Successful job interviews can hinge on the slightest aspect of your interview, having all the right answers is one thing but they alone may not be enough to guarantee you get the job, today we look at some of the other critical factors that interviewers take into consideration before deciding on who to select for the job.

Punctuality.

You may have heard 100 times already about how important it is to arrive to your interview on time, well in that case, here is the 101st time. It is vital not just from the prospective employers viewpoint but also to allow you to relax and collect your thoughts before going in to meet the interviewer. You do not want to be rushing in to an interview as this will display a lack of professionalism and may harm your chances of getting the job.

Precision.

Being precise in your answers will be of great benefit to you, being able to zone in on facts and figures will show in real terms the value you might add to the company. An example might be “Your resume states that sales is one of your strengths, can you expand on that?”, “Certainly, last year I led the sales team to a 50% increase in sales over the previous year and won one account alone which brought in revenue exceeding $50,000.”

Positivity.

Any negative comments you make, no matter how honest, will reflect poorly on you so stay positive even in your comments on former employers. It is also important to stay positive when discussing the role you are being interviewed for, a positive demeanor will show a relaxed, confident job applicant and this confidence will reflect favorably on your employment chances.

Professionalism.

Professionalism is defined as “the conduct, aims or qualities that mark a profession or professional person”, in a job interview the interviewer will be analyzing your professionalism from the minute you walk through his/her door. He/She will be considering your professionalism in terms of your appearance, conduct and attitude so the importance maintaining your professionalism at all times is critical.

Politeness.

Sometimes overlooked, a polite friendly manner will allow you to build a bond with the interviewer, you want to leave a favorable impression on the interviewer, being courteous will allow you to do so. If the interviewer has a decision to make between two equally-suited candidates he/she will choose the polite candidate over an impersonal one 9 times out of 10.

Preparation.

Preparing for an interview means finding out what type of interview it is, being aware of the job titles of those you are meeting and having a solid understanding of the company’s history along with a having a thorough understanding of the job specification. The more preparation you put in will be worth it in the end as it will help you provide a composed confident job interview giving you an edge over rivals.

Focusing on these factors along with being prepared for difficult interview questions coupled with salary negotiation tips will provide you with the perfect platform to ensure your success in the recruitment process.

3 Sample Situational Interview Questions And Example Answers.

In a situational job interview, questions are asked based on hypothetical situations in order to ascertain how a job applicant would react should such a scenario arise. The questions often begin with phrases like “How would you react…?” or “What would you do…?” or “How would you handle…?”. The ability to think on your feet and to remain calm under pressure are key in this type of job interview.

 1.  How do you react to pressure?

I enjoy the challenge of working under pressure, the sense of accomplishment can be very rewarding. Through good management and work practices I try to avoid a situation becoming pressurized.

2.  How would handle delivering bad news to colleagues?

Laying off colleagues is a never a nice thing to do, however the ability to do so in an emotionless manner is a fundamental aspect of any supervisors role. I faced a task in my previous job where I had to tell a colleague, who was also a friend, that due to downsizing his job was being made redundant. I explained to him the unfortunate reasoning as to why the job was no longer needed, despite his disappointment he understood and we remain friends to this day.

3.  How would you react to indecision between team members?

I would reiterate the importance of coming up with a solution in a timely manner. I would listen to any questions or queries between colleagues and provide solutions to those queries.  My goal would be to repair any conflict between colleagues to ensure that work is carried out effectively,with the group working in unison and well within deadline timelines.

Situational interviews allow you to prove to employers that you have the ability to handle the most difficult of scenarios.  A confident situational interview will help ensure you stay ahead of other job seekers in the search for employment.

Funny Job Interview Answers

Since my blog was launched back in April, I have focused on providing serious tips and strategies to help improve resumes and interview skills today we take a break from the serious stuff and have a lighthearted look at some of the funniest, sharpest, wittiest interview answers I have received over the years.

A job interview is not usually the time for jokes and humor but depending on how the interview is going, and how the general flow of conversation progresses, deadpan humor can work well in helping to personalize your job application and in creating a bond with the interviewer.

Q. Describe a poor business decision that you’ve made?

A. Would dating the boss’s daughter count? (in this example the guy was actually dating his boss’s daughter, in fact they are now a happily married couple.)

Q. Why did you leave your previous employer?

A. More than likely for the same reasons you left your previous employer! (not recommended but had me laughing at the time.)

