Interviews
reparing for Interview
Depending on the size of the
You have made a successful building you may find that
application and now you are locating the interview are is not
rewarded by getting an interview. a simple task and you should
It would be a shame to blow it ensure that you have enough time
all by failing to take the same in hand to avoid a late arrival.
care and attention at the
interview. If the company is in a location
that you are not familiar with
It's true to say that the vast you would take time to plan your
majority of interviewers are not route and allow for unexpected
trained and make many mistakes delays, so why should you act
themselves, but that is not a differently just because the
reason to make them yourself. interview is somewhere you know?
Lets have a look at common Some of the external events that
mistakes so that you can avoid may make you late are; late
them. public transport, unable to
locate parking space, no change
- Arriving late. for a pay and display car park,
- Being dressed incorrectly. unable to locate building.
- Taking unnecessary hand luggage
with you. All of these are genuine reasons
- Poor greeting. to be late, but at the end of the
- Poor body language/Nervous day, they are all avoidable.
mannerisms
Take time to find out about the
* Arriving Late location of the building and
You should aim to arrive 10 - 20 local parking, if the company is
minutes early for your interview. a large phoning them will result
in you getting the switch board, and a T-shirt or polo shirt then
these people know the area, there you should wear trousers and a
is nothing wrong with asking them shirt and tie, no need for a
for advice about local parking. jacket.
If the company is a one man band Dressing down at the interview is
then use your initiative, check easier than going home to get
maps, local tourist information changed. That is to say that if
offices etc. you get to the interview and you
are wearing a jacket but non of
* Looking Good the interviews is wearing one and
Most people are unsure how to you feel uncomfortable, then as
dress for an interview. Lets face you take a seat as if you can
it, if you are going for an remove your jacket.
interview to be a garage mechanic
then a suit probably isn't I'm sure you get the idea.
suitable, but how do you know
what to wear? * Luggage
Taking unnecessary hand luggage
As a rule of thumb, think about with you. Some people take a
what you would wear if you were brief case to interview.
working there already, no smarten
up a bit. Why?
If you would normally wear It may be an idea to take a copy
trousers/skirt and a shirt/blouse of your resume with you along
then by adding a jacket and tie with the letter inviting you to
you have smartened up. interview.
If you would normally wear jeans If you applied by application
form and you followed my guide to suggested that there are
application forms then you might sandwiches and a flask in there
want to take your draft copy of in case the applicant got stuck
the form. Take these in an A4 in a lift!
envelope or in an A4 folder.
* Avoid a poor greeting.
Why take them? Because if this is This is a big subject and related
a small or badly organised to Body Language (details below).
company they may have mislaid
them, being able to offer a copy
will allow them to get the most When you greet someone you should
out of the interview and for you ensure that you do the following
to look professional in your things:
approach.
1) Look the person in the eye.
This is only a suggestion and 2) Smile at them.
will not usually be required, so 3) Shake their hand.
why take anything? 4) Make sure you introduce
yourself and remember the name
You will have to decide, if you they provide you with in return.
are going to take anything in to 5) When you are offered a seat,
the interview, but as you can see if possible let your interviewer
from the examples above, there is take their seat first.
little point in taking anything.
As someone trained in interview * Poor Body Language/Nervous
technique I can tell you that it Mannerisms.
is noticeable when a potential Body Language is a big subject
employee arrives with a brief but it is worth reading about. I
case and never has to open it in can't cover the subject here but
an interview. In fact it has been visit http://911resume.com and
have a look at our current experience.
recommendations.
For example, if you are shown a
* Focus piece of software that this
The rest of the interview is a company uses and your previous
case of presenting a positive company used a similar but not
image of yourself and everything identical package, then you
you have done in your working should discuss it briefly and
life. explain how familiar you are with
this sort of software.
Avoid speaking in a negative way
about previous employers to your * Closing the deal
prospective new employers. After At the end of the interview, take
all, if you speak negatively of time to thank the interviewer for
one employer what is going their time, tell them how
through the mind of your possible interested you are in their
new employer? company and tell them you will
look forward to hearing from
An interview should be a friendly them.
conversation about work
experience, a poor interviewer Again, keep eye contact and
will sometimes believe that smile, while you are doing this,
showing you around is an shake hands and leave. Remember
interview, it's not. that until you are out of sight
of the building you could be
If you are faced with this sort watched and therefore you are
of interview, take the under scrutiny.
opportunity to point out your
familiarity with the environment Good luck, I'm sure that the job
by relating it to your past work is yours already, the company
just doesn't know it yet!
About the Author:
Leaving the Royal Air Force, Steve worked for a Charity helping the unemployed to find work. Within a few months the two programs he ran were top of the counties league table. Head hunted, Steve lead 7 similar programs, within 6 months they were all in the top 10 - including the number one spot. http://www.911resume.com
Source: www.isnare.com
|
|
|
|
