Job Interview Skills - Going for a Job
You hear all sorts of rules about job interview success:
* people decide about you in the first 10 seconds * you have to
make a good first impression * always ask insightful job
interview questions * learn as much as you can about the company
* they'll probably ask interview questions designed to trip you
up * have some quick answers to interview questions at the ready
Not bad, as far as rules go: some of them make perfect sense.
But getting the job you want isn't about following rules or
giving the 'right' interview answer.
It's about presenting yourself in the most authentic way that
takes care of you and the interviewers at the same time.
So many people chuck their chances away: they don't take enough
care and interview preparation time so that the whole process is
enjoyable, stimulating and informative for both parties.
Your First Opportunity: Getting The Interview
If you want the job, chances are so do about a million other
eager people, so your application has to stand out from the
crowd. British CVs are usually dull and boring, and people
create them as historical documents, rather than as marketing
tools. You can boost your chances of getting an interview by
making your CV look and 'sound' special.
Use good paper, design a personal logo, fiddle with the layout
to make it easy on the eyes. Edit it ruthlessly. People always
put in too much detail. Highlight the bits that relate to the
job you're going for. They don't need to know you went to St
Mary's School when you were 12! Put 'who you are now' at the
beginning of your CV, and leave education and qualifications for
the end.
If you don't have what you think are the right educational
qualifications, don't worry. Just leave them off. If you include
enough interesting and intriguing material about who you are
now, what you didn't do is far less important.
I recommend a short paragraph at the beginning that says
something about your personal qualities and your business
skills. A short statement about what you're seeking can also go
down a treat.
As we know, a job for life is so rare nowadays, that eclectic,
unusual and even inconsistent CVs are OK as long as they're
presented well.
Even if you think your current job stinks, look at the good
points as though you were looking at it from the outside in.
Most jobs appear much better from the outside than they do from
the inside (only you know the real truth); so pump up the
goodies and soft-pedal the baddies!
So that worked. You've got the Interview; now what?
Preparing For a Job Interview
Here's the key and the most important thing to remember when
preparing for interview
Before you go through the door, tell yourself that unless they
are simply going through the motions because they've already
appointed someone, they want it to be you.
They want to know their search is over, so for the length of the
interview, the job is yours. You need to make the most of it.
Having said that, first impressions are incredibly important. Be
yourself right from the start, turning up the volume on those
bits of you that most match the job; turning down the volume on
the bits that don't. However, never ever shut the volume off
entirely, as you will then be pretending to be someone you're
not - a sure recipe for disaster.
Not a good idea to lie! You can be judicious with the truth, but
lies have a tendency to return and bite you in the bum! Even if
they don't know you've lied, you will be giving out signals that
are a give-away that something is wrong.
Being put on the spot can feel very uncomfortable, and it's easy
to fall into a defensive posture. If you're not sure of
answering interview questions or feel boxed into a corner it's
all right to buy time - including saying 'I need some time to
think about that.'
No matter how nervous you are, you do need to look after the
people interviewing you. Show that you know how to communicate
and relate to people: ask surprising questions.
Have a stockpile of question to ask at interview and anecdotes
of past triumphs (and even a few disasters, as long as their
funny or humorous side is apparent). This is not just a list of
what you can do, but some personal examples that paint the whole
picture.
There are no right answers to job interview questioning. In fact
a good interview question is one that allows you a chance to
talk about yourself.
Job Interview Follow-up
At the end of your interview, if you haven't been advised, ask
when they think they'll be making their decision. At least then
you'll know how long you'll have to wait before you hear.
Many places don't automatically let people know if they haven't
got the job; so one follow-up call is allowable. More than that
and it can feel like badgering.
No matter how badly you think the interview went, if you want
the job, always send a follow-up interview thank you letter.
Since most of us think of clever things to say after the fact,
include one or two of those, referring to something specific
from the interview.
Use phrases such as:
'I've given a lot of thought to our interview and...' 'Something
you mentioned got me thinking...' 'What you said about _______
really struck home...'
If you don't get the job and you're curious why not, phone up
and get some feedback. It may help you for the next interview.
Happy job hunting!