Q.  How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

A. Tall, chubby, enthusiastic, honest and unemployed.

Q. If successful could you come back tomorrow for a mandatory medical test?

A.  Tomorrow? No I’d need more time to study for it.

It should be noted on each of the above occasions, the interviewee then said, “No seriously….” and gave a proper answer. The general rule of thumb is not to initiate humor during an employment interview however don’t be afraid to let your natural personality shine through should the situation arise during your interview.

4 Reasons Why You Should Register With An Employment Agency.

Employment agencies and recruiters work off a commission basis so it is in their best interest to find you a job,in a previous post we looked at 5 tips to help you get the most out of your employment agency, today we look at 4 of the reasons why registering with a recruitment firm will be to your advantage.

1.Employment agencies can help you with your resume.

A successful resume is key to getting a job interview, experienced recruiters will be quick to spot any flaws on your resume and help you overcome them.

2. Employment agencies can offer advice on your interview skills.

Professional recruiters having interviewed you will be able to offer advice that will allow you improve your interviewing skills before interviewing with the hiring company. This will be of particular benefit for those who have not changed jobs in sometime so therefore may be short of experience in this regard.

3. Employment agencies already have relationships with hiring companies.

If a recruiter is working on behalf of a client then this suggests that they have a solid relationship with that client so an application on your behalf may be met with greater merit if coming from the recruiter rather than directly. Another reason is that recruiters have the advantage of being able to call the hiring manager to sell your resume on your behalf.

4. Employment agencies can negotiate a salary on your behalf.

Experienced recruiters are well-versed in the skill of salary negotiation (after all the more you get, the more they get) and can negotiate on your behalf ensuring you get the best possible package.

Maintaining a good relationship with your recruiter is important, so don’t bombard him/her with calls or emails, you want him/her to work on your behalf in a favorable manner so ensure you have a cordial relationship with your recruiter.

Registering with employment agencies is free of charge (steer clear of any employment agency who tries to charge you a fee for using them) and as a job seeker you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by joining a reputable employment agency to work on your behalf.

Five Types Of Job Interviews.

There are a number of types of job interviews, however no matter how varied these interviews may be, each share the same goal in mind, to find out whether you are the right person to fill the vacant position. Today we look at 5 of the most common interview types and what you can expect to face within them.

1. Behavioral Interviews.

Behavioral interviews are interviews wherein the interviewer will probe your past in order to assess your suitability for the role. Common questions in this type of interview include;

Give me an example where you overcame a difficult situation in work?

Provide an example of when you had to complete a project within a strict deadline?

2. Panel Interviews.

Panel interviews as the name suggests is when your interview is not one-on-one as is the norm but rather an interview with a small group of people, usually from different areas within the company. In this instance you can expect a Recruiter, HR Manager, and the person to whom the role reports to, to be in attendance.

3. Telephone Interviews.

Telephone interviews take place for a couple of reasons, firstly as a screening interview to weed out unqualified candidates and secondly, if the applicant lives in a different state or country telephone interviews offer a chance to assess their suitability before having them travel all the way to the office for an interview.

4. Stress Interviews.

The aim of a stress interview is to challenge the applicant and see how he/she reacts under pressure. Your qualifications or suitability for the role may be doubted by the interviewer in order to see your reaction and ability to cope when put on the spot.

5. Situational Interviews.

Situational interviews are along the same lines as a behavioral interview expect rather than “Give me an example of how…” the questions are related to how you would propose solutions to possible scenarios such as “How would you react to…”

No matter what job you are being interviewed for, to be the best qualified candidate, be prepared for questions that fit into each of the interview categories and then provide a confident interview that will be the springboard to interview success.

Six Rules To Successful Job References.

Excellent references are essential to successfully gaining employment, most job offers are subject to references so even when you have an offer you still need your qualities and experience rubber-stamped by your previous employer. Bearing this in mind it is essential to adhere to the following rules when supplying referees;

1. Ensure the referee is a previous manager or supervisor, rather than a friend.

2. Graduates and Interns should use college professors as referees if they have no work experience.

3. Choose a former supervisor with whom you had a good relationship when looking for a referee.

4. Make sure you gain the approval of the referee before including them on your resume.

5. Should you receive an offer “subject to successful reference” then call your referees in advance to tell them to expect a call from the company offering you the job.

6. Ensure the contact details are correct and up to date before submitting them. The contact details should include name, position, company, telephone number and email address.

A bad reference could have a disastrous impact on your employment chances so take time to pick referees that you know will enhance your application and leave you with nothing to worry about when your offer is “subject to references.”

Issues To Consider Before Deciding To Change Your Job.

Changing jobs is an important decision, so careful consideration should be taken into understanding the root cause of your unhappiness and see if they can be resolved. You should make a list of the reasons why you want to change jobs and sort them in order of importance. Examples of some of the main reasons employees look to move to a new job are outlined below along with tips to overcoming the obstacles.

