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What To Take To An Interview

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Soft Skills – How to Take an Interview

While there are many things you can control during the interview, getting there is not one of them and traffic or public transport can easily let you down. Plan ahead how you will get there and make sure you have the contact details of the person you are meeting in case you need to contact them for anything.

Have directions to where you are going before hand and if you can, find your way there before the interview, so you know exactly where you are going.

How To Structure Your Interviews

Structured interviews are effective methods of predicting job performance. Their three main characteristics are:

  • You ask all candidates the same questions.
  • You ask questions in the same order.
  • You evaluate answers based on standardized rating scales.

The first two characteristics are easy, yet critical for success. If you ask different questions of each candidate, its impossible to objectively compare their answers. This will result in you trying to make a hiring decision on your gut feeling which potentially leads to harmful biases and discrimination.

So, when you decide which interview questions to ask, spend some time putting them in order. To do this, use the format of an interview scorecard its possible your applicant tracking system has a function to help you build scorecards and share them with your team.

The third characteristic of a structured interview the rating scales is immensely helpful in ensuring youll hire objectively. You create a scale and then you evaluate candidates answers with that scale. To do this right, define what exactly each item on the scale means.

Alternatively, you could use a simpler scale, such as Yes, No and Definitely

What To Do After An Interview

First of all, take a deep breath, youve gotten through the most stressful part. While waiting for a response from the hiring manager can definitely be frustrating, knowing what to do after an interview can actually help you influence the outcome. Once youve accomplished these steps, you can rest assured that you did everything in your power to get the job offer.

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Lies And A Bad Attitude

Finally, you should leave all the lies and the bad attitude at home. It might seem like an easy way of polishing your interview but liars will be caught. The hiring manager will conduct a background check and any lies youve told will come up during this reference check. You will never improve your chances with lies.

You also dont want to have a bad attitude. If youre having a bad day, relax and do something nice before the interview to ease your mind. Remember what youre doing you are being interviewed for a dream job.

So even if you dont find the hiring manager the friendliest and things are on your mind, try to get through it in good spirits.

Items To Bring To A Job Interview

Five Things to Bring During a Job InterviewNever go to a ...

This article has been approved by an Indeed Career Coach

Youve applied to a job, received the callback and probably passed a phone screen. This means its time for the in-person interview. Take a moment to congratulate yourself at this stageits taken a lot of hard work and persistence to get here. Once youve mentally prepared and chosen what youre going to wear, the last step is making sure youre bringing the right items.

Recommended Reading: How To Interview A Bookkeeper

Do Your Research On The Candidate Before They Arrive

Before your candidate walks through your company’s doors, you should know as much about them as possible. Doing your research on your potential candidates equips you with valuable information ahead of time and also allows you to save time during the actual interview because you won’t have to ask the basic get-to-know-you questions. Your research may consist of the candidate’s resume, cover letter, CV, social media or other online profiles and portfolio.

Related:How to Prepare for an Interview

B Illegal Interview Questions

This goes without saying. Using one of these illegal interview questions to ask the interviewee can damage your employer brand at best and, at worst, you might actually run afoul of the law or even get sued.

The problem with illegal questions is that they often crop up in an interview without the interviewer being aware that theyre illegal. But, often, these questions are also personal and not job-related, so its easy to learn to steer clear of them. Here are some examples of illegal questions:

  • How old are you?
  • Are you a native English speaker?
  • Do you plan to have children?
  • Are you married or plan to get married soon?
  • Have you ever been arrested?
  • Have you ever used any drugs?
  • When did you graduate?

These interview questions have the potential of illegally disadvantaging a protected group. For example, in the United States, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission warns against making decisions based on arrest records because this may cause you to unwittingly discriminate against protected groups. Similarly, in the UK, age is one of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010. This means that a direct question about age, or even an indirect one might get you in trouble.

Read Also: What Are Good Interview Questions For Teachers

Preparing For A Job Interview

To prepare for a job interview, you should do the following:

  • Work Attire. Make sure your appearance is neat and clean. Dress appropriately for the interview by wearing professional work attire such as a skirt or pantsuit and close-toed shoes. Accessories such as handbags, ties, and belts should be conservative.
  • Directions. If you’re not sure where you’re going, bring directions and any instructions the hiring manager may have given you. Also, if one was sent, bring an email confirmation of the appointment. Determine how long your commute will take either by viewing a map application such as Google maps, or a train or bus schedule. Allow 30 minutes extra travel time for any unforeseen delays, as you want to arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes early.
  • Research the Company. Make sure you become acquainted with your prospective employer prior to the interview, as you may be asked questions about your familiarity with their business. Many company websites have an “About” section that provides information on a company’s history as well as its beliefs and goals.
  • List of Questions. Have a list of questions ready to ask the interviewer if they invite questions at the end of the interview. You can also ask additional questions based on the conversation, which demonstrates good listening and comprehension skills.

