Job Interview Tips

An interview gives you the opportunity to showcase your qualifications to an employer, so it pays to be well prepared. The following information provides some helpful hints.

Preparation:
Learn about the organization.
Have a specific job or jobs in mind.
Review your qualifications for the job.
Be ready to briefly describe your experience, showing how it relates it the job.
Be ready to answer broad questions, such as "Why should I hire you?" "Why do you want this job?" "What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
Practice an interview with a friend or relative.

Personal appearance:
Be well groomed.
Dress appropriately.
Do not chew gum or smoke.

The interview:

Be early.
Learn the name of your interviewer and greet him or her with a firm handshake.
Use good manners with everyone you meet.
Relax and answer each question concisely.
Use proper English—avoid slang.
Be cooperative and enthusiastic.
Use body language to show interest—use eye contact and don’t slouch.
Ask questions about the position and the organization, but avoid questions whose answers can easily be found on the company Web site.
Also avoid asking questions about salary and benefits unless a job offer is made.
Thank the interviewer when you leave and shake hands.
Send a short thank you note.

Information to bring to an interview:
Social Security card.
Government-issued identification (driver’s license).
Resume or application. Although not all employers require a resume, you should be able to furnish the interviewer information about your education, training, and previous employment.
References. Employers typically require three references. Get permission before using anyone as a reference. Make sure that they will give you a good reference. Try to avoid using relatives as references.
Transcripts. Employers may require an official copy of transcripts to verify grades, coursework, dates of attendance, and highest grade completed or degree awarded.

Asking for the Job and Salary Negotiations Tips

asking for the job
In certain circumstances, especially for sales and commercial roles, there might be an expectation or opportunity for you to 'close' or ask for the job, which is potentially the most powerful question of all to ask.
If you really want the job and can accept an offer there and then, there is often a lot to be gained, and very little to be lost, by asking for the job at the end of the interview, although bear in mind the effect that this tactic has on salary negotiation.
Obviously it's only appropriate in certain situations; notably towards the end of the recruiting process when the interviewers have seen all the candidates, or if the employer has more vacancies than they can easily fill.
Similarly, it's reasonable to ask for a second interview, or to be shortlisted, if that's the next stage in the process.
Persistence and determination are highly valued attributes, logically in sales and selling organisations, but also beyond the sales functions. In fact some job candidates successfully take the method to extremes and simply do not take no for an answer, virtually camping out on the employer's doorstep until they are eventually brought in from the cold and offered the job. The decision-maker, typically an owner-manager or CEO in such situations, is finally forced to concede that if the person wants the job that badly then perhaps they'll be rather a good bet after all. This sort of determination is often associated with loyalty and commitment - and uniqueness - which can all create a compelling case for decision-makers who are attuned to this sort of style, particularly if other candidates are thin on the ground.
While these extremes are not for everyone, anyone is entitled to ask for a job that they really want. Plenty of offers are not made because the interviewer doubts the seriousness or commitment of the interviewer. Asking for the job at least largely rules out that possibility.
Added to which, certain types of managers and directors (the ones who would normally ask for the job at their own interviews for example) respond positively when an interviewee looks them straight in the eye, pauses for dramatic effect, and says earnestly,
"I want this job. Make me the offer and I'll take it here and now."
It's not really a question, it's more of a statement of intent, and lots of decision-makers like to hear it.
As ever having other options - other interviews lined up, or even another offer - is helpful and can add an extra bit of pressure to your push.
If you fancy using the ploy, it's also worth thinking about exactly what you want to say. Decision-makers certainly like to hear that you like their organisation (that you'd not be inclined to be this determined were it any other employer) and that there are one or two compelling reasons for your wanting to do a great job for them, so it's worth thinking about how you might weave a few simple supporting points into your final coup de grace.
An employer or interviewer who is keen on you, who has satisfied they've been through the proper processes, and who knows or believes that you have other options, will sometimes give you the job offer there and then if you ask firmly and professionally for the job. Which of course saves a lot of time for all concerned, so if you feel like asking for the job - any job in fact - the approach is not limited to sales and commercial positions - then go for it.

