Nail That Interview
It’s a competitive world out there in the job market. Maybe you’re not
thinking about changing jobs right now, but eventually you may be
searching for a new position with another company.
To follow are four proven interview tips and strategies for making
the most of every job interview you go on:
Interview Tip #1: Research, research and more research. One
of the surest ways to nail an interview is to find out beforehand as
much as you can about your prospective employer. Go online and do a
search about the company, chances are the company has its own web site
that will tell you a lot such as who their customers are, what their
markets are all about, what their business plans are, etc. The person
interviewing you will be very impressed that you took the time and the
initiative to find out as much as possible about the company you want to
work for.
Interview Tip #2: Ask questions of your own. Certainly, the
bulk of your interview will be spent answering questions from the person
or people who may be hiring you. Yet, it’s a great idea to make the
conversation two-way by being prepared to ask some questions yourself.
Doing so demonstrates your interest in learning more about the
prospective position and how you can best fill it. Try to keep the
questions positive and proactive, for example, ask something like: what
role do you see my experience and talents playing in the future growth
of the company?
Interview Tip #3: Put key accomplishments in your resume.
Simply listing your previous job positions may not be enough. Today’s
corporate recruiters and prospective employers want to see results. In
other words, not only what your job description was but how you took
that job to a higher level. For example, maybe you saved your previous
employer thousands of dollars each month by coming up with an innovative
new way to ship products. Or, perhaps you contributed a great idea for a
sales presentation that helped your company attract a multi-million
dollar client. Put that kind of information right in your resume. Then
be prepared to explain further during the actual interview.
Interview Tip #4: Be you. When you’re on the interview, keep
in mind that besides your experience, skills, knowledge and background,
you’re also being judged on your personality...how well you’ll be able
to get along with future co-workers, how easy you’ll be to work with,
and other traits. Resist the temptation to try and change your
personality when interviewing because chances are you will appear
rehearsed, or worse, phony.
