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.

5 Tips For Panel Interviews.

Panel interviews may seem daunting particularly for inexperienced job-applicants however an interview of this nature can be more relaxed than being interviewed by a single individual. Treat a panel interview with the same attention to detail that you would a regular interview.Consider the interview as a professional business meeting with a group of people, rather than worrying about responding to a panel and be thankful for the opportunity to showcase your ability in front of them.

1. Send a thank-you letter to each person.

You know by now the importance of a good thank-you letter following your interview, therefore be sure to send a courtesy letter/email thanking each individual for his/her time.

2. Ask questions to the appropriate interviewer.

As with a thank-you letter, asking questions, whether in a one-to-one interview or a panel interview, is very important. It is vital to ask questions to the right person, you do not want to ask a question about sales, for example, to the recruiter if the Sales Director is on the panel of interviewers. It is important to know in advance who will be on the panel and their position in the company, asking questions to the appropriate person not only is a sign of professionalism, it also signifies to the interviewers that you have done research on the company and that will bode well for your application.

3. Use eye-contact to your advantage.

It may seem safer to maintain eye-contact with the person you know better or with a smiling interviewer on the panel, but you will be better-served by initially focusing on the person who asked you the question before scanning the room to make eye-contact with each person through the course of your answer. If the question asked requires a short answer then concentrate on the person who asked it.

4. Have at least one example that will impress each interviewer.

As mentioned knowing who the panel will consist of in advance is crucial, knowing who you are meeting allows you prepare an example of your work that will have elements that each interviewer will be impressed by. If for example the 5 people on the panel are the HR Manager, Financial Director, Sales Manager, Project Manager and CEO then you should provide an example where you successfully managed a project where you built a team, reached sales-target whilst maintaining control over costs. Stats and figures work well in a panel interview so have your key-points prepared in advance.

5. At the end of the interview shake each person’s hand.

Just as you would in a regular interview, at the end of a panel interview you should to firmly clasp the hand of each person, smile, and thank them for their time. Be sure to address each interviewer by their name as you thank them and say how you look forward to hearing from them before departing.

From a company’s perspective a panel interview can save time and money whilst expediting the hiring process, for the applicant it provides an opportunity to impress to many rather than a sole interviewer. Doing well in a panel interview will greatly enhance your chances of getting the job, so prepare well and look forward to the interview with confidence rather than trepidation.

You hopefully know by now the importance of sending a thank-you letter to your recruiter following your interview, aside from being courteous and polite, a nice thank-you letter will stand you in good stead when looking for employment.

Your thank-you letter should;

• provide contact information for future correspondence
• reinforce your interest in the job.
• compliment the company.
• expand on your suitability for the job.
• thank the interviewer for his/her time

A thank-you letter provides the ideal opportunity to furnish the employer with pertinent information, that was not asked during the interview, that you feel will enhance your application. Something like “my experience as sales manager in Company X saw a growth of 75% in sales, a success I wish to bring to Company B” works well to help solidify your job chances.

 In job-hunting, as in many things in life, it is the little things that make a big difference, thank-you letters certainly fall into this category so be sure to use them when you are on the hunt for a job.