Don’t be Late for an Interview

This may seem obvious, but it happens way too often. No matter the reason, there is no excuse for it (besides an injury or family emergency and then kudos for you for showing up). Getting lost, bad traffic, or losing track of time doesn’t matter to an interviewer. They are taking time away from their primary duties to sit down with you to try and give you a job. It is rude and disrespectful to not show up on time.

Here are a few tips to ensure this doesn’t happen:

* Do a dry run. If you are going to a city or a part of the city you are not familiar with drive there a few days before. Ideally you will do it during a week day at a similar time to your interview time to gauge the amount of time it takes to get there.

* Leave early. Not just 15 minutes early, you can plan to arrive 30-60 minutes before your interview time. Don’t go into the building though. Get into the area, find a coffee shop and relax while reading the paper or reviewing your resume. Not only will this ensure that you are on time it also gives you time to relax and calm yourself before walking into the building.

* Pay for parking. Don’t circle the block 12 times looking for cheap parking on the street. Pay the money to park in a parking garage. You do not want to waste valuable time looking for parking and start to stress yourself at the same time.

If you are running late (but really, you shouldn’t be), make sure you call. The interviewer may not have time to complete the interview if you are running late and you will save both of you the time if you let them know. You can try and salvage the faux pas by trying to book another appointment right away. And if you are lucky enough to get a second chance, follow the tips above to arrive not only on time, but early.

How to Thank an Interviewer?

You may think that it is best to follow-up with an interviewer to thank them for their time and keep your name in the forefront of their mind. While this may have that affect on them, it may not be in the positive way you are looking for. An interviewer takes time out of their regular job to fill vacancies in a department. It is an extremely busy and stressful time for them and they do not want (nor have time to) take calls from everyone that they have completed interviews with.

But this is not to say that sending along a thank you is a bad idea, it’s not. The method that you thank your interviewer is going to make a difference. If you received a business card, send a quick e-mail to thank them for their time and that you are looking forward to hearing from them. Quick and to the point and leave it at that. Do not expect a reply because you probably won’t get one and do not follow-up on your e-mail to make sure they received it – you will become an annoyance.

Second to sending a quick e-mail, you can send a short and professional thank you note (this means no scented stationary or something too cutesy). The message should be similar, thanking the interviewer for taking the time to sit down with you, express how much you enjoyed speaking with them and learning more about the company. It is a nicety that while not necessary, can be an added touch to a strong interview.

It may not guarantee you the job, but thank you notes, if done the right way, may open doors for you in the future. If there are openings in the company at a later time, the interviewer may remember you and think of you before others.

How Not to Obsess after a Job Interview?

The interview is over and you can’t help but sigh with relief. You made it through and it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would (or maybe it was, but hey it was a good experience). Now, you might think you are in the clear and all you have to do is wait. While it is true that waiting is the next step, it is not that easy. Some even find it more difficult between the time the interview has been completed to the time they hear back from the company on whether or not they received the position.

Unless you discover that you have given the interviewer misinformation, don’t continue to go over your answers again and again. If you look for flaws you will find them. It is unnecessary torture. Keep yourself busy and if you are on a serious job hunt, continue with your search and put the interview on the back burner until you hear back. If you did provide wrong information that would be crucial to a decision you may want to consider following up to correct the wrong depending on what it was. If it was for a driving job and they asked if you have had any speeding tickets in the past three years and you said yes but later discovered it happened four years ago – definitely call. If on the other hand, you were quoting sales results and underestimated the number of sales you made; it would probably be best left as it was.

Keep yourself busy as you wait for an answer from your interview. And if it happens that you didn’t get the job use it as a learning experience. If there were questions you wished you would have answered differently at least you know that now for the next interview you attend.

Ask Your Own Questions

Okay, you have made it to the end of your interview and the interviewer says it is now your turn. They want to know if you have any questions for them. And most likely you do: “How did I do” and “Are you going to hire me” – unfortunately you can’t ask either one. But there are questions that you can ask to glean some information on how you performed and to determine if the company is a right fit for you.

