot of company information available online. You might be asked what you know about the organization, so check out the “About Us” and “Careers” section of the company website if you’re interviewing with a large employer. For smaller employers, review their website to get an idea of what the company is about. Also, check social media pages to ascertain the company’s current focus.
Learn about the job. Find out as much as you can about the position youre applying for, then ask yourself, “Why am I the best person for this role?” Do you know someone who works at the company? Ask them about the job, the interview process, and the company. The more you know about the job, the easier it will be to answer questions about why you’d be a good fit for it.
Practice interviewing. Review typical teen interview questions and answers, then ask a family member or friend to ask you some questions so you can practice your answers. You may also want to review the ten most common interview questions.
These tips will help you practice interviewing, so you’ll be more comfortable with the process.
Get references. Have a list of a few people who can give you a reference. Teachers, neighbors, coaches, and family friends are all options.
The “grandma” rule is always a good one to go by. If your grandma would approve of the outfit, you have made the right choice.
Know Who Will Be Calling You
In many cases, youll be interviewing a recruiter, hiring manager or your direct supervisor. Do an online search to determine your interviewers role at the company. If youre interviewing with a recruiter, youll get more general questions regarding your experience. An interview with your direct supervisor, however, means youll get in-depth questions related to your industry and role.
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Preparing For An Interview
Preparing for an interview primarily means taking time to thoughtfully consider your goals and qualifications relative to the position and employer. To accomplish this, you should perform research on the company and carefully review the job description to understand why you would be a good fit. Lets look at the steps to preparing for an interview.
Job Interview Question #: Whats Your Biggest Weakness
Dont start rattling off all of your inadequacies. Thats just asking for a weird, TMI moment with your interviewer.
This job interview question is actually asking how you address your weaknesses in the workplace. Everybody has a weakness, so dont say, I dont have a weakness!
Admit a valid weakness, like perfectionism, organization, or fear of public speaking. Immediately follow that weakness with how you overcome it.
Example: My biggest weakness is organization. I get so into the zone that I dont always keep my work area as tidy as I should. I compensate by following checklists and cleaning up as I go, so everything stays organized and tidy.
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Types Of Second Interviews
As I mentioned above, there is a good chance that your second interview looks a lot different than your first interview.
While the introductory interview is usually just a one-on-one with a person from HR or a hiring manager, the second interview can follow a lot of different formats .
Here are some of the different interview formats you could see on your second interview:
Watch Your Body Language
Everybody gets nervous in job interviews. The key is to not show that youre anxious.
Do you have any nervous tics? Do you rub your arm, jiggle your foot or fidget with a pen?
Notice these behaviors so you dont drive your interviewer crazy.
Sit still during the job interview. Sit up straight, maintain eye contact and keep your shoulders up.
Even if you feel like a nervous wreck, you want to look calm and professional. Practice your interview posture in the mirror to make sure you look confident, relaxed and professional ahead of time.
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Find A Quiet Environment
Find a quiet space where youll be able to hear the interviewer loud and clear. This will make sure you listen to everything they have to say and that you get all of the information you need.Turn off the television or music, and close the door to the space youre using for your interview. Remove any background noise and interview in a quiet space to demonstrate your professional courtesy and let your interviewer know youre taking this job interview seriously.
What Is A Job Interview
A job interview is a formal meeting in which an applicant is asked a series of questions to determine their suitability for a specific role. A job interview is a universal rite of passage for the majority of us. At some point in our lives, we are very likely to face a job interview of some description. Therefore, it is beneficial to find out more about the process and what it entails.
Many see the process as an exchange of information between the interviewer and the hopeful candidate. The outcome of the exchange should allow both the interviewer and the candidate to assess whether or not they are a good fit for the company and its culture.
The prospective employer will attempt to uncover whether or not your skills match those set out in the job description and person specification. They may wish to find out more about your academic qualifications, your basic skills, and aptitude to fulfil their criteria. As a candidate, use the opportunity to grasp a sense of the companys ethos. In doing so, you can decide if your values align. Although the process can feel stressful, try to focus on what you can bring to the role and the business. Have confidence in your ability, and try to let this shine through on the day.
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Get More Tips For Your First Job Interview
We know you’re stressing over the job interview. It’s completely normal to feel the pressure. Want some more advice on how to impress hiring managers as a rookie hire? We can help. Create a profile on Monster, and you’ll have access to loads of free career resources that can guide you through the entire job search process.
Always Show Gratitude With Second Interview Thank You Email
This is a vital interview etiquette that should be done at the end of the interview process. At the end of the interview, do not forget to thank your interviewer for spending their precious time in taking your interview and make a handshake with them. You can also send second follow up email after interview. A second interview thank you email also helps.
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Practice Your Answers To The Most Common Interview Questions:
If you dont know what these are, do your research and find out or see one of my other articles. Youll want to have your answers ready and practice them. You should always be able to answer Tell me about yourself and Why do you think you would be great for this job? The employer doesnt know, so its up to you to sell it.
Dont completely memorize your answers so they come out rehearsed, but have a clear idea of what you are going to say. When you are asked, you want your answer to come out intelligently and naturally. Be open to other questions as well and really know what you can offer to the company.
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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Come Up With Your Own Questions
Its likely that your interviewer will ask if you have any questions. This is common practice and tends to happen at the end of the meeting. You might think that saying nothing will make you look intelligent, but interviewers want you to be curious, as it shows youre interested in the role. Plan your questions in advance to avoid feeling put on the spot at the time.
For example, you could ask about career progression, the size of your team or department and the company culture. Alternatively, if you havent already covered off a rough salary bracket, its worth asking what the employer has in mind. Make sure you ask at least one another question before this. It shows you arent just in it for the money!
What Type Of Work Environment Do You Prefer
Be sure to do your homework on the organization and its culture before the interview. Your research will save you here. Your preferred environment should closely align to the companys workplace culture . For example, you may find on the companys website that they have a flat organizational structure or that they prioritize collaboration and autonomy. Those are key words you can mention in your answer to this question.
If the interviewer tells you something about the company that you didnt uncover in your research, like, Our culture appears buttoned-up from the outside, but in reality, its a really laid-back community with little competition among employees, try to describe an experience youve had that dovetails with that. Your goal is to share how your work ethic matches that of the organizations.
Example: That sounds great to me. I like fast-paced work environments because they make me feel like Im always learning and growing, but I really thrive when Im collaborating with team members and helping people reach a collective goal as opposed to competing. My last internship was at an organization with a similar culture, and I really enjoyed that balance.
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