Interview Tips

Interview Tips

Interview is the most important element for every job seeker, finding a job is not a difficult task but to find a right job (of your choice) is quite difficult. Interview, you can say is a skill, so in order to enhance it, preparation and practice and technical soundness is the only solution.

Before going for interview one must do Self assessment about skills, talents, abilities, strengths, weakness and interest.

Do not see interviews as the chance; think it as an opportunity to present you to a company.

Moreover, usually an interviewer becomes impressive on you once they understand that you have keen interest to know about that company's activities and thus you gathered knowledge and background of that company before interview. You can search for the company profile and latest information on that company through their website.

Here we covered most job interview tips and also lots of things which you have to do or avoid during interview.

Here are some Do's and Don'ts while interview:

Do's

Some job interview tips are given below; please go through it that will help you a lot.

1.Preparation and confidence

Preparation and confidence are very important tips. Good preparation always creates confidence. So the important thing to an interview is to be well prepared. In this you have to consider two things:

• You must prepare yourself practically for the interview.
• You have to gather information which is useful during the interview.

2.Checklist

While going to interview you must consider the following things:

• You have to confirm about the time, date and location of the interview and name of interviewee where appropriate.
• You have to plan to get there no earlier than half an hour before the interview time.
• You must ready with your dress which is professional.
• Concentrate on the interview at the interview.
• If you are asked to bring certificates, references etc., get them ready before the day. Your interview letter must be with you.
• On arrival ensure the receptionist knows you are there.

3.Be on time!

Public transport may be useless if the traffic is heavy. Always keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So be on time at the particular location of interview. Also if you are there so early, you can wait nearby cafe of shop. And if you are going to be late, then best option is call them.

4.Be Prepared!

Preparation means not only preparation of your syllabus etc. but also look at the company's website and learn something about the company before you attend your interview.

5.You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

First keep in mind that you never the second chance to make a first impression so be careful.
Some points are here to remember:

• Smile is one of the thing which may matter in your impression. Good smile always please people.
• Dressing also an important thing. You should be in professional dress. And must be looking formal.
• Do not forget for firm handshake.
• Eye contact without glaring is showing your confidence.

6.Do not talk too much!

Always remember that communication is two-way things so give them a chance. Also don't interrupt to interviewer when he/she is talking. Give him/her full chance to talk. One common mistake candidates make when interviewing is talking too much. It is important to listen to the question asked and answer that question. Keep your answers to one to two minutes at the most. When you limit your time, you tend to stay more focused. It is very easy to get lost the subject and roam about things irrelevant to the job if your answer is too long.

7.Be enthusiastic and positive!

During interview always enthusiastic. Do not say bad points for the previous employers. Focus on positive achievements and views.

8.Check in During Interviews

Your initial interview answers should be brief. But some of your best stories may take time to detail, then after two minutes ask for permission to go on. You may say something like, "Now I have described about my project, would you like to hear about my role in detail?"

9.Answer Briefly

The best interviews have a give and take atmosphere. To do this, you need to ask questions and try to draw out your interviewer rather than talking about yourself nonstop.

10.Take a spare photo and CV with you!

It may happen that the interviewer wants your resume and photo. Your interviewer won't be expecting it so you will impress them. It also helps them remember you after the interview. So always keep a spare photo and resume with you while going to interview.

11.Look Them in the Eyes

Eye contact is showing your confidence. Eye contact is one of the most important aspects of nonverbal communication and can make a significant difference in how you present yourself. If you look away when speaking to someone, you are viewed as lacking confidence or interest. So always answer the question with eye contact to interviewer.

12.Look Better, Feel Better

If you want to smart up your appearance for the interview you should be well dressed with formal dress. Suit (for gents) depends on the position and type of company.

13.Talk about specific achievements!

Interviewers like to know how you felt about a particular success. Some will ask for specific examples of things you have done that you are particularly proud of; how you solved problems; how you learned - and improved - from difficult situations. Try to be specific in answer.

14.Bring Up a Weakness

In an interview, bring up a weakness before you are asked for one. For example, "I really need to work on my leadership skills. I am a good worker and totally competent, but sometimes I lack the confidence to stand up and take a leadership position." This will help you a lot as you want to improve yourself.

