What Are Some Good Interview Tips

Job Interview Preparation Tips:

TOP 21 Interview Questions and Answers for 2020!

Do your research. Gather information about the company and the position available. Try to specifically relate your experience to the duties the job opportunity entails.
Practice interviewing. Enlist a friend to ask you sample questions. Practice making eye contact.
Record your practice sessions.Pay attention to body language and verbal presentation. Eliminate verbal fillers, like uh, and um. Practice using positive body language to signal confidence, even when youre not feeling it. Instead of tentatively entering an interview with your head down and eyes averted, for example, try standing tall with your shoulders back, smiling and maintaining eye contact, and delivering a firm handshake. It will make you feel more self-confident and help to put the other person at ease.
Handle logistics early. Have your clothes, resume, and directions to the interview site ready ahead of time, to avoid any extra stress.

Understand Behavioural Competency And Situational Interview Questions

When preparing for a job interview, you should next make sure you understand how to answer job interview questions. To get to the motivations and working style of a potential employee, interviewers often turn to behavioural, competency, and situational interview questions to understand your behaviours and establish your core skills and competencies relevant to the role, such as teamwork, creativity and innovation, decision making ability, business awareness or conflict resolution.Behavioural and competency based interview questions usually begin with, Tell me about a time when or Give me an example of an occasion when Both behavioural and competency based interviewing are based on the idea that past behaviour can predict future action.

Sample competency based interview questions and behavioural based interview questions include

Describe a situation in which you didnt meet your stated goal. How did you handle it?
Describe a situation in which you took the initiative to change a process or system and make it better. How did you identify the problem? How did you go about instituting change?
Describe a time when you were required to use your analytical skills to make an informed decision.
Tell me about a time when you used your creativity to solve a problem.

Sample situational interview questions include:

Interviewing Techniques Tip : Develop A Compelling Story

We tend to conclude that our lives are pretty much the same as other peoples, that theyre average and boring. As a result, many people dont tell their own story well. But your story is so much better than you think. The way your life has evolved the things youve learned your achievements, failings, and dreamsthese things are unique to you and much more interesting than you realize. Sharing your well thought-out story is a powerful interviewing technique.

Your story is what helps people understand who you are and where you are going. So learn to tell your story and tell it well, especially for interviewing and networking purposes. Putting together your story takes a lot of work and practice. However, the benefits to you and to your career are enormous. Your stories:

Give you confidence
Bring humanity to your resume
Make you memorable and set you apart

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What Do You Know About Our Company

This is one of the most common interview questions to practice for. Youre very likely to hear it in an early-stage interview, especially a phone interview.

In the sample answers below, youll see that the goal is to show them youve done your research and didnt apply to their company without knowing anything about them.

If you dont seem like you know anything about them, youll come across as desperate somebody who will take any job they can find. And thats going to make you unattractive to any good employers out there.

So when they ask, what do you know about our company?, your primary goal is to show youve done your research or knew about their company before applying. If you do this, youll be fine.

Research the company before the interview
The more creative you can be in your research, the better. Try to go above and beyond a basic scan of the company website if you want to give the best answer possible
Understand what industry theyre in, what they sell and how they make money
Try to have some sense of their company size. Are they 100 employees? More than 10,000 employees? Etc.
In your answer, explain what caught your interest or excited you about their firm and show that youre interested in their particular company, and why. The interviewer wants to know why you want their specific job even if they dont ask directly.

Dont:

Interview answer example 1:

Interview answer example 2:

Take The Time To Say Thank You After The Interview

Tips for Job Interview with Sample Questionnaire

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.

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Learn From Your Mistakes

A good interviewer views mistakes and failures as opportunities to improve. Here are a few things you can do to learn from your interviewing experience more deliberately:

Keep records. Recording and filing your notes helps you as an interviewer since you can refer back to them any time. And your company can also use them in court, in the unlikely event that they face a lawsuit.
Monitor results. Ask your teammates who are responsible for tracking recruiting metrics for information about candidate experience and quality of hire metrics. Its also a good idea to keep track of your companys online reviews on Glassdoor. Take constructive feedback to heart and work to improve on feedback you receive.
Seek advice. Look for resources online and, if possible, ask more experienced recruiters or interviewers in your company for advice. If you plan to interview often, you could also make a case for attending interview trainings or workshops.

Interviews Are Your Chance To Sell Your Skills And Abilities

They also give you a chance to find out if the job and company are right for you. Follow the tips here to ace your interviews.

Review common interview questions. Practice answering them with someone else or in front of a mirror. Come prepared with stories that relate to the skills that the employer wants, while emphasizing your:

Strengths
Willingness to work and flexibility
Leadership skills
Ability and willingness to learn new things
Contributions to the organizations in which you have worked or volunteered
Creativity in solving problems and working with people

Figure out in advance how well you qualify for the job. For each requirement listed in the job posting, write down your qualifications. This can show you if you lack a particular skill. Plan how you will address this in the interview so you can convince the interviewer that you can learn the skill.

Make a list of questions that you would like to ask during the interview. Pick questions that will demonstrate your interest in the job and the company. This might include commenting on the news you learned from the company website, and then asking a question related to it. Also ask questions about the job you will be expected to perform, like:

What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
How will my responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
Could you explain your organizational structure?
What computer equipment and software do you use?
What is the organization’s plan for the next five years?

Also Check: What To Say In Interview Thank You Email

How Do You Make Decisions

This is another one of the most common interview questions youll hear.

You may also hear this phrased as a behavioral interview question, like, Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision? How did you handle it and what did you decide?

With any of these decision-making job interview questions, hiring managers want to know that youve made good decisions in the past and are comfortable making a tough decision under pressure. Demonstrate this, and theyll feel more confident that youll be able to make good decisions in your next job, too while working for them.

