 You
made it under the best candidates and got the invitation
for an interview. Up to this point, all of your efforts have been
focused to obtain an interview and now you must put your best effort
forward to secure the position.
Part of getting the job is luck and the people you know, but there is a
significant difference in attitude between people who succeed and those
who don’t. In today’s competitive job market, it is important to
communicate what you are capable of doing based on an honest
self-assessment and on the qualities for which the institution is
looking. You need to show the interviewer that both sets of needs can be
met. The interviewer’s main objective is to assess how closely your
qualifications match the requirements of the position and company.
Get as much information about the position and
employer as you can, and try to answer the employer’s question “Why
should we hire you?”
As interviewing is a mutual exchange of
information, open communication between the employer and the job
candidate facilitates the effectiveness and productiveness of the
interview. As the applicant, you need to focus your energy on selling
yourself. Your main objectives are to communicate information about your
skills and qualifications clearly and accurately, connecting this
information to the requirements of the job your are applying.
Some Do's and Don'ts in
Interviewing
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DO
-
Research the company and
examine its ratings.
-
Act naturally.
-
Be prompt, neat, courteous and
follow through on promises. Ask relevant questions.
-
Allow employer to express
him/herself.
-
Evaluate objectively.
-
Follow procedures.
-
Make yourself understood.
-
Listen to the other person.
-
Present informative
credentials.
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Think of your service and
contribution to the organization.
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DON’T
-
Be late for your interview.
-
Present an extreme appearance.
-
Come unprepared.
-
Criticize yourself.
-
Become impatient, emotional,
freeze or tense.
-
Talk too much or too little.
-
Oversell your case.
-
Make elaborate promises.
-
Try to be funny.
-
Unduly emphasize starting
salary.
-
Linger over fringe benefits.
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Excerpt
from NACE's “Planning Job Choices 2001”.
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Preparing for the Interview
When you get an invitation for an interview, there is a tendency to be
awestruck. Now it is important to stay cool and to be assertive and find
out details about the process.
You require a good preparation in order to assure a successful
interview. Since employers are able to sense how prepared a candidate
is, it is crucial that you commit sufficient time and energy to this
process so you are able to articulate your best qualifications.
Who will make the travel arrangements?
Is it your responsibility to pay for the
airline tickets, hotel, and then be reimbursed later? Request a written
schedule in advance in order to be sure and if possible visit the site
prior to the interview.
How will your time be scheduled?
Find out as much as you can about the open job
position, apart from the sometimes quite poor job description in the
advertisement. Some suggestions:
-
Review and complement the research of the organization and position
you did when writing the resume and cover letter. Employers are very
impressed by your initiative when you show in the interview some
knowledge about the corporate personality, its job openings, its
benefits, services or products, clients, anticipated growth,
accomplishments, subsidiaries, descriptions of operating divisions,
organizational chart, names of top executives, financial review, and
contributions to the industry or field. It is a good strategy to
prepare questions to ask the interviewer that reflect your knowledge
of the position and company.
-
Make a list of significant accomplishments
you can point to with pride. Each listed achievement should start
with “I” and contain an action verb (solved, improved, managed,
created, invented, etc.). Use in first place the accomplishments
presented in your resume and cover letter.
-
Think about how to answer typical
questions you may be asked in the interview Thinking about your
responses in advance will help you more effectively articulate the
most important information you want to communicate. Also think about
questions YOU would like to ask as this gives you the
opportunity to show interest in the position and the organization
and to bring the interview under your control.
-
Be prepared if the interviewer brings up salary and/or start-up
needs. Research ahead of time to know the average salaries for
someone in your position, using for instance
salary.com
where you can find the
most comprehensive online US and international salary and
cost-of-living data available.
-
It is highly recommendable to practice the
job interview with a friend or family member in order to get more
self-confidence if you don’t feel sure about interviewing. After
practicing a few times you will feel much more confident and
recognize that it isn’t that difficult to know the routine of an
interview, to present yourself and to ask the right questions.
-
Record the time and place of your
appointment and the name of the interviewer. Obtain good directions
and parking information. Visit the site prior to the interview, if
possible.
-
Wear professional attire that is
appropriate for the position. First impressions are extremely
important.
-
Have your papers like resume, references,
transcripts, writing sample, etc. arranged in a portfolio for easy
reference.
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go to part #2 of the interview
guide:
How to Act During an Interview
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