Although it is not acceptable to ask how you did in an interview, it is okay and encouraged to ask what the next steps are and the timeline for them. Depending on how this is answered, you may be able to figure out their reaction to you. But this is not full- proof and is not a guarantee. If they take the time to explain all the checks they need to go through, how many people they have left to interview and so on, they are probably interested and want you to understand that there is still steps left in the process. If they only tell you that you will hear from them within a certain period of time via letter, well it isn’t as promising.

Look at the opportunity to ask your own questions as your chance to interview the company. Of course you have done your research prior to attending and have made up a list that you wrote down before attending. Show your preparedness and pull out the list to ask your questions. Things like company direction and expansion show an interest in the business. Feel free to take notes; it can earn you brownie points. Ask questions that are important to you as well, if vacation time and benefits are a deal breaker for you, find out now what the company has to offer.

The Panel Interview

An interview is stressful; you are on display and have to sell yourself as the best candidate for a position in a company. The only thing worse than an interview is the panel interview – when two or more people are asking you questions and watching your every move. This situation may not intimidate everyone, but it is certainly not a comfortable position to be in.

The reason for a panel interview is to get the opinion of multiple people at the same time on the viability of a work candidate. Typically the people that attend are from various departments within the company – a representative from human resources and the department that is hiring at a minimum. This saves time and money for the company and lets them see how the candidates react under pressure.

When you are listening to questions during a panel interview, maintain eye contact with the person who is speaking. Once the question has been asked, make sure to address your answer to all who are present. Make eye contact with everyone and include them in your attention. Be prepared for follow-up questions from any or all of the attendees. Each one is going to want to know information from an angle that will directly affect their department.

You may find that in some panel interviews, only one person does the talking and everyone else is there simply to observe. Still address all of your comments to the group and don’t let this unnerve you. It is definitely stressful, but not unusual. Be flattered that they consider you a strong enough candidate to gather more than one person to evaluate your interview and choose you to work for the company. An interview is an investment for a company, an expenditure of money in the form of salaries; you are there because you have a chance at the position so take advantage of the opportunity.

Bring Doubles of Everything to an Interview

In addition to a list of questions you want to ask and a pen and notepad you should also bring duplicate copies of anything else that you may need to provide to the interviewer. When booking the interview, ask if there is anything specific you should bring with you (normally references is the only requirement). But if you are applying for a driving job, a driver’s abstract may be required or if you are applying as a writer you may be asked to bring in a sample of your work.

Make sure to write down the requested items to bring and make duplicates. If more than one person is going to interview you, bring one for each of them and then one more. This show forethought and preparedness. You also don’t want to make your interviewer look bad by not being prepared if they forgot or lost your resume. Let them know that you brought an extra copy for them and hand it over.

Chances are this won’t happen, but won’t you be happy if it does and you are prepared? By brining more copies than are required, you can provide your extra copy to the other interviewers so they are not all huddled around the one copy of your writing portfolio or resume.

Even if you are not asked to bring references to the interview, take the time to type out and print copies anyway. If the interview went well you are sure to be asked for them and this again, shows that you think ahead and make the necessary preparations. Do not show up without any special documents that were specifically requested of you, if you do not think you can obtain them in the timeframe given be sure to let the person know before you arrive for the interview.

Be Confident in a Job Interview

Who isn’t nervous during a job interview? Even the most self-assured candidate is going to have a moment or two of self-doubt. But the trick is to keep this to yourself and portray an image of confidence. This is what a potential employer wants to see if you are not confident in your own abilities why should they be. Here are a few ways to exude confidence.

Make eye contact, nothing is more of a dead give away of poor self-confidence than a person that will not look someone in the eye. Walk up to your interviewer, extend your hand and look in them in the eye when you greet them and express your pleasure of meeting them. And don’t beat around the bush when you are talking. Saying thinks like, “Well, I kind of helped with a project but I didn’t run it myself,” screams I do not think I am worthy of this position. Instead, say this, “I assisted in a very successful project and played a key role in bringing it to completion.” Your role in the project may not have changed the perception the interviewer has of you has.

