How to Win At Interviews

Job Interviews are so important. It is the one chance you get to show all your skills and great suitability for the job.

Your application secured you the interview. You have demonstrated on paper the skills and aptitude they are looking for. Now they want to get to know the real you!

You want and need to nail that successful job interview!Time to face the Interview Chair!

Preparation for the successful job interview is very important and there are a number of things you need to do to ensure you are prepared and relaxed.

1.Find out where the job interview will be held and ensure you know how to get there and how long it will take you to get there. Plan your route. Decide if you are going by car, train, taxi or walking. Whatever you decide have a back up plan in case of unforeseen circumstances. If necessary do a dry run first.

2.Decide what you will wear for your interview. Wash it, iron it and hang it up ready the night before. Have ALL the clothes you will wear ready and the shoes as well. Make sure they are smart and comfortable and they fit you well.

3.Read over the job description and any information they sent to you. Reread your application form or letter. At your interview you may well be asked for more detail and you should know it off by heart.

4.If you have not yet done so send off for the company portfolio and read up about them on the internet. Ideally do this at least several days before the interview so you have time to absorb it.

5.Think and rehearse answers to questions you may be asked at the interview.

6.If the interviewers have asked you to bring any paperwork, evidence of qualifications etc get them out and ready at least the day before your interview.

The form a job interview takes may be very different depending on the type of company it is, the skill of the interviewer and the position applied for.

I have come across all these types in my working life so far.

1. The Formal Job Interview. Usually held in an office across a table or a boardroom situation.
Ths may be divided into two;

The Formal Job Interview with one interviewer and the Formal interview with a panel of interviewers.

a)The formal Job interview with a single interviewer.
The interview will usually (but not always) take the form of some pre interview chat to settle you. After that the Interviewer will ask you the questions and you will answer. You may get an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview.
It is straightforward as in that the interviewer is the only person you need to answer and take account of.

b) Panel job interviews.
These may consist of two or more interviewers. I once went to one with 5 interviewers!
The same approach is taken usually to settle you, then to start asking questions. However this time you have two or more people in the room it you. It is good practice to look and pay full attention to the person asking the question while they are asking it, then in your response initially look at the person who asked it, then include in your gaze the other interviewers.

2. The informal job interview. Usually you will find the interviewer sitting in a comfy chair, cups of coffee and in a much more relaxed enviroment. Initially this may seem much better. However do remember that you are still being interviewed and you should still pay attention to your body language, speech and what you are saying. Too relaxed and you may say something you regret!

3. Job Interview on the run!
This is not a recommended style of interview but in some firms this is what they do. So they will be showing you around the plant, farm or company and asking you questions as you go. It is important that you ensure they are listening to your responses. You may even want to summarise why you are right for the job before you leave.

There are also Job Interviews;

-where you are told in advance that you need to prepare a presentation.

-the telephone interview.

-where you will participate in an assessment centre to test your skills.

Please let me know if you are interested in learning more about these types of Interview situations as I may prepare a lens for them.

First impressions last. Especially when you present yourself for a job interview. You do not have very long to make that good first impression.

The interviewer wants to see that you care and that you have made an effort.

From the momment you are in the area of your interview you must present yourself for the job.

Whether you are in the car park, in the lobby and in the interview room be courteous to everyone you meet.

While waiting for your interview Dont sit in the waiting room slobbed out. Do not smoke or chew gum while you are waiting. Everyone and anyone could be asked what their impression of you is by the Interviewer. Be pleasant and polite to the receptionist, the doorman or woman -anyone you meet.

Ensure you shower or bathe before an interview. Hygiene is very important. Clean your teeth. Wash your hair, clean and file your nails. Unless it is in a very creative enviroment or in the beauty trade I would advise to go for only soft or neutral nail polish and conservative make up.

Tattoos-if you have tattos and you are applying for a job in a conservative enviroment do wear clothing that will cover them.

I would advise not to wear heavy perfume or aftershave at interview as this can be overpowering. Just a light spray if you feel you want to.

Hair should be neat and not in your face.
Beards or any facial hair should be appropriately trimmed and clean.

Clothes should be clean and well pressed and comfortable. Make sure you are happy sitting in them in any kind of chair. Choose clothes that do not crease. Shoes should be clean and polished.

Before you even attend the interview, you should know what type of company it is. If formal and conservative dress formally,(trousers shirt, tie , jacket or skirt/smart trousers blouse/top) If it is creative you have a bit more leeway in your dress but don't go over the top.

You want your interviewers to see and remember YOU not what you are wearing!

Your body language, that is the way you hold your body and stand , sit and move during interviews can form a lasting impression. We communicate more with our body language than we do through speech. First impressions are often very significant and that is where the body language is very important.