salary negotiation tips for job interviews

The best time to negotiate salary is after receiving a job offer, and importantly before you accept a job offer - at the point when the employer clearly wants you for the job, and is keen to have your acceptance of the job offer. Your bargaining power in real terms, and psychologically, is far stronger if you have (or can say that you have) at least one other job offer or option (see the tips on negotiation). A strong stance at this stage is your best chance to provide the recruiting manager the justification to pay you something outside the employer's normal scale.
If there's a very big difference between what is being offered and what you want, say more than 20%, you should raise it as an issue during the interview for discussion later (rather than drop it as a bombshell suddenly when the job offer is made). Do not attempt to resolve a salary issue before receiving a job offer - there's no point. Defer the matter - say you'll need to discuss salary in due course, but that there's obviously no need to do so until and unless the company believes you are the right person for the job. "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it," should be the approach.
A job and package comprise of many different things - unless the difference between what's offered and needed is enormous (in which case the role is simply not appropriate) both sides should look at all of the elements before deciding whether salary is actually an issue or not.
The chances of renegotiating salary after accepting a new job, and certainly after starting a new job, are remote - once you accept the offer you've effectively made the contract, including salary, and thereafter you are subject to the organization's policies, process and natural inertia.
A compromise agreement on salary, in the event that the employer cannot initially employ you at the rate you need, is to agree (in writing) a guaranteed raise, subject to completing a given period of service, say 3 or 6 months. In which case avoid the insertion of 'satisfactory' (describing the period of service) as this can never actually be measured and therefore fails to provide certainty that the raise will be given.
If you are recruiting a person who needs or demands more money or better terms than you can offer, then deal with the matter properly before the candidate accepts the job - changing pay or terms after this is very much more difficult. If you encourage a person to accept pay and terms that are genuinely lower than they deserve or need, by giving a vague assurance of a review sometime in the future, you will raise expectations for something that will be very difficult to deliver, and therefore storing up a big problem for the future.

Your Questions to Ask at your Interview

While this section essentially gives guidance and tips to interviewees these ideas and principles will also help interviewers.
At job interviews it's as important for you the interviewee to prepare questions to ask the interviewer as it is to prepare answers and readiness for the questions that the interviewer will ask you.
If you are the interviewer, ensure you offer the interviewee the opportunity to ask questions about the job, the management, the organisation and the market within which it operates. The questions that job candidates ask at interview provide valuable insights as to their attitude, maturity, capability and strategic understanding of the role and the organisation, so for interviewers, questions asked by interviewees form a significant and illuminating part of the interview process. Listen to and learn from what interviewees ask you - often the questions that interviewees ask will provide more information to the interviewer than anything you ask them.
As the interviewee, take full advantage of opportunities to ask questions. Asking good well-prepared and researched questions is your chance to demonstrate that you are better than the other candidates, and to show that you have a tremendous capability and understanding and potential, irrespective of what the interviewer asks you.
Preparing and asking great questions at your own job interview dramatically reduces any dependance that you might otherwise have for the interviewer to ask you 'the right questions'. It won't matter if the interviewer doesn't ask good helpful questions, or fails to prompt the sort of discussion that allows you to show how brilliant you are - instead, you can control this area of discussion yourself by asking the interviewer great questions that will make them sit up and realise what an excellent candidate you are.
An helpful although not absolutely essential aspect towards asking the interviewer good questions is good research (which follows later on this page).
A key to asking great questions at your interview is to ask questions that impress the interviewer. Most candidates just ask about routine details that they think they ought to know, or which they think of on the spur of the moment, but which will probably be provided in due course anyway in documentation about terms and conditions. This is meaningless twaddle and to be avoided.
Instead focus on the job priorities and scope, on the organisation and ways to make a difference or an improvement. Try to think strategically like a manager, and for very senior positions, like the CEO. Try to adopt the mind-set of a helpful advisor who needs to ask helpful facilitative questions. Focus on the organisation not on your own needs.
Try to prepare and ask questions that make the interviewer think to themselves, "Wow, that's a good question - this candidate has really thought about the role, and understands the sort of issues we need them to handle/the sort of responsibilities/initiatives we want them to take.."
Aim to ask questions that make the interviewer think, (depending on what the organisation and role requires), "Wow, that's an unusual question - this candidate is special - they are demonstrating to me that they understand people/understand about communications/have great integrity/a strong value system/great humanity/maturity/a good strategic mind/etc, etc."
Think before the interview about what the successful candidate will be like - ask yourself beforehand, what great questions would the successful candidate ask? And then be that person.
When you research the job look into the sort of challenges the organisation is facing, and think how this affects the vacant role. What does the employer need from the successful applicant? How might the role be extended to contribute more to the organisation if the job were performed by a suitably positive and capable person ? (That's you incidentally.) The job advert or job specification might give you some clues. Do your research so that you understand as much as possible about the priorities of the job position, and the organisation and its situation, and then think about the ways that the role could be extended to provide greater support towards achieving organisational challenges.
This sort of background thinking will help you to prepare questions that will seriously impress any interviewer, whatever the role. It is possible also to think of good positive impressive questions just by using what you know of the role and the sort of issues that face modern employers. The point is, you need to think about it and prepare beforehand.