If you haven’t been on very many interviews or it has been some time since you last attended one, it is understandable to be nervous. The more interviews you complete, the more confidence you will gain in your abilities to sell yourself. And you have to remember that if you were not qualified you would not have gotten the interview in the first place. Use that knowledge to your advantage and instill confidence in yourself. As a back-up measure, get some friends or family members to remind you of all of your great traits and what makes you special – an ego boost before an interview can certainly boost your confidence level.

Don’t Make Assumptions

This is a good piece of advice to follow in life, but it also has a special place in an interview setting. You want to be viewed as someone who understands what is necessary and can deliver the expected results – more than just in the interview room – and making assumptions will not guarantee you will be viewed like this.

The easiest and best way to avoid assumptions is to ask for clarification. If a question is asked that is ambiguous or you really aren’t sure what they mean, ask them to explain it to you. Sometimes, without meaning to, an interviewer will use company jargon or acronyms in a question or in conversation. You can respond by saying, “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with that term, could you explain it to me please?” Not only will this show that you are paying attention but it will also demonstrate that you have an interest in the company and what they are about.

When you are answering a question and you need to include company specific terminology, be sure to explain what you mean. In addition, you cannot assume that your interviewer will know what you are talking about either. Take a moment to either set up your answer with the required information to understand what you are talking about or pause and explain certain phrases or words. Better yet, if you can use common terms in the place of company specific ones, it is the preferable way to go.

Lastly, don’t assume that the job is in the bag. No matter how confident you are that you are the most qualified person for the position – it isn’t yours until you have received a job offer. Make the best impression you have and keep the mindset that you are still competing for the job and sell yourself accordingly.

Pauses and Silences are Okay

There are going to be a lot of periods during an interview when there are going to be pauses in conversation or flat out silence. This can be initiated by you or the interviewer and in most cases either is not an indicator that something is amiss.

You can ask for a moment to think of an answer and during this time there is most likely going to be complete silence. This is fine and perfectly normal, don’t get distracted because no one is talking, use the time you have asked for wisely and think of the best answer or example you can give.

If the interviewer is taking notes (and most likely they are), be comfortable with the fact that there is going to be pauses in between questions and they try and write everything down. This is actually a good thing because it means they have liked what you have to say and want to remember it when they are later making a decision on who to hire. Don’t feel the need to fill this space, let them continue writing and wait for the next question.

If you have answered a question and it is met by silence and the interviewer is not writing anything done, you may be at a loss as to what you should do. It could signal that the interview is expecting more information or they are not satisfied with the answer. You won’t know unless you ask, “Do you want me to elaborate on that?” If the answer is no, just patiently wait for the next question to be asked.

Don’t worry that the interviewer is not praising you on your answer to each question and continue onto the next one. They do not want to give you an indication of how you are doing during the interview and are trained to be neutral when responding to answers, if the respond at all.

Know what Your References are Going to Say about You?

Before attending an interview, you should have your references lined-up and ready to provide to the interviewer when asked. More than just writing down names and phone numbers of previous employers and bosses, you need to do additional preparation. Finding out how a former employer views you and your work history with them is vital before providing that information to a potential employer. Even if your memory of your time spent there is positive, you don’t know how you were remembered or what will be said unless you ask.

Your first step should be to contact everyone that you are considering using as a reference. You will want to confirm they are working for the same company and if their phone number is the same. If a boss has moved to another company, you can still utilize them as a reference provided you can track them down.

When you reach a potential reference, don’t assume they will remember you and everything about you – remind them. Things you say during your conversation can have a positive outcome on what they have to say about you later on. Ask them if they are comfortable providing you with a favorable reference and if there is any feedback they have for you. If you are very comfortable you can flat out ask how they felt about your time working with them and what they would say about you if someone called to ask.

If you are not comfortable with providing a direct supervisor or boss you can use other employees in the company that old a supervisory position. Think of people you have worked closely with on projects or such – they are valid and reputable people to provide as references too.

But if you have made it through the interview process, a reference would have to go quite badly for it to affect a possible job offer.

