Resume Help Blog

Archive for the ‘Interview Tips’ Category

Here is a brief list:

1. How would you describe yourself?
2. To be successful in this career, what do you think it takes?
3. Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your chosen career?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. What are your long-term goals and objectives?
6. What major problem have you handled recently? Did you resolve it? How?
7. What characteristics do you think make a manager successful?
8. Why did you apply to our company?
9. How do you approach critical assignments?
10. If you had to think on your feet to solve a difficult situation, what would you do?
11. Why were you fired?
12. What steps do you take before making an important decision?
13. Name the most difficult assignment you had and how you finished it.
14. What kind of supervisor do you prefer?

As you can see, the questions are open-ended, not allowing for a simple yes or no answer. The more you talk, the more the hiring authority learns about you. That’s why you need to be prepared before you utter one word. Each answer must be crafted carefully to maximize your chances of being hired.

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Too many candidates mistakenly believe that being called in for an interview is being guaranteed a position — nothing could be further from the truth.

You might be the last person on a short list of candidates. Your skills, knowledge, and abilities are good, but perhaps not a perfect match for the company. However, the hiring manager is interested enough to meet with you and allow you to sell yourself to the company.

How do you do that? Preparation – preparation – preparation.

1. Know how to dress. If you’re not familiar with the company culture, visit its website or offices during work hours to see how staff dress. No matter how casual they may be, the key is for you to look professional—you’re not on staff yet.
2. Do extensive research about the company. Know what they’re about. Nothing’s worse for a hiring manager than to interview someone who hasn’t a clue what their company offers.
3. Compose a list of questions about the company that indicates your interest in its products and services the position itself and the company and department culture.
4. Prepare a list of answers to the most frequently asked interview questions. For example: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
5. Practice, practice, practice. Make certain your voice and body language don’t give away your anxiety.
6. Calculate travel time. Know how long it will take to get to your interview so you arrive on time.

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Each type of interview has its pitfalls. Here’s what to avoid:

Phone Interviews:

1. Always, if possible, provide a land-line phone for the interviewer to reach you. Cell phone connections hiss, crackle, cut out, and may disconnect the interviewer. If a hiring manager gets dead air, they may not call back.
2. Make certain background noise is kept to a minimum. No TV noise, screeching kids and barking dogs.
3. If you’re snacking on taco chips when the phone rings, swallow quickly and don’t take another bite until the interview is over.
4. Keep a glass of water handy should your throat tickle during the interview.
5. Don’t smoke or chew gum — the noises can be heard on the other end of the line.
6. Never, ever, answer call waiting during a phone interview. Give the hiring authority your complete attention — if you don’t, you won’t move deeper into the process.

Lunch Interviews:

1. Never order the most expensive item on the menu
2. Never drink alcohol
3. Don’t order ‘challenging’ food — short ribs, greasy sandwiches, and lobster come to mind
4. Don’t criticize the quality of the food or the service
5. Don’t ask for a ‘doggy bag’

Panel Interviews:

1. Don’t focus on one panel member to the exclusion of all the others
2. Don’t forget to greet each panel member individually
3. Don’t forget to glance at each panel member while answering a question, after you’ve directed your opening remarks to the individual who posed the question
4. Don’t forget to send thank you notes to each panel member

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