So to show the hiring manager that youre the right fit, prepare to explain how you organize and structure your decisions. The best answers will show that youre calm and follow a logical system when you make important decisions.

Answer sample 1:

Answer sample 2:

Create A List Of Questions To Ask The Interviewers

Interview Questions and Answers! (How to PASS a JOB INTERVIEW!)

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?

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Learn The Interviewers Name And Use It

Im horrible at remembering names. I always have been. So if I can do this, you can too

When you hear someones name, repeat it to yourself in your head once or twice IMMEDIATELY after you shake hands. This helps you remember it.

Most of the time, if you forget someones name, its because you never really got it. Immediately after you heard it, you forgot. So this is how to remember.

Then, use it in the conversation within the first 5-10 minutes of the interview. Now youll never forget it.

Theres another benefit to this too using someones name helps you build a bond with them and build trust. Studies have shown you seem more confident, competent and impressive when you say someones name when talking to them.

Go talk to the CEO in your company, and I bet theyll use your name in the conversation. Leaders do this. Successful people do this.

This is a very under-rated tip for interview success that anyone can do. It just takes effort.

You will build a stronger bond/rapport with the interviewer if you do this, and theyll be more likely to remember you favorably and hire you.

I: Job Interview Preparation

Each step below will prepare you for the actual interview. None of this is very time consuming but it will set you apart from everyone else applying for the job, making it easy for the company to decide who to hire

Here are the basic interview preparation steps to remember. Ive put the estimated time next to each one.

Dont Forget About Your References

Dont let your references be the last to know about your job search, or even worse, get an unexpected call from a potential employer. Many offers are withdrawn over bad references. Why take that chance? Get in touch with your references right away to seek help and to avoid surprises on either side.

Are your references relevant to your current job search? Who should you add or subtract?
Are there any reference gaps? Gaps that an employer will question? What is your story about those gaps?
Can a colleague, vendor, customer, or board member be added to replace or enhance the list?
What is the current status of your relationship with your references?

Tips For Great Job Interviews

From researching the company to handling certain key interview questions, make sure you make a great impression and ace your next job interview by following these 20 tips.

Want to ace your next interview and land thatopen job youve been seeking? Here are 20 tips to help you prepare.1. Research the industry and company.An interviewer may ask how you perceive his company’s position in its industry, who the firm’s competitors are, what its competitive advantages are, and how it should best go forward. For this reason, avoid trying to thoroughly research a dozen different industries. Focus your job search on just a few industries instead.

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Phone Interview Tip #: Understand Who’s Calling

Some Phone Interview Questions You Might Get:

Tell me a little bit about your work history.
Why are you looking to leave your current company?
What is the biggest challenge you have seen at your current position and how did you overcome it?
Describe a substantial win in your last position.
What was your favorite/least favorite element of your last position?
How can you contribute to our companys success?
How well do you work by yourself, with a team?
Why are you interested in coming to work for us?
Why are you attracted to this specific position?
What makes you the ideal candidate for this position?
When can you come in for a face-to-face interview?
Are you willing to relocate? If we don’t provide relocation assistance, are you still willing?
What are your salary requirements?
How far along are you in your search? Are you speaking to other companies?
Tell me about in your resume.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
What questions do you have for me?

Select A Suitable Location

A phone interview can be prone to many issues including background noise. Plan on being somewhere quiet and comfortable to sit. Get rid of all distractions within your control including TV and computers. Let the rest of the household know you need silence for the duration of the interview.

Avoid cluttered areas. Choose an area with enough room for you to spread out your cheat sheets, resume, portfolio, and whatever else youre using.

Clarify Your Personal Mission Statement

You need to be prepared to explain why you want to be a part of this team and how youll contribute. Think about it: If this job doesnt align with your skills and what youre passionate about, then why are you even applying?

Writing your own personal mission statement will help you put your purpose into wordsfor your own benefit as well as for the recruiter. Then, when the recruiter asks why youre a good fit for the position, youll be able to answer with confidence!

Interview Tips To Impress Any Hiring Manager

Get Clear Before Your Interview

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About the author

Ken Coleman

Ken Coleman is America’s Career Coach, the nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and #1 national bestselling author. He has been featured in Forbes and appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, and the Rachael Ray Show. Since 2014, he has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he offers expert advice every day to help thousands of people discover what they were meant to do and how to land their dream job.Learn More.

Practice A Mock Phone Interview

One poll found that 96% of job candidates who had taken a mock interview got the job. Practice your responses. Also, practice speaking slowly and clearly and in a conversational tone. Remain professional at all times and avoid yes or no responses.

Dont dominate the interview and wait until the interviewer stops speaking to start answering. Try not to interrupt the interviewer. Allow yourself time to collect and organize your thoughts before answering.

It may be helpful to use the technique of rephrasing or repeating questions to give yourself time to think about the answer. Also, resist the impulse to fill the silence when the interviewer is silent after your response. They may just be taking notes. Allow for that.

The Night Before Your Interview

Read through your notes, resume, cover letter, job description, company or industry summaries one last time.
Know the route you will take to the location and how much travel time you will need.
Build in additional time to ensure you are not late.

Make sure to dress professionally

Examine your clothing for stains and wrinkles. Look for scus on your shoes.

Have the following items prepared:

Multiple copies of your resume

34 professional references

Notepad

Pens

A folder for your resume

Youre ready! Get a good nights sleep to ensure that youre at your best on the day of the interview.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

The most important part of preparing for an interview is practicing how to answer interview questions you might be asked on the day.

Knowing the most common types of job interview questions is an advantage – that way, you can craft your answers well in advance, and feel confident in your responses when the pressure is on.

Our common interview questions and answers guide will help you prepare for your next job interview.

Also Check: How To Ace Your Job Interview

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