Follow These Steps To Get Properly Prepared For Your Interview

The Write Question #54: How to take notes in an 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:

Also Check: How To Write A Good Interview Thank You Note

What Not To Do During An Interview

While we do highly recommend that you focus your energy on what to do during an interview make sure that you have at least a preliminary grasp of the no-nos. These can hurt or kill your chances of landing the job, and they are all very preventable. Make it second nature to avoid these and you will be in a very good spot when its time to interview. Remember, there are a lot of other people who will be committing these interview sins. This alone can help you make it past the first wave of interviews.

  • Talk too quickly.
  • Use words you dont know the meaning of.
  • Be arrogant.
  • Talk too about your personal life.
  • Give the employer any reason to think you will not perform well.
  • Act nervous. You probably will be, but it is best if you take a few seconds and clear your mind your answers will be less jumbled. If you find yourself getting really nervous, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom to get some air. Dont take too long but it is better to collect your thoughts than to plow ahead when you cant focus.
  • Fidget. This might be something you have to practice but it is worth it.
  • Get defensive. The interviewer will be asking technical questions. Everyone has their weak spots and that is okay work with it and practice for it.
  • Bring coffee.
  • The Names Of Who You’ll Be Meeting

    You’ll likely meet with a few people on the day of your interview, so if the human resource department lets you know who that is ahead of time, jot down their names and positions. It’s possible you’ll end up so focused on interview questions that names of the interviewers will slip your mind, so writing down their names in a notebook will give you a peace of mind.

    You should also be somewhat familiar with those interviewing you. Do a quick LinkedIn search to better understand their role at the company and their professional experience .

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    Follow A Consistent Interview Structure

    Putting a consistent interview structure in place can help your interviews run more smoothly by giving you a predictable format to follow for each interview. An example of an interview structure is as follows: introduction phase, standard interview questions, behavioral interview questions, final questions with an opportunity for the candidate to ask their own questions and the conclusion of the interview. Choose an interview format that works best for you and decide what will occur during each phase of the interview.

    Related:Everything You Need to Know About Job Interview Etiquette

    How To Conduct An Interview

    Should You Take Notes During An Interview?

    Even if youre a veteran of interviewing candidates, its still a good idea to make sure youre following the right process. If you are unsure of what the entire hiring process entails, you can, before starting the process of recruitment.

    Here are the key points HR managers should follow to ensure a successful interview process.

    Also Check: How To Prepare For Naturalization Interview

    What Not To Bring Or Do

    Doing the following will likely ruin your chances of getting the job:

    • Dont carry in your morning coffee or protein shake.
    • Don’t bring your parent or anyone else with you.
    • Dont arrive talking on a cell phone or texting. Turn off your phone before you enter the building and store it in a handbag or briefcase.
    • Dont wear a hat or cap leave it at home.
    • Dont chew gum or suck candy.
    • Dont overwhelm the interviewer with your piercings or tattoos. If you have a lot of piercings or earrings, remove them, so they arent a distraction. One pair of earrings, such as small studs or hoops, is acceptable. Do your best to cover your tattoos.
    • Dont wear strong perfume or cologne you never know if someone is allergic in the office.
    • Don’t wear leisure clothes such as jeans, workout wear, sneakers, or flip flops. Wear a pants or dress suit and close-toed shoes.
    • Don’t appear with messy, unwashed hair. Make sure your hair is clean and off of your face.

    Email Sample : Accepting A Recruiters Invitation To Talk

    If youre contacted by a recruiter who youve never spoken with, then you can use the sample email to respond and express interest. Just reply to the same email address that they contacted you from.

    Hello NAME,

    Thank you for contacting me about this role. It sounds interesting. Id love to hear more about the position.

    Here is my availability to talk on the phone this week:

    Monday Thursday, 7:00 am 2:00 pm Central Time.

    The best number to reach me: 555-281-6872

    Thanks, and I look forward to talking with you.

    Best regards, Your name

    As mentioned earlier, include multiple days/times in terms of availability. And if they dont already have your contact info, then include that, too.

    Also, make sure you have a professional-sounding voicemail recording! You dont want employers and recruiters calling you and hearing an unprofessional voicemail that you recorded when you were in high school and forgot about!