For example:
examples of good questions to ask interviewers

These types of questions are certainly appropriate for interviewees to ask an interviewer at an interview for a junior-to-middle ranking role. For more strategic roles and executive responsibilities you'll need to raise the strategic perspective of some of these questions - use your judgement. Remember, the aim is to make the interviewer think (always relative to the role), "Wow, that's a good question.."

In any event adapt the wording and develop alternative
questions to suit your own style and the situations concerned.

"Of the main priorities and expectations attached to this
role, which ones are well understood and measurable, and which are not?"

"If the CEO/MD/Departmental Manager/you were to name the
three most important priorities for this role/the successful candidate to
achieve in the first six months, what would they be, and how would they be
measured?"

"I'm aware that this market is fast
moving/competitive/mature/local/regional/national/i nternational (whatever
your research indicates); how is this affecting the strategic priorities and the
demands on the role/vacant position?"

"Communications, internal and external, are clearly
extremely important in this organisation; what are the related priorities for
this role?"

"I've read that you (the employer organisation) face a
lot of competition from XYZ (sector, company, whatever); what do you think are
the main ways that the successful candidate can help the organisation deal with
this threat?"

"Where are the priorities/What are the issues for this
role/the successful candidate in terms of maintaining/developing/improving
effective inter-departmental relations?"

"What are the priorities and challenges as regards areas
for change and improvement facing the department/organisation/team
within/connecting/relating to the role?"

"What is the balance of priorities for this role -
short-term efficiencies and performance, or longer-term planning and
organising?"

"If someone were to come into this role and begin to make
a significant impact on culture and morale, what sort of changes would
people/you/the management/the board/the CEO want to see most, and how would this
be measured?"

"It's normal that most roles are operating considerably
below their potential to contribute to strategic change/organisational
performance and improvement; what are the expectations in terms of broadening
the scope of this role"?

"How might this role positively impact on/contribute to
customer relations/organisational development/culture/staff morale/training and
development/legislative anticipation/market development/sales
development/business retention in ways that it's not done so far?"

"Where do think there might be opportunities for this
role to connect with/cooperate with other functions, and what's stopped that
happening in the past?"

"What are the vulnerabilities in
processes/people/business retention/grow/ technology, ITC systems within the
organisation/department that need to be attended to?"

And so on.. You get the idea?
Serious, strategic, thoughtful, facilitative questions. Questions that amaze the interviewer - about things they might not have even considered. In fact the best questions should make the interviewer think, "My God, if this person can have this level of insight, and such a positive enlightened approach at the interview, just imagine what they'll be able to do when they get their feet under the table..."
This sort of positive expansive questioning is not limited to strategic management positions - every job role is potentially strategic - what makes the role strategic is the person doing it, not the job title or status.
And the role can be in any function, any industry, any type of organisation - doesn't matter - every role interfaces in some way or another with people, processes, other departments, customers and suppliers (internal or external), and so has a strategic dimension. recognise the strategic dimension; influence it positively, and you get asked to do it on a wider scale. Asking good questions at a job interview helps the job candidate to demonstrate that they have this potential.
Organisations, and therefore interviewers want to recruit people into all roles who can come in and make a positive difference. By asking well-prepared and thoughtful questions, you can demonstrate that you are one of these people.

