Interview Tips - Ten Top Dos & Donts for Winning Interviews
In this day and age it can become increasingly difficult to even get your foot in the door and get an interview; once you've accomplished that you will want to make sure you continue to put your best foot forward and nail the interview as well. Unfortunately, as great as their skills, experience and education are; the interview is where many people lose a job opportunity to their competition. Understanding what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in an interview are critical to receiving a job offer. Tip # 1 Dress appropriately. If you don't take the time and effort to wear appropriate clothing to the interview, you will lose the job before you even get a chance to explain why you are the best candidate. What you wear to the interview will greatly depend upon the industry or field for which you are applying. Any office related position will require that you wear clothing that is no more casual than a button up shirt, slacks and tie for men and either a nice slacks/skirt and blouse combo for ladies or a dress/suit. Only under rare circumstances would you need to wear anything more casual and this generally includes fields such as transportation, construction, mechanics, etc. Additionally, clothing should be conservative and preferably reflect neutral tones. Avoid excessive jewelry. Don't go overboard on the use of cologne or perfume. Many people suffer from allergies and the last thing you want to do is cause your prospective employer an allergy attack. Tip #2 Go to the interview alone. There is absolutely no reason for anyone else to attend the interview with you and this includes parents, children as well as spouses and significant others. If you are having a friend or relative drive you to the interview, politely ask them to wait outside for you. If for some reason, you are unable to obtain childcare for the time of your interview, phone ahead and politely ask to reschedule. While this is not the best way to start off your relationship with the employer, it is a much better option than taking your child with you. Tip #3 Pace your conversation during the interview. There is a fine line between not talking enough and talking too much. Answer questions directly, elaborate when necessary but don't ramble. Tip #4 Make sure you are polite to everyone you meet while you are waiting for your interview. This is extremely important because 1. These people may be your future co-workers and 2. You never know who has the boss' ear and will report your rude behavior or unseemly conduct once you're out the door. Tip #5 Arrive early. If your interview is scheduled for 1:00 pm; make sure you are there no later than 12:30 pm. It is quite common for employers to ask candidates to complete applications and other paperwork prior to their interview, whether they specify this when they schedule the interview with you or not. Tip #6 Make sure you are prepared for the interview. This means that you have both practiced for the interview and have brought along all materials that you may need for any circumstance. (pens, pencils, notepad, extra copies of your resume, etc.) Also make sure you have copies of your drivers' license and Social Security card in case the employer needs to make copies for future employment records. Tip #7 Be honest! This cannot be emphasized enough. Employers many times move in the same social circles and there is a very good chance that if you fib during an interview you will be found out sooner or later. Even if you have already been hired, lying on an application or during an interview is grounds for dismissal with most companies. Tip # 8 Don't smoke or chew tobacco just before or during your interview. Also remember to spit out gum, if you chew it. Additionally, if you do smoke, remember to spritz yourself with light cologne or perfume before you meet with the employer as well as pop in a breath mint. Tip # 9 Turn off your cell phone and pager prior to your interview. There is nothing more insulting to an employer or disrupting during an interview to have a cell phone or page continue to ring/beep. Let your voice mail catch any incoming calls. Tip #10 Be enthusiastic! Let the employer know how interested you are in the position and what a great job you can do. Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics. | | | | RELATED ARTICLES Cover Letters Cover Letters: Are you telling them what they want to know? Job Search - 6 Tips to Boost Your Campaign Does your job search feel like a big weight on your shoulders? Work In Dubai Dubai is home to an exciting, diverse, multi-cultural blend of young, dynamic and professional people all enjoying the unrivalled quality of life the Emirate has to offer. It is of absolutely no surprise therefore that Dubai has the fastest growing population in the world. What A Former Stay At Home Mom Knows About Creating A Stunning Resume That You Dont Recently I was asked to touch up a friend's resume. Her challenge was simple. She was a stay-at-home mom who had not worked in four years. A difficult task however, with the information in this section, I generated a listing of skills she did not know she had. Here is a partial list.(Organized, patient, detail oriented, energetic, ability to multitask, works well under pressure and capable of meeting deadlines) Now ask yourself, what company would not want their new employee to showcase these skills? Fear of Being Outsourced? Fight Back Me, outsourced? Impossible. How could they replace a business-humor columnist? But my brother-in-law, the radiologist, told me his hospital was threatening to cut his position because they had found a medical group out of India that would read MRIs at half the cost. Moving From A Weekend Hobby To Career In The Arts Building a career as an artist takes hard work. Because the field attracts so many talented people, jobs in this field remain competitive. If you major in an art program at the university level, the focus is not on business, but in studio art, graphic design or humanities. So it's wonderful that you learn about how to perfect your skills in art ? you need these skills. And, if you want to work for someone else, this education may be all you need to succeed. But many artists and creative professionals wish to sell their work independently from home. There maybe a looming gap in the education you receive in art class and I believe it is about basic business. Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005 Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is on the rise. 2005 will mark the revitalization of our economy. In fact, hiring plans may rival 1999 statistics, when the economy was at its strongest. Have Enough Money to Change Careers - Five Key Steps At every talk I give, I ask the audience to tell me the reasons why people don't change careers. The most common answer given each time is "lack of money." So many people have such an exaggerated fear about money that they will not even take the time to determine how much they will need to do work they love in the first place! Big Job Sites Vs The Small Ones There is much to say about posting resumes on the big job sites online. There are many positives and also negatives to doing this as well. Posting your resume is a way to get you exposure to recruiters and employers. There really isn't any specific criteria for posting your resume... Only get it out for everyone to see! The more you post, the more exposed your resume. Necessary Psychological Skills When Working in the Executive Protection Field The "hard" skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS) and/or personal protection specialist (PPS) are often perceived as being that of a policeman or (elite) soldier. Though there can be certain similarities i.e. the use of handguns, hand-to-hand combat and the ability to control a vehicle, most people having worked both in executive protection and either of the latter careers, will deny that the skills are parallel. They may look alike but the methodology of each skill differs from segment to segment. Your First Job "Your first job is an extension of your education" Salary Negotiation: How To Earn More Money and Respect From Your Employer Despite how important fair pay is to most of us, effective salary negotiation is an often misunderstood and avoided topic. Current research indicates the average duration of a position today is 3.8 years. Over the lifespan of your career, how well you negotiate raises or starting pay will have an enormous cumulative effect on the quality of your life. Write Resume Keywords That Gets Your Application Read As children we often used to read stories where magical words can open caves filled with treasures or magicians using words like abracadabra... sim sim.. and magically things appear out of thin air. Relocation Myths and Stereotypes You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on race, religion or sex. But when you make a career or other life choice, do you still make decisions based on stereotypes? Resume Success Factors--What Exactly Is A Resume Anyway? You know you're good...real good. The problem, though, is that you are struggling to demonstrate just how good you are on paper. How To Get a Job Offer From Every Interview About four years ago a friend told me one night that she had an interview the next week and was looking for some comfort as she was extremely nervous, as most people are about interviews. I thought back on my my carreer and realized that in the nine year of my career I had been to thirteen interviews and, more importantly, that I had received a job offer from every one of those interviews. I did not accept all the offers, but the point is that I had not once been to an interview without getting a job offer from it. How to Transform a Boring Note Into A Killer Cover Letter - Part II In Part I, we covered how to grab the reader's attention with the opening sentence. Nowwe'll get them interested, arouse desire, and get them to take action. Let's get moving. 5 Key Factors to Consider When Selecting an Outplacement Firm With today's economy, more and more companies are finding themselves faced with the situation of having to reduce headcount to remain competitive. Here are five key factors to consider when selecting an outplacement firm if your company is ever faced with a workforce reduction. 1. Types of Services Provided. One decision you will need to make regarding outplacement is whether your displaced workers would benefit most from group or individual one-on-one outplacement. For the majority of outplaced employees, if your budget permits, individual outplacement is the preferred option since it provides one-on-one support that will help them move forward more quickly than they would on their own. If you decide they would benefit most from individual outplacement, you will then need to determine what services would be most valuable to your displaced employees. One option would be to select an outplacement firm that develops their resume and cover letter for them. Another option would be an outplacement firm that offers office space and a computer for the displaced worker to prepare their own job search materials. 2. Areas of Specialty. Another factor to consider when selecting an outplacement firm is whether it is important to you that they have experience working with the type of displaced employees you will be sending them. A related factor is whether it is important to you that the outplacement company specializes in dealing with companies like yours.  If their areas of specialty are important to you, review the outplacement company's web site and other marketing materials to see what their specialty is or ask them directly. If an outplacement firm's expertise lies in serving large companies displacing administrative staff and your small business is displacing experienced managers, this outplacement firm may not be the best fit for you.  3. Experience with Current Job Search Practices. How important is it to you that the outplacement firm be experienced with Internet job search techniques? Is it likely that the Internet will play a key role in your displaced employees' job search strategy? If you determine that Internet savvy is an important evaluation point for an outplacement firm, check to see whether the outplacement firm recognizes the importance of the Internet by having a web site. Are they aware of the top online career sites? Do they offer a service to post displaced employees resumes on these top online career sites? Do they have the ability to distribution resumes electronically to a select group of employers and recruiters?  4. Length of Time Support is Provided. Another factor to consider when selecting outplacement services is the amount of time you feel the displaced worker would require outplacement support. In general, the more senior-level the position, the longer it will take the displaced employee to find suitable employment.  A second time factor to consider is whether the displaced worker will receive ongoing one-on-one scheduled sessions with a career transition consultant or whether the ongoing support merely includes access to job search support materials.         5. Costs. Outplacement costs must be considered when selecting an outplacement firm. Check to see whether outplacement costs are clearly defined and stated on the outplacement firm's web site and in their marketing materials. Are you charged only if the displaced employee elects to contact the outplacement firm for support or are you charged regardless of whether the displaced employee receives support? Are there affordable packages available that provide the services you feel your displaced employees would most benefit from without providing unwanted services?   Another cost factor to consider is whether the outplacement firm gives you the able to select outplacement services a la carte to meet your needs. Also determine whether the outplacement company has a minimum fee requirement or whether they will charge you only for the number of displaced employees you actually have even if the number is as few as one.  By considering each of these five factors you can develop effective selection criteria for deciding on an outplacement provider to best meet the needs of your displaced employees while adhering to your budget constraints. Copyright 2001-2004, Quest Career Services, LLC. All rights reserved. Working Abroad - Employment Advice In Spain Jobs and employment on the Costa Blanca In a Rut? Ready for a Career Change? Are you unhappy at work? Tired and lacking energy and drive? Don't worry, you are not alone! Studies in the US show that up to 70 percent of the workforce is unhappy with their job at any given time. We all feel dissatisfied and frustrated with our jobs at times. So, how do you know when the feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration means it is time for a career change?There are a few key signs which point towards a need for change:
|