Poor Working Relationship with your Boss

It may be the reason you are looking for another job in the first place – you and your current boss do not work well together. And good for you for taking charge of the situation to find something that is a better fit for you. But how do you approach this situation so it will not hinder your chances at a new company? There are a few steps you should take first and you need to mind what you say during the interview.

A lot of interviews will contain at least one question about your working relationship with your current boss. They can take many forms and you should prepare for a lot of different types of questions that may be asked. No matter what the question, even if it is one asking you to describe conflict with your boss, be positive and do not bash anyone in your answers.

Remove any emotions from the equation and explain the situation using the facts and highlight all of the professional steps you have taken to rectify the situation. Don’t try and make your boss sound like the bad guy, and try to de-emphasize the entire event. It may seem like an opportunity to vent about the situation but if you do, your are cutting off an avenue to escape the working relationship you want to get away from. Present the facts, be neutral and highlight your problem-solving skills.

If you are concerned that your current boss will sabotage your efforts to find another job during the reference check stage you can solve this in a couple of ways. If your boss is reasonable and the two of you just don’t work well together, chances are you don’t have to worry too much. Be sure to give him or her a heads up though. If you aren’t comfortable with this, try and find another manager that you have worked for in the company previously that you can pass on as a reference.

Responding to Taboo Questions

Not all interview questions are acceptable. There are certain topics that should not be brought up and information that a potential employer has no right asking for. Some of these questions are not legal and others while legal may leave you feeling uncomfortable. You do not have to answer certain questions, but how you let the interviewer know this can determine if your application will continue forward.

For more information on questions that should not be asked or that you do not have to answer, contact your local government office that handles labor relations. They can provide these guidelines to you at no charge. If questions are being asked about your private life (and you are uncomfortable answering them), you do not have to. You can mildly tell the interviewer that you plan on devoting the time you spend at work to work and your personal life stays in your personal life. And try to leave it at that. If the interviewer keeps pressing, you will have to decide if the job is worth it to you.

It is your decision to provide the information you do – know your rights beforehand – but you can still decide to answer a question that should not be asked. Keep in mind that if a potential employer wants details about how you spend time outside of work it may be because they expect their employees to put in a lot of extra hours and they are trying to gauge if you have commitments that would prevent you from doing this.

Other questions, such as sexual orientation, past relationships, and other lifestyle choices have no business in an interview setting. If there is a physical aspect to the job and a medical evaluation is necessary, this is typically done by a doctor or other medical professional who will give you clearance. You do not have to provide details to the interviewer.

Enthusiasm in a Job Interview

Are you excited at the prospect of getting a new job and are thrilled that you were called in for an interview? Well, then show it when you are being interviewed! Bring an energy and attitude to the interview that will make the company take notice. The process of interviewing is usual a long and boring one for those on the other side of the table. Do your part to make it easier for them to choose you as the best candidate.

Just think of all the people before and after you that are also going to be interviewed for the same position. If all other things were equal – qualifications and the answers to the interview questions – what is going to set you apart from the rest? You can be enthusiastic and smile when answering (when appropriate) and still maintain an aura of professionalism. You want to exude charisma and keep the interviewer’s attention. They have heard a lot of the answers already, but you can get the message across with more than words.

Someone who is excited to get a job and lets that excitement be known is going to have a better chance than someone who talks in a monotone and with little to no emotion. Don’t be afraid to smile and use phrases as “that’s great” or “wonderful” when you are told about the company. Be the type of person that the company wants to represent them and you will increase the chances of a job offer.

A few words of caution: don’t go overboard. Be genuine in your enthusiasm and be yourself. Sincerity is key or your enthusiasm could work against you instead of for you. If you are naturally bubbly by nature, tone it down a bit for the interview so you do not overwhelm your hosts.

Be Honest in Job Interviews

There is a difference between telling a story highlighting the positive to make you sound better and lying to the interviewer. It is rare for a company to not conduct reference check these days so don’t say anything that can not be verified by your boss or other references that you provide.

