Nail that Job Interview with Time-Tested Tips and Tricks!
Fiyin Adebiyi
Copyright 2011 Fiyin Adebiyi
Smashwords Edition
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Table of Contents
Chapter 2. How to Make a Good Impression
Chapter 3: What Your Body Says About YOU
Good Posture Speaks Louder Than Words
For The ‘Experienced’ Individual
Avoid Verbal Traps And Pitfalls
Other Common Questions Asked At Interviews
Chapter 5: Types of interviewers and How to Handle Them
Chapter 6: Leave Your Questions For Last
Chapter 7: Don’t Forget To Follow Up!
Don’t Twiddle Your Thumbs At Home
Introduction
Let’s face it. No one likes to be confronted with their weaknesses or fears. The thought of meeting someone or something which is apparently stronger than us has the ability to make most individuals fall to their knees quaking with fear. Unfortunately, this unsettling occurrence is part and parcel of a process that, anyone who wishes to land a job, has to face.
That’s right. This dreaded event is none other than the all important job interview process. Very few people are unafraid of it, and most quake at the very mention of it. Know what the difference is between the 2 is? The former are ones who face this apparently terrifying ordeal by being prepared, while the latter are usually ones who have no idea what to expect!
The great playwright, William Shakespeare once said: “The world is a stage and all of us the actors, merely players with roles to play.” If we compare the nervous job applicant to an actor, then the interview room and potential employees can be considered his/her stage and audience respectively.
Why? That’s because a job interview is an act in which the interviewees are merely players. If you know your parts, then hats off to you, you’ll reap the rewards of your hard work and diligence. If not, well, say goodbye to that executive position you’ve always wanted.
Employers aren’t Ogres in Disguise
Fear not. The good news is that this ordeal isn’t as terrifying as some of your friends are all too eager to make it sound like. The first hurdle you have to face is to get rid of the assumption that all employers are monsters in disguise just waiting for the hapless interviewee to step foot in the room and get mercilessly ripped apart. In fact the reality is some of these interviewers might just be about as nervous as you are. I guess that might be hard for you to believe but the reality is that over 60% of interviewers have undergone no form of interview training whatsoever. Most of these “interviewers” have been reported to feel stressed, anxious and nervous, amongst other expressions. Does that sound familiar? It should, it’s most likely the same emotions you might be feeling when you stand in front of them.
In other words, they are human just like you and me. There are a few types you have to be wary of, but you can definitely make a huge impression on any potential employer, no matter the size of the organization or the complexity of the job, with some well-placed questions and answers.
First Impressions Count
The first impression, to a large extent, is what makes or breaks your chances in the job industry. This fact has been drilled into our heads since our high school and college days and is one that will hound you unless you know how to pull it off successfully. In other words, you may pride yourself on your confidence and strong self esteem, but that won’t hold much water if you don’t look the part at first sight. So, dress the part! Your dressing says a whole lot about you to your potential employer before you even get a chance to speak!
Ask Nicely and Answer Wisely
The definition of an interview is that it is a process in which one is asked questions regarding one’s academic and personal qualifications, in relation to the job and position being offered. Needless to say that the answers you give, as well as the way you deliver them count for a lot. However, not many people know this but employers are also on the lookout for interviewees who ask them questions AFTER the interview winds to a close. It tells them a lot about your personality too which is the aim of the interview in the first place.
There are solutions for all the above-mentioned scenarios and more if you keep some simple tips, tricks (not to mention worse case scenarios) in mind. Remember, there is no such thing as an impossible interview scenario if you have a good idea of what to expect and how to meet the interviewers’ expectations. This brings us to the purpose for which you’re reading this book right now: to be prepared to make a big impression with any employer of your choice. You want to emphasize your strengths and play down your weaknesses and prove you fit the job profile like a glove fits a hand.
By the time you get through this book, you’ll understand precisely what questions employers are most likely to ask, what answers they want, why they ask the questions in the first place. All this so that you can get into the mind of the typical employer, that way you’ll answer questions with the right words 99% of the time.
Chapter 1. How do I Prepare?