1. You are considering leaving because you want more money.

This is straight-forward enough, if you like your job but feel that you are being paid below your worth then arrange a meeting with your manager and HR to discuss the problem. Come prepared with examples of your work and salary-surveys that will help back-up your claim. Be reasonable and see if a mutually happy agreement can be agreed upon, if not then it will probably reaffirm your decision to seek pastures new.

2. You are considering leaving because of the commute to work.

The balancing act of career and family- life can be a tricky one, if there is an hour or two added to your journey each day it makes it an even trickier balancing act. Employers are not unsympathetic to this so before making the final decision to move, arrange a meeting with your boss to try and work-out a compromise. Again depending on your job you may be allowed work from home a couple of days a week or be given the opportunity to flexible working-hours to help avoid traffic congestion at peak-times.

3. You are considering leaving because you were overlooked for a promotion.

Arrange a meeting with your manager to discuss the reasons why you did not get the job. Do not be confrontational, instead ask the manager where he/she sees your future in the company. The feedback you get from him/her will give you a strong indication of where your future lies.

If you are steadfast in your decision to leave then make sure you have a job to walk into once you finish your notice-period. In the current economic climate job-openings are at a premium so make sure you’re leaving your current company for the right reasons as opposed to obstacles that can be overcome.

3 Reasons Not To Apply For A Job Until You Know Who The Job Is With.

If you are currently in a job the importance of being made knowing in advance where your resume is being sent cannot be understated. In your eagerness to find new employment you may be tempted to apply for jobs where the client company is not specified, this could turn out to be a big mistake. If you see a job advertisement that looks perfect but has “Confidential” listed as the company then avoid applying for it until you can garner more information about the job. The following examples highlight just 3 of the dangers .

1. Your resume gets sent to your existing employer.

Yes the unthinkable could happen, you apply for a job before eventually finding out the dreaded information that the role is with your existing employer. Expect a call to the bosses office should this happen but not necessarily for the type of meeting you hoped for.

2. Your resume gets sent to a client of your existing company.

Your boss won’t appreciate getting a call from a vendor asking “What’s that employee John Smith (for example) like?, he has applied for a job here with us”. This will be met with, at the very least, disappointment by your existing employer and like above will a meeting with your company management for further discussion.

3. The job may not exist.

You read that right, it is not unheard of for companies / recruiters to want to build a database of resumes for certain positions, in order to have them on file should such a position become available through an employee leaving or company growth. It is rare in the extreme that this happens but is worth bearing in mind nonetheless.

It is important not to let your desire to find a job curtail your professionalism in seeking one, should you see a job advertised without a name do all that you can do to find out who it is with. One way of trying to find out their identity is to send an email (not from your company email address) requesting information about where the role is based, at the very least, this should help you eliminate your own company as being the employer.

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.

5 Things You Should Do After Your Job Interview.

There are few industries where an applicant gets a job offer after one interview alone, therefore preparing for a potential second interview should begin the minute you get home from the first interview. Details of the interview will be fresh in your mind so rather than slumping into a reactive mode become proactive and begin preparations for a 2nd interview.

1. Write notes about any areas of the job that the interviewer focused on.

The interviewer will be feeding this information back to the Hiring Manager and should you be called for a second interview your note-taking will provide you with a fair idea of what element of your resume or job spec that will be scrutinized in the 2nd interview, so have answers ready to clarify these points and you will be on your way to a successful interview.

2. Send a Thank-You note.

Irrespective of how well you thought your interview went, be courteous and thank the company for their time and reiterate your interest in the job.

3. Practice your interviewing skills.

Following your interview you will be aware of the type of questions that you didn’t respond well to, the have been behavioral questions such as “Give me an example of when you had to deal with a sensitive issue in your job?” or structured interview questions such as “Where do you see yourself being in 3 years?”. Spend time practicing in order to give a confident complete interview next time around.

4. Reflect on whether it is the job for you.

If after the 1st interview you decide that you don’t think the role is what you want that’s fine, however if it is a job you truly want jot down the criteria needed for you to accept the position. Having this information in your mind will help you give a more productive 2nd interview.

5. Write down the negatives and positives of the job.

You will have a much clearer picture of both the position and the company themselves following the 1st interview. Should you be selected for 2nd interview you can be forthcoming with any perceived problems with the job and see if they can resolved and turned into positives.

Attention to detail can be the trump card when it comes to successful job interviews, remember that job interviews are as much about listening as they are about talking and remember that preparation doesn’t end once the interview is over.