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    Examine The Job Description

    Theres nothing worse than going into a job interview thinking it is for something else. This is why researching the job description is crucial! When looking through the job description, look at these key points:

    • Required skills & qualifications
    • Main duties and responsibilities
    • specified work experience

    Carefully align their requirements with your interview answers to showcase you are the ideal candidate for the job!

    Your Printable Job Interview Preparation Checklist

    5 Things To Take To An Interview

    You might also like these articles:

    You got the call for an interview – congratulations! In the grand scheme of things, the hard part is behind you. An interview means three things:

    1.That the place you’ve applied to feels like you are one of the best candidates for the position

    2.On paper it already looks like you can do the job

    3. You’ve got to prove both number one and number two in an interview

    Interviews are about 80 percent preparation and 20 percent execution. The more prepared you are, the better you’ll do.

    Print off this checklist and be sure to check each thing off before you walk out the door.

    Read Also: How To Reschedule A Phone Interview For Food Stamps

    What To Bring To An Interview: In

    Whether you’ve got an in-person or virtual interview scheduled, here’s what you need to have on hand.

    For most people, job interviews are a nerve-racking ordeal, with the worst part being the days and hours leading up to the interview. There are a lot of steps to take to ensure you’re prepared including having everything you need on hand.

    Whether you’ve got an in-person or virtual interview coming up, make sure you have what you need to ace the interview and leave a lasting impression.

    Get Ready For The Employers Questions

    • Review your CV, cover letter and application forms to remember the skills and experiences you shared.
    • Read the job description and think of questions the employer may ask.
    • Do an online search for common interview questions.
    • Prepare answers to possible questions. Even if you arent asked them, it will help you plan what skills and experiences to highlight.

    Recommended Reading: How To Prepare For Program Manager Interview

    Drop Off Your Thank You Note

    Always, always thank your interviewer after youve left. Email them after you drop off your note. The more contact you have, the more you remain in their minds over the other applicants. It shows youre thoughtful, motivated, and that you care. The number of interviewers who leave and hope things go well is far too high when they could have more control of their fate by doing this after the job interview is complete.

    Sell The Company And The Position

    10 Things You Need to Bring Up During the Interview

    Take a few minutes to explain a bit about the company and its background. Inform them what you do, what your job entails, and the position that needs filling.

    Try to deliver a good description of the business, company culture, and role. This will be your chance to draw in the candidate and develop their interest in the role even more.

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    Why Are Interviews Important

    A job interview is important for a number of reasons, as it can benefit both the hiring manager and the company as well as the potential candidate being interviewed. Interviewing candidates ensures you are hiring only the most qualified individuals for the open position. Without an effective interview process, you may end up hiring a person who is not the right fit for the company, the position or both.

    Additional benefits of the job interview process include:

    • It allows both parties to learn more about each other and determine the suitability of the job for the candidate.
    • It enables the hiring manager to ask the interviewee important questions pertaining to their qualifications, skills and experience levels.
    • It gives the interviewer a chance to ask more in-depth questions that the candidate’s application did not answer.
    • It can prevent a company from wasting time and money on a candidate who is not the right fit for a position.

    Most job positions require at least one interview, while some companies will ask candidates to go through multiple interviews before a selection is made. Regardless of the position, nearly all organizations can benefit from conducting interviews to fill open jobs.

    How To Nail A Job Interview In The First 5 Minutes

    The first few moments of your interview can have a decisive impact on how well the rest of it goes. Heres how to start strong together with some cautionary tales of what not to do from real interviewers

    1. What time should I arrive at my interview?

    Whilst it’s important to make sure you arrive early enough to allow yourself time to settle in remember that the interview starts long before you shake hands and sit down infront of your interviewer. You never know who you might bump into on your commute, or whilst in the companys building lift. So make sure you project a friendly, confident, professional manner from the moment you set off.

    On arrival put your phone on silent mode, make conversation with the receptionist and take in your surroundings you might notice something that will make a useful ‘small-talk’ topic later. Dont try and cram in any last-minute facts you want to come across as calm and organised, not flustered and under-prepared.

    What not to do:

    I once heard someone standing outside our building, smoking furiously and complaining loudly on their phone about the early start time of their meeting and wondering aloud why they were even there. When I got to my next interview, I realised to my dismay the noisy moaner was my next candidate! Not a great start.

    2. What should I do before my interview?

    What not to do:

    3. How can I create a strong first impression?

    What not to do:

    4. How can I prepare for the small talk?

    What not to do:

    What not to do:

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