Job Interview Tips
“They lie about the job to get you and you lie about yourself to get the job”
–cynical job candidate
Preparation
- Study the company
- Have goals for the interview; what things do you want to get across?
- Mentally focus on strong professional/training experiences
- Practice your interviewing
- Get a good night’s rest
- Call to confirm the day before
- Arrive early, but not too early (about 15 minutes is good)
- Take a car or cab (don’t rely on a bus)
- Brush your teeth; have mint
- Bring extra copies of your resume and any work samples (portfolio, etc.)
- Take a deep breath before you start
Poise
- Dress professionally, even for casual jobs–it shows you take the opportunity seriously
- Shake hands firmly
- Don’t move all over the place, fidget, or tap a pen, etc.
- Speak loudly and clearly
- Shift your eye contact; answer the person who asked the question, but then roam your eyes to others
- Smile a lot
- Breath to keep yourself calm
Your Performance in Interview
- Don’t swivel in your chair
- Don’t tap your pen
- Maintain eye contact
- Laugh and smile
- Take notes (jot down information about the company and write down people’s names)
Main Interview Goals
- Sell yourself–don’t be shy; but be modest (give credit to others whenever you can–i.e. “I did a great job, but I had a great boss”)
- Decide on main issues you want to cover and be sure to work them into the discussion (tell about your key abilities)
- Give specific examples (“One time when…”)
- Don’t undercut yourself
- Be honest; be yourself; be friendly
Specifics Interview Concerns
- Don’t ramble when you answer questions–make a statement and then finish it
- Don’t be overly repetitive (if you do repeat, say, “As I was saying…”)
- Watch word/phrase repetition (“pretty much”; “like”; “um”)
- Don’t speed talk through your answers
Tough Questions
- Even with limited experience, say why what you have is relevant
- If you can’t think of an answer or blank out, pause and take a breath; ask the person to clarify your question; at worst, ask if you could come back to that question
- Put a positive spin on the negative (“I’m a stickler for detail”; “Sometimes I’m too enthusiastic”; not “I’m lazy”)
- Turn negative to positive (“I’m working on that area”)
Surprises
- There will be distractions during an interview, so don’t let them throw you off (things like a phone call or someone stopping by)
- If someone asks you an illegal question (What’s your age? Are you married?), say you would prefer not to answer the question or ask how that question is relevant to the job
Closing
- Have questions at the end (“What’s best about this company? “What’s best about working here?” “Where is this company headed?” “What’s your company atmosphere like?”)
- Make a final statement (“Here’s what you should remember about me?”)
- Extend your hand at the end of an interview and say thanks, even if they don’t
Interview Follow Up
- Send a thank you note after a day or two
- Mention people you talked to by name
- Remind the company how interested you are in the job