The A To Z Of Job Interviews.

Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 9:41 am

Being fully prepared for a job interview is vital if you want to be the winning applicant, today we look at the A to Z of Job Interviews to help you with your research and to allow you focus on your interviewing skills. Please excuse the creative leeway I took on the letters X and Z, my vocabulary alas, is not as creative as it once was!

A) Answers.

Have research done so you are able to impress the interviewer with your interview answers particularly answers to tough interview questions.

B) Behavioral interviews.

This type of interview will usually have questions beginning with “describe”, “give me an example”, “tell me about a time”, open-ended questions where yes/no doesnt suffice.

C) Charm.

Charm plays an important role when interviewing so be polite to all from the minute you arrive at the interview destination.

D) Dress for the occasion.

To impress at an interview one of the most important tasks is to ensure that you are dressed appropriately for the interview.

E) Examples.

There are fewer more compelling ways to convince a prospective employer of your talent than by providing examples of your work, so provide examples either physically or descriptively to enhance your application.

F) Former employers.

It is crucial not to criticize former colleagues /employers during a job interview, this will serve no purpose other than to harm your chances of getting the job. Criticizing former employers features amongst the biggest job interview mistakes.

G) Go in with confidence.

Don’t be nervous when going for your interview, after all they selected you based on the skills in resume so go in confidently but don’t appear cocky.

H) Have your research done.

Be prepared for questions like “why do you want to work for our organization?” and use your research to your advantage when explaining why you want to work for the company.

I) Interview pack.

Bring an interview pack with you which may include copies of your resume, samples of your work along with a pen and notepad so you can scribble notes during the interview.

J) Job spec.

Having the job spec with you will allow you to ask questions that you may have regarding the job itself. In advance of the interview highlight parts of the spec where you wish to seek more clarification.

K) Know who you are meeting.

It is important to know the name of the person you are meeting so you can greet them with a firm handshake addressing him/her by their name.

L) Location.

Ensure you know where you are going so you don’t run the risk of being late for your interview.

M) Mind your language.

Be careful not to use slang terminology in your interview as this may portray a lack of professionalism about you and damage your employment prospects.

N) Notice-period.

If asked “if successful when would you be able to start?”, be sure to have a clear definite response so the interviewer knows what notice-period you must serve should you be offered the job.

O) Outline your main skills and achievements.

You should go into the interview focused on highlighting some of your finest achievements, wait for the appropriate question to be asked then wow the interviewer with your experience to date.

P) Passion.

You need to transfer your passion for the role to the interviewer, explain why you want the job and provide the credentials that prove why you deserve the job.

Q) Questions.

There is a good chance that the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions, so it is important to have some relevant questions to ask relating to the vacancy.

R) References.

You should make sure to bring a copy of your references with you to provide if asked. These should provide the name, job title, company and contact details of each referee.

S) Salary.

During the 1st interview stage allow the interviewer to bring up the issue of salary initially. When discussions over salary begin be sure to come across as confident, not cocky.

T) Timing is everything.

You cannot afford to be late for a job interview so make sure you know your route (allowing for traffic issues depending on time of day) and arrive with time to spare.

U) Understand that you may be asked difficult interview questions.

Don’t take it personal if difficult interview questions are thrown at you, they are commonplace in interviews so answer each one honestly and be careful not to over-exaggerate your abilities.

V) Vision for the role.

Providing an insight into the ways in which you plan to add value to role will impress the interviewer if done in the correct manner.

W) Why you should we hire you?

Have an answer prepared for this question as it crops up time and time again in employment interviews.

X) X-Factor.

If you can provide good answers, great examples, get on well with the interviewer while showing an overwhelming desire for the role then you will certainly have the X-factor for the second interview.

Y) Your biggest weakness?

This questions is often considered amongst the most difficult interview question to answer, so be prepared with a winning response.

Z) Zzzz.

You should come across in an enthusiastic fashion, speak with passion as a mundane interviewee will be more likely to send the interviewer asleep rather than encourage him/her to hire you.

Providing great answers is 60% of the work, transferring your enthusiasm for the role while showing how you can add value make up the other 40%, if you manage to get that blend right then you should be able to look forward with confidence to a positive response.