Greeting the Interviewer is very important. Walk in confidently standing with your head up and walking tall. If they extend a handshake then shake their hand confidently and firmly. If not say Good morning/afternoon, hello etc in greeting.

Very Important-Smile!

Keep good Eye Contact Keep enough eye contact with the interviewer so he or she knows you are listening, without staring at them, try to keep it natural.

Take a seat. They will likely ask you to take a seat. When you do sit up in it, do not slouch or sink down in the seat. Neither perch on the edge as if you might take flight any minute! What you want to achieve is to seem calm and alert, relaxed and confident. So sit back in the seat, keep your spine straight and head up.

Now what to do with those hands?
Do not wring your hands or bite your nails or clasp and unclasp-many people do not even realise they are doing this. Try to fold your hands in your lap or place them on your knees. Do not smoke during interviews.Do not cross your arms across your body or sit huddled up. It makes you look defensive and scared.

Your legs and feet. Either sit with both feet on the floor or one leg crossed over athe knee or ankle. Avoid crossing your ankle over the other knee. Try to avoid the male dominant positions of legs wide apart. If you are wearing a skirt whatever position you assume should not reveal too much leg so practice how you will sit when you are picking out your clothes.

Sit up straight or lean slightly forwards to indicate interest.

When the Interview is over, say thank you , smile and walk confidently out of the room.

Relaxation.

Yeah right ! Does anyone truly feel relaxed in an interview? Well I dont know. However it is not what you feel that is important but that you Project relaxation. Your Body language and breathing can help you here.

Enthusiasm.

Given that you want this job you need to show and demonstrate that to the Interviewer. During the interview is not the time to be laid back or dispassionate. You have to demonstrate your enthusiasm.

Interest.

During your interview show that you are interested in what the Interviewer has to say. If they talk about the company or show you around show him or her that you are listening and are involved.

It is often difficult to predict the exact questions which will be asked. However the basic premis of the interview is to find out more about you and why you think you are suited to the job.

1.Why have you applied for this job?

2.What skills,abilities and personal characteristics do you think make you suitable for this job?

3.Why did you leave you last job?

4.Which part of your studies did you most enjoy?

5.Tell me about yourself?

6.Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?

7.Which part of the job most attracts you and why?

8. Tell me about your most successful project?

9. How would you handle the following scenario(then proceeds to give you a job situation you need to handle)

For many people going for an interview for a job you really want it is stressful. You do need a certain amount of stress and adrenalin to perform at your best but when it gets out of control it means you may not come across as you would like to.

Some things you can do to belay interview nerves.

1. Breathe deeply while waiting to be called for the interview. Inhale through you rnose and exhale through your mouth. Inhale for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds. You should find a relaxed feeling comes over you and your heartbeat slows down.

2. When you are asked a question give yourself a few seconds to think about it before answering. This is better than blurting out answers quickly and gives you space.

3. If you do not understand the question or didn't catch all the words just politely ask the interviewer to repeat the question.

4.If possible have several interviews lined up so that this one is not the be all and end all.

Do you ever think about the interviewer when you go for interviews?

Some Interviewers are trained professionals in Interview Skills and are confident and comfortable interviewing you.

Others may have been drafted in at the last minute if the usual interviewer is not available.

Some are as nervous about Interviewing as you may be about being interviewed!!

Others yet may have little idea how to interview effectively. They tend to be the ones who ask you very broad ranging questions like "tell me about you rself" or they ask questions which are designed to elicit a YES/NO response.

You have no control who will interview you.

You do have control over how you answer.

All the time bear in mind the Interviewer is attempting to get to know you better. You would not be there if they did not feel you had a lot of what they want for the job.

If you do get a question that elicits a YES/NO response-called a "closed question" you can still answer more fully.

Question " Did you like your last job?"
Answer A "Yes"

However that tells the interviewer very little. A better answer is

" Yes, I particularly enjoyed working in a team to deadlines and feeling a great sense of achievement in our last project which used my skills in advertising....

However, keep your answers relevant. Do not go off on a tangent.

In each answer try to demonstrate a skill, personal quality or aptitude that you possess. Use examples every time. Don't just say I am a great team player! Say how and in what capacity.

The more interesting and specific the information you supply the easier it is on the interviewer and the more likely you are to be successful.

You should have been told what the procedure is for letting you know whether you have been successful or not. (If they don't tell you ask.)

If you have been successful FANTASTIC! You need to ring up and confirm you are happy to accept the job!

If you have not been successful you can still write to thank them for seeing you > You never know when another vacancy may occur at the same company.

You may wish to also ask them for Interview feedback. If there was anything you could have done to improve your interview. Not all companies will do this but if they give you feedback it can be very helpful to you for your next interviews.

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