Interviews

Tips for the Interview
Top Mistakes Candidates Make
Smart Interview Moves

Tips for the Interview

Before

"It is not always the person most qualified who is hired, but the one who is most prepared for the interview."  Find out all you can about the company, such as: locations of the offices, plants, stores, etc., products or services offered by the company, and/or past performances and future plans for the company.

This information can be gathered by going online or to the public library and reading articles about the company.  It is also possible to call the company and ask the receptionist to tell you something about the company.  Be creative!                                                                                                                                                   
 

During the interview, mention some of the facts you have learned about the company.  This will show the interviewer that you cared enough about the position and the company to prepare yourself and to take an interest in what you are interviewing for.  This could set you above and beyond your competition for the job. 

During

• Be a minimum of 10-15 minutes early.

• Dress professionally, regardless of what position you are applying for.

• Address the interviewer as Mr. or Ms.

• Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake.  If it is a committee interview, go to each member individually.

• Present your resume to the interviewer even if you have already sent one.

• Do not sit until either your interviewer sits or you are invited to do so.

• Have direct eye contact with your interviewer.  If it is a committee interview, talk to the group as a whole with emphasis on the person asking the question.

• Smile and try to convey that you are relaxed.

• DO NOT talk negatively about past employers; instead tell about what you learned from the experience.

• DO NOT ask about salary or benefits, but be prepared for them to ask you.  If they ask you what salary you require, give a realistic range and then ask if that was within their salary range.

• DO NOT mention any personal problems of yourself or your family.

• Interview them as much about their company as they are interviewing you.

• Convey to the interviewer that you want to stay and grow with the company.

After

• Wait for the interviewer to stand before you do.

• Shake hands and thank the interviewer for granting you an interview.

• Ask if they have any idea when a decision on the position might be made.

• Let the interviewer know that you are very interested in the position (if you really are)

• Tell the interviewer that you look forward to hearing from them.

• Follow the interview up with a thank you letter typed on the same type of paper as your resume and mention again how interest you are in the position.

• If you were told, for instance, that a decision would be made by Friday, call Friday afternoon to find out what the status of the position is.

• You want them to know you want the position, but you do not want to be a pest.  Persistence can definitely pay off.  The applicant who wants the position the most can sometimes beat out other applicants who are just as qualified, or possibly even more qualified.

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Top Mistakes Candidates Make
A recent CareerBuilder study surveyed hiring managers to identify the most common mistakes candidates make.  Here are the top Five categories--along with some real-life examples

• What they Say (or Don't Say)
  According to CareerBuilder's survey, the number one mistake interviewees make relates to how they communicate.  Some come in with a pre-determined script and sound as if they're reading from a textbook.  Others give on-word answers with no further elaboration.  While still others use profanity or ramble on about their personal problems and social lives rather than answer--or ask--questions about the job or company.
  Others are too candid.  For example, when asked what interested her about the position, one candidate replied: "I'm open to anything; I really need to get some medical insurance."  Another candidate at a children's organization stated that he "hates kids."  Those interviewing for customer service positions confessed: "I'm not a people person," and "customers are annoying."  While a man applying at a drug treatment facility anxiously asked if they drug-tested employees and whether they'd give advance notice.
  Others complain about former bosses.  And many make the mistake of bringing up money and hours required in the first interview.  But the "Too Much Information" award has to go to the candidate who said: "I'm only here because my mom wants me to get a job."  He was 37!

• How they Act
  The second most common way candidates flub their interviews is what they do.  Many of these mistakes are the result of being unprepared and knowing nothing about the job or company.  Others are because candidates don't listen to the questions being asked to try to bluff their way through technical questions. 
  Some stem from a lack of common sense or courtesy.  Many hiring managers complain about candidates showing up late and the surprising number who interrupt the interview to take calls on their cell phones.  One woman brought her children along.
  And which is worse?  The candidate who asked the hiring manager to hurry up because he wanted to have lunch, or the one who pulled out and sandwich and began eating?

• Bad Attitudes
  The third most-cited category of mistakes has to do with the candidates attitude.  No one likes a braggart, know-it-all or name-dropper- or the candidate with the super-sized ego who demanded to be hired and said the company could do no better.  Then there's the interviewee who declared he was "used to a higher class of business."
  On the other side of the coin, are those who show no enthusiasm.  Many hiring managers complained of interviewees who show little energy or interest in the conversation.  One candidate spent the better part of the interview looking at his watch.

• How they Look
  Coming to the interview improperly groomed and dressed is the fourth most common mistake.  Along with the usual culprits: bad posture, tattoos, facial piercings, fluorescent-colored hair and poor hygiene, hiring managers also told of a candidate who did not wear shoes, one who wore a skirt slit to her derriere, another who wore dark glasses throughout the interview and a candidate with dirty fingernails wearing jeans and a t-shirt - oh, by the way, he was drunk too!

• They're Dishonest
  Common forms of dishonesty include exaggerating about achievements or misrepresenting knowledge.  There's also the candidate who mentioned his arrest after saying on his application he had never been arrested - and the one who actually stole something from the interviewer's office.  
  (from CareerBuilder.com)
   
  Yes, these examples may be extreme, but they are true.  We hope you had a good laugh and you'll learn from these interviewees mistakes and ace your next interview.

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Smart Interview Moves

Ever wonder why you don't get called back after that first interview? What's holding you back from that great job while others are getting hired after shorter job searches?  It could be something you DIDN'T DO.

1. Demonstrate or communicate your experience and skills
   The number one thing a candidate can do in an interview is intelligently and clearly articulate professional experience, capabilities or knowledge.  Hiring managers are most impressed when a candidate is able to "think on their feet" during the interview--this demonstrates competency.  They're also impressed when a candidate takes an active role in helping a customer or rectifying a situation right on the spot, whether posed by the interviewer or introduced by the candidate.

2. Act professionally.
   A candidate who is professional during the selection process will stand out among fellow job seekers.  When a candidate communicates intelligently, uses proper grammar, makes eye contact, listens and asks intelligent and relevant questions.  This demonstrates how that person will act with in the parameters of the position with coworkers and clients.  A hiring manager will want to choose a candidate who will represent the company well.

3. Prepare
   Skimming the company's website five minutes before you leave won't help you at all.  Simple steps to prepare for the interview include researching the company, market and opportunity, arriving on time and dressing appropriately.  Bring extra copies of your resume and work samples, as well as your portfolio.  And, don't forget names of references and letters of recommendation.  Thorough preparation for an interview can make or break your chances of landing the job. 

4. Exhibit enthusiasm.
   Go ahead, be an eager beaver.  Hiring managers are impressed when a candidate shows enthusiasm for the job and want to hire someone who is gung ho.  The candidate who is ready and willing will likely carry those traits into the position.  Plus, it demonstrates an eagerness to learn.  This doesn't mean you need an overly peppy personality with perma-grin, but zeal for the position, the company and profession will show you'll go the distance.

5. Be honest
   The candidate was honest and showed integrity.  A candidate's honesty was important to hiring managers by being sincere and truthful about the past.  Be candid and open about past jobs.  This doesn't mean you have to churn out all the dirty details of previous employers or supervisors.  If you are coming from a bad experience, think of ways to put a positive spin on your previous situation.  For example, if you were let go from your last job, be truthful without being negative and highlight your strengths or how you learned from that situation.
   (by Kate Lorenz for CareerBuilder.com)

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