15.Virtual Thanks

You can send follow-up letters through email if this is the way you and the potential employer have been communicating all along.

16.Explain Why You Left

Follow these guidelines when interviewers ask, "Why did you leave your company?" Carefully describe the reason for your departure, and do not go into details unless asked. Provide references to support your reasons for leaving and job performance. Stay with the facts of what happened, what you did, how you felt and what you learned. Then describe how you will handle things differently in the future.

17.Your References

For your reference list, you want three to five people and their contact information. Do not forget to get permission to use your references' names, and while you are at it, ask how they prefer to be contacted. You should also send them a copy of your resume so they will be aware of what you are saying about yourself.

18.Know What You Offer

Prepare answers for open-ended questions, like, "Tell me about yourself," by making a list of your skills and traits that match the employer's requirements. The closer your skills and traits are to the job description, the better chance you have of landing the job. You should leave the interviewer with a clear picture of what you have to offer.

19.Prove What You Could Do

Always put a positive spin on your answers to difficult questions. If you lack a particular skill or do not know a certain computer program, be sure to emphasize how quickly you learn. Give an example of a time when you were able to get up to speed in a similar situation. Companies are interested in people who can hit the ground running.

20.Sell Yourself

Interviewing is about selling yourself. The product you are selling is you. Give them reasons to buy. Tell them what you can do for them. Emphasize what you can bring to the company, department and position.

21.Talking Salary

Timing is everything in the interview. Let them bring up the subject of money. If you are asked what your salary expectations are too early in the process, just say you would rather postpone that discussion until you have more information about the position.

22.Ask your way into a better job

You can not really tell how good a job is from a want ad. There's often a gap between the exciting opportunity portrayed in the ad and the actual job.
You can often get the straight scoop about a job by asking the right questions. For example, in the job interview, ask, "What attributes are most needed to succeed in this job?"
After you are offered a job but before accepting it, ask a few more questions or even ask permission to talk with your future coworkers.

23.Do not forget to listen

Listening is one of the most underused interview skills. Most candidates are so nervous about answering interview questions correctly that they forget to listen. Follow these tips:

• Listen through eye contact.
• Listen with nonverbal expressions.
• Listen until the speaker is finished.
• Do not interrupt.

24.Ask the power questions

In the earlier you can ask these questions:

• What are you most hopeful to find in the person you hire?
• What would be my first priorities on the job?

25.Put up with rejection?

If you are rejected from the company, you may feel hurt, angry or fed up. Instead of being stuck in feeling rejected, take back the power by staying proactive. If you really wanted to work for that particular company, sit down and write a letter. Remind them of all the positive points you could bring to the organization. Let them know you are still interested in working for the company if something should change or open up.

26.Face the feedback

If you ask for feedback from an interviewer, be prepared to hear things that could be upsetting. You should listen carefully, and take notes to refer to and react to. Do not argue or defend yourself. At last do not forget to thank the interviewer. Then, take the advice and think about changing some techniques to improve on your next interview.

27.Emotional preparation

Preparing emotionally for the interview is also important. The right mood helps you perform at your best. Try out following points for preparing emotionally:

• Get moving that means go for a walk, run, exercise, meditate, do yoga, stretch, dance.
• Repeat an inspirational phrase aloud that's meaningful for you

28.Preparing to meet the employer

The interview is not the time to get to know about the post or the employers business. It is a chance for you and the employer to get to know one another.
Gather information about your employer before you are interviewed like what are their current projects, what other interests do they have? etc.
You should know job description, or ask someone in a similar post. Otherwise ring the company to clarify.
Keep in mind that the employer is interested in you as a person, your experiences and your opinions do take the time to sit down and think about you, who you are and what you have achieved.

29.Ask Questions

There is always the opportunity to ask them questions at the end of the interview, remember the interview is a two-way process, you need to be sure you want to join them. Try to concentrate on issues, which are both important to you and combine an apparent interest in the company. Write your questions down prior to the interview and take them with you.

30.Be honest!

Be honest with every question. No need to lying about your background and/or skills. If you get caught then you will definitely out. Job interviews are about matching needs, if there is not a good match, then there is no chance of job.