There are many ways to get into trouble during an interview and lying is the most severe. Common fibs that are told include educational degrees that you do not hold, saying that you are a manager when really you are a team lead and taking credit for a project that was completed by a coworker. All of these things can make you sound good at the time of the interview, but what if the interviewer talks to your boss about the stellar project you ran for the company when it really wasn’t you. Your boss is not going to lie for you and if you were in the running for the job, you won’t be anymore.

The best way to handle these scenarios is to tell the truth but put you in the best light. Maybe you were a part of the project, instead tell the interviewer the part you played and share the success of the project as a whole. An employee that can recognize and share in the success in others is preferable to one who doesn’t tell the truth or wants all of the credit for themselves.

This does not mean that you have to share all anything that doesn’t put you in a positive position though. The key is to be honest and only bring up examples that are going to highlight your talents and work history in the best possible way. Don’t claim or state anything that cannot be backed up by your references.

Be Thorough but to the Point

If you love to talk and when you are nervous can go on and on, or if you are the opposite and clam up when you are in a stressful situation – you need to be conscious of this and not do either in an interview. When asked a question, an interview wants enough information that will help them understand what you are talking about, but not extraneous irrelevant information.

If you are answering a question using an example from your previous or current job and there is a lot of jargon or acronyms – try to use more common place term that more people are familiar with or explain what you mean in the beginning. If you are asked to describe a time when you lead a project – explain what the project was about, how many people you managed and any key points that demonstrate what a great job you did. What you don’t want to do is get side-tracked and give details that aren’t relevant to the question. The interviewer is not going to be interested in a play by play of the entire project – they want to know your role in it.

Keep on topic; take a moment before answering a question to organize the details in your mind. You don’t want to start answering, get sidetracked and forget the point you were trying to make. If you stay on topic and know what you are going to say, you are going to be able to keep the interviewer’s attention.

If you are a person of few words, practice with a friend or family member before your interview. Learn how to expand your answers so you give thorough information without living the interviewer wanting more. But if you are in doubt, less is better – an interviewer will ask follow-up questions if necessary.

Etiquette Rules during Job Interviews

During an interview you need to mind your manners and follow an unspoken code of etiquette. This is more than your mom’s “keep your elbows off the table.” Business manners are going to be key, an interview is so much more than what you have to say – it is how you present (or sell) yourself. If part of the job you are applying for is dealing with clients or executives from other companies, you can be guaranteed how you act is part of the decision making process.

Eye contact, you have to be able to maintain eye contact without being uncomfortable. There are some acceptable ways to do this. If you are answering a question, it is okay to glance away when gathering your thoughts but if you are listening to someone keep your attention focused on them (even if their eyes are wandering). This shows good manners and that you care about what they have to say.

Do not under any circumstances have gum or a mint in your mouth during the interview. If you want to be sure that you have fresh breath, chew gum or suck on the mint before arriving at your destination but discard or finish them before you enter the building. It is distracting and rude to have them in your mouth when answering questions.

Use your interviewer’s name, ideally you found out who you would be interviewed by when the meeting was arranged. If it isn’t provided to you, be sure to ask who you will be meeting with and their position. When you arrive, shake hands and greet the person by name. If you are just learning their name, repeat it and remember it. You want to be sure to get it right and thank them for their time when you are leaving.

Procedural Questions

Procedures are a part of life, especially in the working world. Each company has their own set of policies and rules that they expect their employees to follow. An interviewer is going to ask questions to determine if you would do things they way they want (for instance making a sale or handling a customer complaint). Without training, you will not know with any degree of certainty how the company would want you to handle different situations but there are ways to answer that can increase your chances of getting the job.

What an interviewer is looking for in an answer is your philosophy towards circumstances that occur in the company. Your natural instincts and personality is going to come through at some point no matter what you have been trained to do. Questions like, “How would you satisfy a customer if they wanted to return something after the return policy has expired?” can be tricky to answer. The best way to answer them is to begin with saying, “Of course, if hired I would abide by the company’s guidelines – but in this circumstance I would…”

By starting your answer with this phrase you are showing that you recognize a company is going to have its own policies and ways of doing things and that you are flexible enough to modify your way of doing things to align with those processes. Even role playing scenarios for are a test to see if your way of thinking is in line with the company’s. This genre of question can backfire on you though if your answer is completely opposite what the company is looking for. If you have done your research on the company prior to the interview you should have a good idea of how they handle customers and sales in general.