Being an advocate of the maxim 'accentuate the positive' I am usually loath to dwell on negative examples, however in this case I make an exception because this is an important no-go area.
Just as it's helpful for interviewees to prepare and ask good questions, so it's helpful also to avoid asking routine questions that waste time and can often be covered more efficiently in some other way (by reading a document for example.)

questions to avoid asking

• 
  Contrast the expansive, positive strategic questions above, about job scope and contribution to organisational effectiveness, with this stuff below. Interviewers will generally react negatively (secretly usually) to questions such as the following examples, so unless you are a very junior person going for a very junior role with an employer who has not prepared in advance this type of routine information, avoid asking questions like these at your interview.
  "How many weeks holiday do I get?.."
  "When would I get a pay-rise?.."
  "What are the lunch times?.."
  "What sort of car do I get?.."
  "What other perks are there?.."
  "What are the pension arrangements?.."
  "Do you have a grievance procedure?.."
  "What expenses can I claim for?.."
  "How soon before I could get promoted?.."
  "When is going-home time?.."
  and others like these

Do not ask these questions

These are warning-sign questions to most interviewers. Do not ask these questions at interview unless you want to be seen as someone who cares more about the pay and perks than the job and the organisation, let alone making a positive difference in the place.
Generally speaking these questions suggest to the interviewer that the candidate is mostly interested in what the organisation can give the employee, rather than the other way around. Interviewers want to meet and recruit interviewees who see things in terms of what the employee can do for the organisation.
Find another way to get this sort of information if you really need to know it at the face-to-face interview. Good employers will explain all this to interviewees during the interview or in written terms and conditions, which many employers will send out prior to the interview. As suggested in the tips at the start of this page ask prior to the interview for a copy of the employment terms and conditions or an employee handbook. If they don't have this or can't send it, and you have a burning question about these sort of 'hygiene factors', the best way to approach it is to ask something like:
"What's the best way for me to see the routine details about the employment terms and conditions relating to this role? Do you have a handbook or sample contract for example? I don't want to waste time here going through incidentals..."
By doing this you demonstrate several important things, that:
you regard these things as secondary - implication being that you regard doing the job as the priority
you respect the value of time, since you appreciate there are better things to concentrate on during an interview
you understand the principle of efficient information management and communication, on the basis that all this detail will be available somewhere to read rather than have to waste effort asking individual questions
you are professional - because providing information like this in the way you suggest is the most professional way to do it.
Of course the job-grade and seniority of the vacancy and the size of the employer organisation will affect the significance and transfer of this sort of information. In an interview with a tiny little company for a junior clerk's position the interviewee can be forgiven for asking these sorts of questions relating to terms and conditions, not least because the company might not be professional or organised enough to have produced a proper handbook or contract, nevertheless, whatever the role and size of employer, the less time spent asking about all this sort of information the better. And certainly avoid the entire area in interviews for professional positions with professional employers, especially in commercially competitive functions and industry sectors.

Stress and Pressure Interview Questions

When dealing with questions that put pressure on you or create stress, be confident, credible and constructive (accentuate the positive) in your answers. And make sure you prepare. Stress and pressure questions come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Three commonly used types of pressure questions are those dealing with weakness and failure; blame; and evidence of ability or experience.

weakness and failure questions

"Tell me about your failures....", or "What are your greatest weaknesses......". are the interviewer's equivalent to "Are you still beating your wife?..".
Don't be intimidated by these questions - you don't have to state a failing or a weakness just because the interviewer invites you to.
"I don't generally fail", or "I really can't think of any", are perfectly acceptable answers. Short and sweet, and then wait smiling for the come-back - you'll have demonstrated that you are no mug and no pushover. If you are pressed (as you probably will be), here's your justification answer, or if you wish to appear a little more self-effacing use this as a first response:
"I almost always succeed because plan and manage accordingly. If something's not going right I'll change it until it works. The important thing is to put the necessary checks and contingencies in place that enable me to see if things aren't going to plan, and to make changes when and if necessary....."
or
"There are some things I'm not so good at, but I'd never say these are weaknesses as such - a weakness is a vulnerability, and I don't consider myself vulnerable. If there's something I can't do or don't know, then I find someone who can do it or does know."
Do you see the positive orientation? Turn it around into a positive every time.