That’s a very good question. How indeed do you prepare? See, the thing about job interviews is that they have a nasty tendency to quickly go downhill if you do not prepare yourself in every single area. Your biggest fear should be not to forget what you were supposed to do and say, before and while you’re in the hot seat. You don’t want your interview going up in smoke before your very eyes just because the employer doesn’t exactly appreciate you going green and skipping your morning shower. He might not say it but you’ll probably just discover that the session ended a lot quicker than you expected, without giving you a chance to prove how suitable you are for the job. All that could happen because you woke up 20 minutes late and wouldn’t have made it to the interview on time otherwise. There are lots of other things you should do to prepare before its even time for the interview. Research your prospective employer as much as you possibly can. Every organization worth its salt has some kind of internet presence, take advantage of this and find out details of what they do. It will impress your interviewer if you prove you have an extensive knowledge of the organization’s products, services, customers, competitors, history and any recent news that might be of immediate relevance. Learn as much as you can about the duties and roles you might have to take in the case of you being employed and try to relate any previous experience or academic work you might have done to that role. The key to standing out in any interview is proving to the interviewer that you can add value to the role you’re being interviewed for.
Communicating effectively is the key. Remember, you will have a harder time trying to butter up the interviewer with slick sounding answers that have no conviction in them; you’d be better off just going with your gut. In other words, just be yourself.
The Purpose of Job Interviews
Job interviews are meant to find out how suitable you are for a particular job Position and there are different ways employers use to achieve that purpose. Not every job interview is the same. You cannot expect every employer to interview you the same way that the previous one did so obviously there is more than one way to tackle an interview.
Unfortunately, there are also more than one type of interview that you will have to learn how to come to terms with as well. You would probably have, or already have, come across the following types of interview sessions—
Employer Interviews—This type of job interview you have to go through depends on your prospective employer. Employer interviews are designed to assess whether you fit the bill. In other words, they determine whether you are eligible for the job.
The first level makes up the screening while the second level includes the candidates who made it through the initial screening stage. Land yourself invites to later interviews and you have got it made!
Recruitment Agency Interviews—Just as the name implies, these types of agencies are responsible for helping you find a job. This means that their main source of income is the employers (or recruiters) and not you as you would have thought.
Just because some agencies claim that they are there to help further your interests does not mean that they always end up doing so. In fact, most of these establishments are only designed to cater to the interests of the companies responsible for paying them.
In other words, they will try to put you in “any” job that can earn them their own living. This is why you need to look out for an agency that incorporates your needs as well as its own. Land yourself an agency that does that and you can be sure that you will be trained in the tricks that will get you in any employer’s good books.
Human Resources (HR) or Personnel Interviews—These types of interviews might seem to be the easy type since HR interviewers do not usually question you about any job related technical skill. This is because they are not the actual employers that you will need to answer to later.
It might also seem that these people might just want to “get to know you better” on a personal level but be careful. Don’t forget that these are trained professionals. In other words, they are “trained” to extract any info out of you. So it is better that you stay on your guard. Don’t try to fool them on any issues either as they will most likely know that you are trying to do so.
Get that Paperwork Done
Besides the interview, your paper work will be all that will be working in your favor so make sure that it is in proper order. You need to make sure that you have all that will be of relative help to the employment process.
Your paperwork should (obviously) include your CV, every document that pertains to the type of interview you are planning to undergo as well as a copy of relevant application forms. Always remember to carry copies of everything to hand in if needs be. Don’t wait to get any necessary printouts in the last minute. There are a few things I’d like to note about preparing your CV to attract the attention of a potential employer. I cannot overstate the fact that the content and preparation of your CV is absolutely vital, after all it’s the major factor that will decide if you get called up for an interview or not . Your CV should be designed to market the qualities you have towards meeting the needs of the specific employer that you are currently trying to get a job with. For example try to tie specific tasks that you might have performed in a previous job to what you would be expected to do in a new role with your potential employer. If you do not have any previous work experience, maybe you’re fresh out of college; list any assignments, research work or activity that you feel the employer might be interested in I.e. provided it is related to the job you’re aiming for. The aim of the CV like your overall objective is to make you stand out from the hundreds of applications each employer is likely to receive, this however, should be written in as few words as possible, you’ll have ample opportunity to expand on your achievements later on In the course of your job quest.