Interviewing Skills

Getting the job you want is as much about having the right credentials as it is knowing how to manage employment interviews. In other words its not enough to be great at what you do, the interviewer has to believe that you're great.

Effectively communicating your capability is what the Kennmark Group calls "Effective Skills marketing" and encompasses the following basic premises of interviewing for a job.

Preparing for a job interview... You've secured the interview, now what?

Know Your Stuff

Preparation for any job interview is not only important it is crucial. You might already have some basic information about the company, but just knowing a little is not at all enough to make your interview a successful and impressive one. First of all, you must be familiar with the terms use in the industry that the company belongs to. You must also know about the trends of the industry, as well as the competitors of the company and how these competitors are performing and influencing the market. You should also know the direction the company is taking at this moment. Find out as much as possible about the company, industry, market and competitors. Spend as much time as possible.

Practice Makes Perfect

Although interviewing may be your cup of tea.too much practice is always a good thing. Be prepared to answer any type of question that comes your way. Talk to friends, family, instructors, mentors, etc. Have each of them ask questions that they think your potential employer might ask. Be prepared to be flexible and creative when answering questions.

Dress for Success

Regardless of the everyday dress code of an organization, the interview attire should always be professional. A conservative suit, in a basic color such as navy, black or gray is always your best bet. The attire is definitely not the most crucial factor when employers decide to hire, but it definitely has an impact and says a lot about the candidate. Ladies, keep the make-up light. And remember, whatever the fragrance of the day, dont overdue it. Less is best!

First Impressions Stick

Shake hands firmly, look the interviewer in the eye, be polite and show respect. Be confident and comfortable. First impressions are lasting.make it a good one. Although your qualifications are important, so is your personality and attitude. As opposed to putting all of your efforts into impressing the interviewer with your skills, relax and be yourself. The qualities such as capability, confidence, dependability, enthusiasm, flexibility, resourcefulness, and strong work ethic are particularly important for the interviewer to see.

Two Types of Interviews

There are two types of interviews, structured and unstructured. In a structured interview, an interviewer will ask you specific questions from a list that has been predetermined. Generally, the interviewer is looking for short and concise answersso be brief and to the point. In an unstructured interview you will be asked more open-ended questions requiring additional thought and consideration. Be attentive and pay close attention to details when you are answering open-ended questions. Take a moment after the question has been asked to think about your answer. Try to determine what type of interview you are in right from the beginning.

Commonly Asked Interview Questions

Tell me about yourself.
Tell me about a personal experience that you consider to be the most difficult and challenging for you.
What was the most challenging thing for you in your last job?
What is the most difficult challenge you have had to overcome?
What would your boss have to say about you?
What would your coworkers have to say about you?
What is your interest in our organization?
Is there anything specifically that motivates you?
Do you like to travel?
What aspects of your previous job did you enjoy the most?
Why do you want to work for us?
Describe your ideal career path.
Where do you see yourself in 2yrs, 5 yrs, 10 yrs?
Describe your personality.
What strengths and attributes do you have to offer?
How do you work to complete a large project?
How do you explain any lapse of time on your resume?
Describe the responsibilities in your last job.

The first interview is behind you, now what?

Once you are finished with the first interview, take a few minutes and reflect on it. Write down the name of the person who interviewed you as well as any other people you may have met. Did you get their business cards? How did the interviewer leave things with you?

Write a thank you letter right after your interview. Thank your interviewer for taking the time to speak with you in person. If there is anything you did not mention in the interview, this is a good time to mention it. Be sure to emphasize your interest in the organization and specifically the position you interviewed for. Take the time to proofread the letter several times before sending it. Also, if you are not sure about the spelling of the name of the contact person, do not hesitate to call the company and ask the receptionist.

The first interview is set up to narrow down the number of the candidates they have selected. If you have done well during your first interview and your personality and skills matched the needs of the company, you will be called for your second interview. And the process continues.

The Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews are usually very brief, but quite crucial for job seekers. This is one of the screening processes that could eliminate them from being considered for the position. You might lose an opportunity for getting a job that you could have forgotten if you could have gone to an interview. Therefore, besides preparing for a face-to-face interview by practicing the questions and answers and doing research on the company, you should also be prepared for a telephone interview. Preparing for a telephone interview is necessary because you never know when and who will call.

During a telephone interview, always be aware of how you speak. Avoid having silent moments and meaningless utterances. Speak with words, never with sounds. Your interviewer wants to know how quickly you can summarize your thoughts and opinions. If you need too much time to think, he/she might think that you are not effective enough.

Concentrate on the conversation. Turn off any noises that might distract your concentration. It is good to have a chair by your phone so that you can sit while being interviewed. Have a pen and paper by your phone, so that you can take some notes while hearing questions. Although you might not have time to use your notes during the interview, you can use the notes later when you write a follow-up letters and prepare yourself for the future face-to-face interview with the same company. Make sure you ask for the name and contract information about the person who interviewed you. It is better to ask for the spelling of every word that you are not sure about spelling.

When the interview is over, ask the interviewer what the next step will be. Show your interest in working for them in the near future, and ask what you can do to follow up the interview. If the interviewer asks you to submit any additional documents, certificate, or references, do so immediately. Do not wait even for a day. When you send in additional information, make sure you attach your contact information so that the interviewer/employer knows to whom that information belongs to as well as some sentences explaining the purpose of why you sent in this information. Do not forget to thank the interviewer for the time he/she spent with you as well. If the interviewer did not ask to send any additional information, simply send a thank-you note and express your enthusiasm and interest in working for them.