blame questions

Watch out also for the invitation to rubbish your past job or manager, especially in the form of: "Why did you leave your last job?", or "Why have you had so many jobs?"
The interviewer is not only satisfying curiosity.......... if you say your last boss was an idiot, or all your jobs have been rubbish, you'll be seen as someone who blames others and fails to take responsibility for your own actions and decisions.
Employers want to employ people who take responsibility, have initiative and come up with answers, not problems. Employers do not want to employ people who blame others.
So always express positive reasons and answers when given an opportunity to express the negative. Never blame anyone or anything else.
"I was ready for more challenge", or "Each job offered a better opportunity, which I took", or "I grow and learn quickly and I look for new opportunities", or "I wanted to get as much different experience as quickly as I could before looking for a serious career situation, which is why I'm here."
I great technique for exploiting the blame question trap is to praise your past managers and employers. Generosity is a positive trait, so demonstrate it. Keep your praise and observations credible, realistic and relevant: try to mention attributes that your interviewer and prospective new employer will identify and agree with. This will build association and commonality between you and the interviewer, which is normally vital for successful interview outcomes. They need to see that you think like they do; that you'll fit in.

prove it questions

These can be the toughest of the lot. Good interviewers will press you for evidence if you make a claim. So the answer is - be prepared.
Watch out for closed questions: "Can you do so-and-so?.." , "Have you any experience in such-and-such?..."
These questions invite a yes or no answer and will be about a specific area.
If you give a yes, be prepared to deal with the sucker punch: "Can you give me an example?........"
The request for examples or evidence will stop you in your tracks if you've not prepared or can't back up your answer.
The trick is before the interview to clearly understand the requirements of the job you're being interviewed for. Ask to see the job description, including local parameters if applicable, and any other details that explain the extent and nature of the role. Think about how you can cover each requirement with examples and evidence. Wherever possible use evidence that's quantified and relates to commercial or financial outputs.
Companies are interested in people who understand the notion of maximising return on investment, or return on effort. If your examples and evidence stand up as good cost-effective practice, they'll clock up even more points for you.
Make sure you prepare examples of the relevant capabilities or experience required, so that you're ready for the 'prove it' questions. You can even take papers or evidence material with you to show -having hard evidence, and the fact that you've thought to prepare it, greatly impresses interviewers.
If you don't have the evidence (or personal coverage of a particular requirement), then don't bluff it and say yes when you'd be better off saying, "No, however...."
Use "No, however ..." (and then your solution or suggestion), if asked for something that you simply don't have.
Give an example of where previously you've taken on a responsibility without previous experience or full capability, and made a success, by virtue of using other people's expertise, or fast-tracking your own development or knowledge or ability.
On this point - good preparation should include researching your employer's business, their markets and their competitors. This will help you relate your own experience to theirs, and will show that you have bothered to do the research itself.
In summary, to deal with pressure questions: Keep control. Take time to think for yourself - don't be intimidated or led anywhere you don't want to go. Express every answer in positive terms. And do your preparation.
(This item about stress and pressure interview questions was written for the Sydney Morning Herald, extracts of which appeared in April 2004.)

competency-based and behaviour interviews questions - 'how would you do this...?'

