Interview Skills for Success

Its has been a long three month process when you first applied for your dream job. You waited nearly a month before you received a call about scheduling a phone interview. This first initial interview was with the organization’s recruiter. After passing that, you had to wait another 3 weeks to speak to the hiring manger over the phone. And now finally, he wants to meet you face to face. This is your time to shine and show why you are the best candidate for the job. So how do you prepare yourself for a meeting with your potential new boss?

Prepare – Your new career depends on it

Get a friend or family member to help you prepare for your interview through role-plays. Practice answering questions that you may be asked. This may feel awkward, but through this practice, you will feel a lot more comfortable during the actual interview.

Make sure you have a clear idea of what the position entails before setting foot in the door to your interview. At this point of the process, you should have had the opportunity to ask some questions to clarify what you will be doing on a day to day basis. By knowing what they are looking for, you can focus on matching your own skills to the position.

You should also research the company itself. Basic facts such as what the company sells, how long they have been in operation, and any recent milestones is all available on the internet. In fact, you may be asked during your interview what you know about the organization. This is a great opportunity to dazzle them with your knowledge or show your way out the door because you didn’t take the time to know your facts.

Most of your own work history will be typed up in a resume that you will bring with you to the interview. Make sure you refresh your memory about where you worked and what you were responsible for. Nothing is worse that forgetting your own experience and not being able to articulate it to the hiring manager.

OK, now you have done everything possible to prepare yourself for your face to face interview. So now you are ready to walk through the door and meet your new boss.

Dos and don’t during your interview

• Do stay calm during your interview. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make it to the interview during the scheduled time. This will ease your mind in the end. To help keep you calm during the actual interview, take deep breaths of air. By doing this, you will feel more relaxed.
• Don’t ramble off topic when asked a question. Keep your answers direct and to the point. The more you ramble, the further you will drive away from answering the actual question. You may not be able to find your way back.
• Do share examples when answering a question. This will show the hiring manager that you have dealt with situations in the past that are similar to what the position would experience. In general, people tend to remember stories that they are told much more vividly than when there are no stories told. You will be a much more memorable candidate than the rest.
• Don’t ask about job security. With the harder economic times, people are more worried about losing their jobs. Hopefully at this point you have already done the research to know that the position you are applying for is a viable position. If you even hint at questioning the security of the position during the interview, the hiring manager could hit the “reject” button in a heartbeat.
• Do focus on the current position you are applying for. Most people are interested in advancing their careers or getting their foot in the door. But if ask too many questions about promotional opportunities or seem more interested in climbing up the ladder, an employer will be immediately turned off. Remember, they are looking for someone to fill a current need in their business. An employer wants to hire someone that will fill the position for an adequate amount of time.
• Don’t ask too many generic questions or questions that you should already been told. It just shows the hiring manager that you lack listening skills, didn’t do your research, or both.
• Do focus on the interviewer. Most of the interview will be about the company, position, and how you fit in. It pays to find out more about the interviewer. Everyone loves to talk about themselves so learn more about the person sitting across from you. It may help pay off with a job offer in the end.
• Don’t bring in your personal life. There is no reason to tell the hiring manager about the horrible traffic you got stuck in on your way to the interview or the hectic scramble to find a babysitter last minute to watch your two kids. The hiring manager is not interested in your hobbies or life story. Keep the conversation as professional as possible.
• Do ask when you don’t understand the question. There is nothing wrong with asking for clarification. You don’t want to be in a situation where your answer completely misses what the hiring manager was trying to find out.
• Don’t forget to prepare a list of questions for the interviewer. It could hurt you to not ask any questions. The employer may look at your lack of questions as a sign that you are not invested in that position. Try to think of deeper questions about the position to ask and avoid ones that have obviously been answered through your process.
• Do follow up with a thank you note to the interviewer. Nowadays, it is acceptable in most cases to also follow up with an e-mail, especially if they are going to be making a decision relatively soon. In the letter, you can once again highlight your skills and match them with the opportunity.

Time to wait for that callback

You should be well on your way to an exciting new position. You have the skills and the experience that make you a great fit to the organization. You have used these tips and tricks to make you the front-runner. So congratulations, you can kick up your shoes and end your job hunt…for now!