A job interview checklist allows candidates to focus and ensure that they leave little to chance when it comes to impressing at a job interview. An earlier post outlined some tips for on the day of the interview today we concentrate on how to be best prepared for before, during, and after the interview.

　
Before the interview.

Ensure that your hair is neat.

Ensure that your nails are clean.

Be sure to dress in an appropriate manner for a professional job interview.

Do not wear overpowering perfume/aftershave to the interview.

Avoid smoking before the interview.

At the interview.

Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and friendly smile whilst maintaining eye contact.

Have answers ready for tricky interview questions such as “what are your weaknesses?”

Have relevant questions ready to ask the employer, this indicates to the interviewer that you have done research on the company.

Have examples ready to emphasize why you are the best candidate for the job.

Conduct yourself in professional manner without criticizing former employers.

End on a positive note thanking the interviewer and reinforcing your interest in the position.

After the interview.

Send a thank-you letter thanking the interviewer for his/her time and once again reinforce your enthusiasm for the role.

Using a job interview checklist will be to your advantage, it will assist as a guide to putting you in a relaxed confident frame of mind which will bode well for your chances of giving a winning interview.

Four Questions You Need To Ask Yourself Before Accepting A Counter-Offer.
The temptation of accepting a high counter-offer can make the most adamant of job hunters change their minds and stay with their existing companies, though ,certainly a lucrative option, accepting a counter-offer can come at a price mind you. Before accepting any counter-offer analyze the 4 questions below and make an informed decision thereafter.

1. Is it my annual salary increase arriving early?
Take into consideration the fact that this could be what was earmarked for you in your Annual Review, you should be satisfied from your discussions with HR that this is not the fact.

2. Why did it take such drastic action as my threatened resignation for my abilities to recognized?
Your salary may be increased but yet it took the possibility of you leaving the company for them to recognize your talent,

3. Have I tarnished my promotion possibilities?
Employers prefer to evade promoting disloyal employees, who (in their mind) may accept tempting offers elsewhere, so think long and hard about accepting the counter-offer if promotion is on your mind.

4. Will the core reasons that I looked elsewhere still exist if I accept the counter-offer?
If you were looking for a company nearer home to avoid traffic, then accepting a counter-offer will not address this issue for you. Ensure you do no not accept a counter-offer based on salary increases alone, they should be based on the resolution of whatever issue made you see work elsewhere at the outset.

While a counter-offer may appear attractive at the outset, spend time resolving the answers to the above questions before accepting it.

Preparing For Difficult Job Interview Questions

Most of you will be familiar with the phrase that “it is not the questions that are difficult, it is the answers” and this 100% correct when it comes to giving a job interview. Job applicants should have a firm grip as to what are perceived to be common difficult questions with examples such as:

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why is there a gap on your resume, could you not find employment?
• Why should I hire you,what sets you apart from other applicants?
• Where do you see yourself being in 5 years time?
• Why are you leaving your current job?

Job applicants need to not only be prepared and have answers to the questions already mentioned above, but can do themselves a huge favor by preempting what the interviewer might ask on the day of the interview. You can do this by scrutinizing your resume and try to pick up questions you would ask if interviewing yourself, be sure to be thorough. Once you have preempted the questions that you think you could be asked then write them down, add them to the questions above and use this as your blueprint for interview preparation.

A final note of advice to those of you who may have included “Opera”, “Theater” or other areas of fine arts to your “Interests and Hobbies” section of your resume, have a “favorite” in mind because as interviews wind down it is not uncommon for the interviewer to end things in an affable manner and ask questions such as “I see you are a fan of opera, what is your favorite?”. If you get stuck answering that, he/she may think that it is more than hobbies that you are bluffing on. Until next time happy job-hunting folks.

Advice For A Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews normally take place when the recruiter is trying to whittle down the amount of job applicants in order to decide whom, in his/her view,are most suitable to bring forward for face-to-face interviews. They can also take place if an applicant lives a good distance away from the hiring company. Preparation for a telephone interview should be no different than that of an in-company interview, with the exception of course that you can wear whatever you like.

If the telephone interview is pre-arranged then you need to make sure that the telephone is kept clear around the time the call is expected. Ensure to take the interview in a quiet area of your house, with enough room for you to have the job specification,your resume and a notepad at your disposal, ideally on a table in front of you. On the notepad have highlights and examples of your experience in relation to the main areas of importance judged from the job spec and refer to these as you speak. Don’t read pre-written answers out in a monotone fashion, make sure your responses come across in an enthusiastic manner.

If your interview is not pre-arranged and you get an unexpected call, at work or in an unsuitable venue for a private interview, quietly excuse yourself from the room and then explain to the recruiter that you are delighted to receive the call but as you were not expecting it would it be possible for you to call him/her back later on (provide a specific time) in the day.

Once the interview begins you should try to smile as you speak this not only displays confidence to the interviewer but also allows your interview to come across in a relaxed friendly manner which will impress the interviewer.

Five questions that you should be prepared for in a telephone interview:

• What interests you about this position?
• What duties are you responsible for in your current position?
• What skills can you add to the team?
• Where do you see yourself being in 5 years time?
• Why should we hire you?

Impressing during a phone interview will be the catalyst to getting that all-important face-to-face interview so prepare well ensuring your application is a successful one.