For interviewers these are powerful and effective questions. These questions make the interviewee tell you how they would approach, handle, deal with, solve, etc., a particular situation, problem, project or challenge that is relevant to the job role in question. The situation could be from the interviewee's past experience, a hypothetical scenario, or a real situation from the interviewing organisation. As the interviewer you should judge the answers objectively. Avoid the temptation to project your own style and feelings into the assessment of whether the answer is good or bad. Look for thoughtfulness, structure, cause and effect rationale, pragmatism. The candidate may not approach the question like you do, but they may have a perfectly effective style and approach to the answer just the same. The answers will indicate the interviewee's approach, methodology, experience and competency in relation to the scenario, to how they get things done, and also the style by which they do it.
From the interviewee's perspective, these questions commonly start with a scenario and a question as to how you as the interviewee would deal with it. Or the question might ask you to give an example of how you have handled a particular situation or challenge in the past. Or the interviewer might ask how you would approach a current situation in their own organisation.
In these cases the interviewer will often judge your answers according to how much they agree with your behavioural approach. The questions may initially seem or be positioned as competency-based, but often the interviewer will be treating this really as a question of behaviour and style.
And as ever, without going to unreasonable lengths your answers should reflect the style expected/preferred/practised by the interviewer/organization. People like people like them.
For instance - a results-driven interviewer, certain high achieving dominant personalities, aspiring MD's, certain ruthless types, will warm to answers with a high results-based orientation (eg '....I focus on what needs to be done to achieve the task, to get the job done, to cut through the red tape and peripherals, ignoring the distractions, etc. Strong incentive, encouragement, clear firm expectations and timescales, deliverables, etc........' - the language of the achiever.
Alternatively, if you find yourself being interviewed by a persuasive, friendly, influential, egocentric type, (lots of sales managers are like this) then frame your answers to mirror that style - '.....I use persuasion, inspiration, leading by example, helping, providing justification, reasons, empathising with the situation and people who are doing the job, motivating according to what works with different people, understanding what makes them tick...' - all that sort of stuff.
HR interviewers are often 'people-types' and will warm to answers that are sensitive, and take strong account of people's feelings, happiness, well-being, sense of fairness and ethics, honesty, integrity, process, accuracy, finishing what's been started, having a proper plan, steady, reliable, dependable, etc. - the language of the fair and the disciplined.
Technical interviewers, eg., MD's who've come up through science, technical, finance disciplines, will warm to answers which demonstrate the use of accuracy, plans, monitoring, clearly stated and understood aims, methods, details, checking, measuring, reporting, analysing.
These are generalisations of course, but generally relevant in most interview situations when you are asked 'How would you ...?'
Obviously be true to yourself where you can. It's a matter of tint and orientation, not changing your colour altogether.
Occasionally you might meet a really good interviewer who is truly objective, in which case mirroring is not so useful - whereas confidence, maturity, integrity, flexibility, compassion, tolerance, pragmatism are, and as such should be demonstrated in the way you answer questions of a balanced mature non-judgemental interviewer.
Interviews can be a bit of a game, so when you see that it is, play it - the more you see subjective judgement and single-track behaviour in the interviewer, then the more advantage there is in mirroring the interviewer's style in your answers.
People like people like them. Which very definitely extends to assessing behaviour-based competency.

Tips for Interviewees

• Research as much as you can about the company - products, services, markets, competitors, trends, current activities, priorities. See the tips about researching before job interviews.
• Prepare your answers for the type of questions you'll be asked, especially, be able to say why you want the job, what your strengths are, how you'd do the job, what your best achievements are.
• Prepare good questions to ask at the interview. See the section on questions to ask at job interviews.
• Related to the above, request a copy of the company's employment terms and conditions or employee handbook before the interview, in order to save time covering routine matters during the interview.
• Assemble hard evidence (make sure it's clear and concise) of how what you've achieved in the past - proof will put you ahead of those who merely talk about it.
• Have at least one other interview lined up, or have a recent job offer, or the possibility of receiving one from a recent job interview, and make sure you mention it to the interviewer.
• Make sure your resume/cv is up to date, looking very good and even if already supplied to the interviewer take three with you (one for the interviewer, one for you and a spare in case the interviewer brings a colleague in to the meeting).
• Get hold of the following material and read it, and remember the relevant issues, and ask questions about the areas that relate to the organisation and the role. Obtain and research: the company's sales brochures and literature, a trade magazine covering the company's market sector, and a serious newspaper for the few days before the interview so you're informed about world and national news. Also worth getting hold of: company 'in-house' magazines or newsletters, competitor leaflets, local or national newspaper articles featuring the company.
• Review your personal goals and be able to speak openly and honestly about them and how you plan to achieve them.
• Ensure you have two or three really good reputable and relevant references, and check they'd each be happy to be contacted.
• Adopt an enthusiastic, alert, positive mind-set. If you want some help with this try the 'I Am' self-belief page.
• Particularly think about how to deal positively with any negative aspects - especially from the perspective of telling the truth, instead of evading or distorting facts, which rarely succeeds. See the CV pointers about this - it's very significant.
• Try to get some experience of personality tests. Discover your personality strengths and weaknesses that would be indicated by a test, and be able to answer questions positively about the results. (Do not be intimidated by personality testing - expose yourself to it and learn about yourself.) To understand more about personality testing and the underpinning theory - and to find out more about yourself in this respect - see the section on personality theories and make time to read and understand it.
• Think about what to wear. See the guidance about choice of dress, clothes and colours for interviews below.
• Some jobs invite or offer opportunity to re-define or develop the role itself. It might be a existing role or a new position. If so prepare for this. Most jobs in fact offer this potential, but sometimes it is a stated requirement. See the notes in the CV section about approaching a vacancy for which the role has not yet been fully defined.
  

