Best Guide for Job Interview

Interview Myth No.1

• The best person for the job gets it
  
  In an ideal world, the best person for the job would always win it; however, the reality is that it is often the person who performs best at the interview who wins the prize. The important things is:
  
  Don't automatically pull out of applying for a job if you know someone better suited for the job is also applying for it. If you go to the trouble of preparing properly for the interview, there's a good chance that you may be seen as the preferred candidate- especially if the other person takes the interview for granted and fails to prepare.
  
  If you happen to know that you're the best person for the job, avoid taking the interview for granted. Behave as though you're competing against formidable rivals. Take the time to prepare properly. Just because you've got a lot of experience does not mean you know how to convey this message at an interview.

Interview Myth No.2

• Interview are like school exams
  
  YES! Interviews are a bit like exams in so far as that you're asked a number of questions to which you need to respond intelligently, but there the similarities end. Unlike exams, where lots of accurate detail is important, interviews are more about interacting and rapport building whilst simultaneously articulating smart answers.
  
  Smart answer is often not the most detailed. In fact, long and overly detailed answers can drive interviewers to distraction, despite their technical accuracy. Knowing when to stop talking is a skill all successful interviewees have.
  
  Unlike many exams, there are often no right or wrong answers in interviews. We're all different and come to interviews from different backgrounds and business situations. What is important at an interview is to justify your actions and talk about your achievements in a confident manner.

Interview Myth No.3

• Interviewers know what they're doing
  
  Many managers and owners of small businesses often flounder because interviewing is not something they do on a regular basis. Some sure signs of a bad interviewer are:
  
  Signs of a BAD interviewer are:
  
  * They do most of the talking.
  * They sound as though they've made up their mind about
  you in the first five minutes.
  * They seem to pluck their questions randomly out of
  the ether.
  * Their phone keeps ringing and they answer it.
  * They sound like very sharp and less-than-honest
  salespeople when it comes to selling the job.
  
  Signs of a GOOD interviewer are:
  
  * They have their questions carefully prepared in
  advance.
  * They want to know what you've done and how you've
  done it, including specific examples.
  * They let you do most of the talking.
  * They may want to interview you more than once.
  * They will try to make you feel at ease.
  * They are genuinely interested in your
  accomplishments, skills and the type of person you are.

Interview Myth No.4

• Never say 'I don't know'
  
  Trying to answer a question that you have little idea about could undermine an otherwise great interview. This does not mean that you cannot attempt answers that you are unsure of. There's nothing wrong with having a go, as long as you make your uncertainty clear to the interviewer at the outset.
  
  Examples of answer;
  
  "I have to be honest and say that this is not an area I'm familiar with, though I am very interested in it. If you like, I'm happy to have a go at trying to address the issue, as long as you're not expecting the perfect answer."
  
  "I'd love to answer that question, but I need to be honest upfront and say that this is not an area that I'm overly familiar with, though I'm very interested in increasing my knowledge about it."

First Impression

• Dress -Here are some tips;
  * Always make a point of wearing clean clothes and shoes.
  ** Jeans (or anything else) with holes in them may make a positive impression on the dance floor, but are unlikely to inspire an interviewer.
  *** Avoid excessive jewelery and makeup.
  **** A designer stubble may make you look manly and represent the latest word from the fashion gurus; however, it's likely to make the interviewer think that you didn't think the job was important enough for you to bother shaving.
  ***** Avoid extreme hairstyles.
  ****** Avoid displaying too much skin.
• Handshake - A good handshake is a firm one. If you are a young male, avoid the primal urge to crush the hand bones of the interviewer. Remind yourself that the purpose of handshaking is to establish rapport,
  not to demonstrate how strong you are. Avoid also the limp handshake, the long handshake (remember to let go) and the three finger handshake.
• Eye-Contact - The key to successful eye contact is avoiding extremes. Overdoing it can put people off, as can making hardly any eye contact at all. Staring will almost certainly raise a big question mark about your
  social skills. Even worse, it may frighten the interviewer. Not making enough eye contact will more than likely signal that you lack confidence and perhaps suffer from low self-esteem issues. Bear in mind that interviews are largely about imparting impressions.

What Employer Looking for?

1. loyalty;
2. a good work ethic;
3. flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances;
4. honesty;
5. willingness to learn new things;
6. cooperative behaviour (being a team player);
7. ability to cope with pressure;
8. initiative.