If you Get Stumped by a Question

You can prepare for an interview until you are blue in the face and still get stumped on a question during the process. It is okay, it happens to a lot of people. Some questions come out of left field, sometimes you draw a blank, and others – you really don’t know what to say. Here is a brief run down of what you can do in these three situations.

A (Seemingly) Off Topic Question – These may be thrown in to the interview out of curiosity by the interviewer or to gauge your knowledge on a certain subject. It is not a reason to dismiss the question though and not pay it the care and attention you would to any other one. Do your best, and if you really can’t figure out the correlation between the question and the job you are applying to, you can ask at the end of the interview – along the lines, “out of curiosity….”

You Draw a Blank – Ask for a minute to compose your answer, and do some fast brainstorming. If you feel that the silence is becoming uncomfortable, you can ask to come back to the question at the end of the interview. As long as you do go back to it, this is an acceptable solution. Silence is okay during an interview when you are trying to think of an answer, do not feel obligated to fill the silence, concentrate on the answer you want to give.

You Don’t Know What to Say – If it is a matter that you are sure what the interviewer is looking for in an answer, ask for clarification. Sometimes asking for an example of what they mean can guide you in what you should say. If you take a shot in the dark, you might provide what they want – but why take the chance?

Make a Connection

Depending on how popular or sought after the job you are interviewing for is you will have a lot of competition for a few positions. A stellar interview is crucial to make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. To give yourself an added edge and cement yourself in your interviewer’s mind, try to make a personal connection with them at some point in the interview.

A personal connection can take numerous forms. If you are in the interviewer’s office and they have a picture of a sailboat on their wall (and you happen to love sailing), make an appropriate comment that identifies you as a sailor too. This may not put you above others more qualified than you but it will help you to stand out amongst those you are in direct competition with.

Take your cues from the interviewer, if they seem uncomfortable with relaying any personal information or are not comfortable veering off topic then follow their lead. If a personal conversation does develop, let the interviewer guide it. When they bring it to a close and either get back to the questions or say good bye, leave it at that.

At the end of the day, interviewers want to hire people that are qualified and who will fit in with the rest of the team at the company. If you can make a connection and have the right skill sets you will be giving yourself a better chance than someone else. You will also help the interviewer recall who you are and stick out in their mind as that candidate who knew a lot about sailing.

If you are not comfortable with discussing personal topics during an interview, don’t feel that you must go out of your way to do so. At the end of the day, your qualifications are what you should be highlighting.

Put a Positive Spin on Everything

A potential employer wants to hire people with a positive attitude. You should project this image in your demeanor, facial expressions, and most importantly in the content of your answers. You may be the strongest candidate that the interviewer has seen but you still will not get the job if you are negative and insult former bosses or co-workers.

The best way to do this is to put a positive spin on all of your answers. Many interviews will include a question along one of these lines:

* Have you had a challenging relationship with a co-worker or boss? Tell us about it.
* What conditions in a workplace make it hard to do your job?
* How can people tell when you are in a bad mood at work?

Really, all of these are trick questions. Yes, the interviewer really does want to know how you have handled conflict in the workplace and how you deal with a bad day at work. But, they want to see if you can explain this without talking negatively and show that you can problem solve your way out of certain situations. Even if you have a great story to tell about you and a co-worker, unless you handled yourself as professionally as possible and the story portrays you in a positive light do not tell it.

If an interviewer asks how co-workers or customers can tell if you are in a bad mood, there is only one right answer, “They can’t.” You can (and should) elaborate on this, but by answering the question in this vein you are showing that you can leave personal problems and stresses outside the workplace without them affecting your job or others.

Be the kind of person that people want to hire, realistic with an attitude of getting along with others and the ability to get a job done.