Job Interview

Job interviews are easier for interviewers and the interviewees if you plan and prepare questions and answers, and use proper interviewing techniques.

On this page are job-hunting and job interviews tips, samples of tough interviews questions, and answers, for interviewers and interviewees. There are also many ideas for group selection assessment recruitment methods, the most effective way to recruit people for most jobs.

Job interviews are critical to the quality of an organization's people. Good job interviews processes and methods increase the quality of people in an organization. Poor job interviews methods result in poor selection, which undermines organizational capabilities, wastes management time, and increases staff turnover.

Below are samples of interviews questions asked at interviews. Many interviewers and interviewees are keenly interested in 'tough' interview questions and certainly interviewees need to prepare answers for 'tough' questions. However, from the interviewer's perspective asking 'tough' questions is not usually helpful. Interviews should not place undue pressure on interviewees, because people tend to withdraw and become defensive under pressure. We learn more about people when they relax.

It's better therefore to focus on 'good' interview questions rather than 'tough' ones. Good interview questions encourage interviewees to think about themselves and to give the interviewer clear and revealing information as to the interviewee's needs, capabilities, experience, personality, and suitability for the job. The best interview questions are therefore the questions which most help interviewees to reveal their skills, knowledge, attitudes, and feelings to the interviewer.

The UK (consistent with Europe) Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, effective from 1st October 2006, make it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of age.
This has several implications for job interviews, documents used, and the training of people who conduct job interviews. For example, while not unlawful, the inclusion of age and date-of-birth sections on job application forms is not recommended (as for all other documentation used in assessing people).

For further guidance about the effects of Age Equality and Discrimination in job interviews, (and in other aspects of managing people), see the Age Diversity information. This is important for interviewers and interviewees.

Much of this guidance also applies to students seeking internships and work experience placements. Effective interview techniques, and the processes surrounding interviews, apply to all situations involving candidate selection, whatever the position and situation.
If interviews make you nervous (as they do to most people), take comfort from the interview story about the wrong Guy, which is also a great lesson for interviewers in the need for good preparation and communication, and why high pressure in interviews doesn't get to the truth, it merely forces people to tell you what you want to hear.

Interviewers and interviewees can maybe take some inspiration for how to handle the interview, and personal and organisational values, from the love and spirituality page, which addresses the increasingly important area of bringing compassion and humanity to work.

After Your Interview: Make an Empression

• When the job interview has ended, you should shake hands with everyone once again and thank them for their time.
• If you are still interested in the job at this point, now is the time to say it. Tell the employer you want to work with the company and hope you will be considered for the position.
• If you are absolutely sure you are NOT interested in the job after the interview, you might want to mention that too. Whatever your problem is with the position, the company may be willing to resolve the issue.
• Ask your interviewer when a decision will be made and whether or not you can follow-up at a later date. This way you won't be sitting by the phone or making a pest out of yourself for no reason.
• Send a thank you note to your interviewer(s) immediately after leaving the interview. This can be done via snail mail or email. The thank you note should be short and to the point.
• Send a thank you note to the receptionist or anyone else who was helpful but not directly involved in your job interview.
• Go home and write down everything you can about the interview. Take special care to note what went well and what didn't. If you don't get the job, this information could prove very helpful later on.
• Don't be afraid to follow-up. If the interviewer said you would hear something in a week and you don't, there is nothing wrong with initiating the contact yourself. Just remember to be polite when you call--no guilt trips.