31.Check your CV for possible gaps!

If there is any gap between your academic then make sure you know how you are going to explain time gaps on your CV.

32.Get to Work!

If you are unemployed, then your job right now is to find a job. Do not blame to yourself. Think of this as going to work. Research companies, industries and positions. Take this as good experience to succeed in future interviews.

Don'ts

As we have to consider the positive things while interview, also we have to consider the worst interview blunders.

Following are the points which we have to avoid during the interview:

1.Not preparing for the interview:

Keep in mind that preparation always increases confidence. So do not face the interview without preparation. You cannot communicate without pre-interview research.

2.Showing up late or too early:

One of the first lessons in job-search is to show up on time for interviews. Many job seekers do not realize that showing up too early often creates a poor first impression. Arriving more than 10 minutes early for an interview shows that the job seeker has too much time on his or her hands. Always remember that your time is as valuable as the interviewer's. Always arrive on time, but never more than 10 minutes early.

3.Poor handshake:

In every place handshaking matters a lot. With the help of handshaking anyone can judge your personality. The shake hand starts the interview and that is your first opportunity to create a great impression. If you have delivered a poor handshake, it is impossible for you to recover it. Here are some examples:

• The limp hand gives the impression of disinterest or weakness.
• Only tips of the fingers shows lack of ability to engage.
• The arm pump shows overly aggressive salesman.

Your handshake may be telling more about you than you know. Ask about your handshaking to your friends who are not afraid to tell you the truth.

4.Treating the receptionist rudely:

The first person you meet on an interview is a receptionist. The receptionist has the power to say about your positive or negative points before you even set eyes on the interviewer. The interviewer may also solicit the receptionist's opinion of you after you leave.

5.Talking too much:

Talking too much always creates a problem. To avoid over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Avoid nervous talking by preparing for your interview with role-play.

6.Talking negatively about current or past employers/managers:

The fastest way to talk yourself out of a new job is to say negative things. Even if your last boss was not good, never state your ill feelings about him/her. No matter how reasonable your complaints, you will come out the loser if you show that you disrespect your boss because the interviewer will assume that you would similarly trash him or her. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.

7.Asking about benefits, vacation time or salary:

Do not ask about the benefits, vacation time or salary during the first interview. Wait until you have won the employer over before beginning that discussion.

8.Verbal ticks:

The first signs of nervousness are verbal ticks. We all have them from time to time "umm," "like," "you know." You can also sometimes avoid verbal ticks by pausing for a few seconds to gather your thoughts before each response.

To reduce the verbal ticks practice for sharing your best success stories ahead of time, and you will feel more relaxed during the real interview.

9.Not enough/too much eye contact:

Eye contact shows your confidence but it may happen that it creates a negative effect also. Avoid eye contact and you will seem shifty, untruthful, or disinterested. If you sometimes have trouble with eye-contact balance, work this issue out ahead of time in an interview practice session with a friend.

10.Speak Badly of a Past Employer:

There are nice ways to say things and there are some not so nice ways. You have no idea what sort of relationship your interviewer has with your past employer, if any. It's never a good idea to speak badly of a past employer because your potential employer does not want to hire someone who displays disloyal behavior, regardless of what caused it. If you have to explain why you left a job, there are a variety of great reasons. Just make sure you are truthful. Don't lie and say you quit when you were indeed fired because these things can be easily verified. Instead, if you did quit your job, you can use phrases like "I wanted to seek out new opportunities," "I wanted a new challenge," because essentially, that's what you wanted.

11.Failure to match communication styles:

It is almost impossible to make a good first impression if you can not communicate effectively with an interviewer. But you can easily change that situation. Following points will help you.

• If the interviewer seems all business attitude, then you must behave like business feelings.
• If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his/her interests.
• If the interviewer asked a direct question, answer directly.

Allowing the interviewer to set the tone of conversation can vastly improve your chances of making a favourable impression.

12.Final Thoughts

Just as a strong resume wins you an opportunity to interview, strong interview skills will win you consideration for the job. You already know that you won't earn an interview unless your resume sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Start your job search with a resume that creates a sparkle at the first impression.