During Job Interview: Shake hands firmly, but not too firmly.

• Greet every single person in the room with eye contact and a handshake. Be sure to treat everyone from the receptionist to the CEO equally.
• Shake hands firmly, but not too firmly. You're a job interviewee, not a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend.
• Control your voice when you speak. Talking too loud is obnoxious. Mumbling is annoying.
• Don't use slang when you greet people. 'Hey, how ya doin'?' is not a proper greeting in a formal setting.
• Don't be a space invader. Try to stay 36 inches away from everyone at all times. People have boundaries and nobody likes their space invaded.
• Be conscious of your posture when sitting or standing. Try not to slouch or look too stiff.
• Don't sit down anywhere until you are asked to. When you do sit, don't fidget. It makes you look nervous.
• Keep hand talking to a minimum. It is okay to make gestures while speaking, but it is not okay to look like a mime while doing it--unless you are interviewing for a job as a mime. Then it's acceptable.
• If you are given water or something else to drink, sip it. Gulping and chugging a beverage is unattractive.
• Smile and nod your head on occasion when being spoken to so you don't look like a mannequin.
• Try to look interested when people speak--no matter how boring they are.
• Keep answers short and to the point. Nobody wants to listen to you babble.
• When you do answer a question, don't start out with words like 'uh' or 'um.'
• Do your best to sound confident when you speak.
• Remember to maintain eye contact throughout the job interview. Looking away while someone is talking will make you seem disinterested, shy or shifty.
• If you are being interviewed by multiple people, try to look at them all while talking. Nobody should feel left out of the conversation.
• Ask questions! You're at an interview, not an interrogation. Employers will expect you to have at least one question about the job, the company or the people you will be working with.
• Don't look at the clock or your watch at any point during the interview. It makes you look like you'd rather be somewhere else.
• If you are left alone in a room, don't do anything you wouldn't do in front of a group of people. You might be on camera.
• This should go without saying, but we'll say it anyway: Don't flirt with anyone you meet on the day of your job interview. You have no idea who you are hitting on or how it might impact your chances of getting the job.

Before Your Interview, Wear something that is job interview appropriate

• Make sure there is no confusion about where you are supposed to go for the interview. If necessary, get a map or make a practice run to the place so you know how long it will take to get there.
• Research the company. You should know exactly what they do before you go in.
  Make a list of common job interview questions and figure out how you can best answer each one.
• Make a list of questions to ask the company. You can ask about the company itself, the company's customers, the position, and the people you will be working with.
• Practice your job interview with a friend or family member. Ask them to critique your answers afterwards.
• Record your practice interview sessions with a video camera so you can critique yourself later on. Pay special attention to your posture and body language.
• Determine your availability. The interviewer may ask you when you can start the job.
• Determine your bottom line. Will you accept the job if the pay is low? What about benefits? Interviewers often ask how much you expect to make.
• Be prepared to be tested during or after the job interview. Nowadays, many companies do drug testing. It's probably a good idea to clean out your system if you can't pass naturally.
• Wear something that fits you well, looks nice on you and is job interview appropriate. No short skirts, t-shirts, flip-flops or other casual clothing. Unless you wear a tux or an evening gown, you can't be overdressed.
• Use the restroom before you go. There's no telling how long the interview may last.
• Don't douse yourself in perfume or cologne. Some people have sensitive noses. A shower and deodorant is sufficient.
• Don't wear fur or jewelry that might be offensive to someone else.
• Don't smoke in the car on the way or on the interview premises. Again, some people have sensitive noses.
• Make sure your breath is fresh. Dragon breath never makes a good impression.
• Spit your gum out before you go into the building. It is harder to talk and smile with gum in your mouth.
• Show up at least 10 minutes early--15 minutes is even better.