If the interview is over lunch, do not order an alcoholic drink or something that is messy to eat. (Choose a salad rather than a huge layered sandwich.) Lunch interviews are always tricky – “What should I order? Will I be able to really provide enough information while they are eating, or, more importantly, while […]
Interviewing Tips for Job Seekers
Interview Tip 8. Understand the responsibilities of the position – for example, if position title has the word supervisor or manager in it, be ready to explain your past experience in supervising or managing people and projects.
Research the position and know what is expected of the position for this particular organization. What are the responsibilities, the qualifications required, and the special projects? Once you know these, demonstrate your abilities to meet the requirements and special duties of the position based on your past experience in similar positions or your education. […]
Interview Tip 7. Explain why you are qualified for and excited about the position. Show your enthusiasm and interest during the interview.
A typical question at the end of an interview is, “Why do you think you are the best qualified person for the position?” Or they may provide you an opportunity to summarize. You should always be ready for this type of question. Based on what you have learned in the interview and the information […]
Interview Tip 6. Be ready to provide examples of how you handled situations in past positions.
The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior, which is why interviewers want to know how you handled situations in the past. It is important to provide detailed examples of how you dealt with stressful situations, irate customers, and poor employees. They also want to know how you handled projects, with descriptions of […]
Interview Tip 5. Review your resume and letter before your interview, so you don’t have to refer to them to answer questions like, “How long have you worked for ABC Agency?”
In most cases, the interviewer will have a copy of your resume and letter, so you need to remember what you sent to this specific organization. In some cases, they will not have your resume and letter, so bring an extra copy just in case. You need to be able to talk about your […]
Interview Tip 4. Ask who will be at the interview – how many people, their titles, format of interviews, and timing of interviews.
When you are called for an interview, make sure you get all the details: location of office, specific room of interview or where to check in, parking arrangements, time and who will be involved with the interview. Ask how many people will be conducting the interview and their titles. Interviews can involve many formats, […]
Interview Tip 3. Obtain and review the organizational chart of the department or division for which you are seeking a position.
In addition to learning about the firm or agency, you will need to understand the organizational chart of the organizations so you can determine which department or division you will be working with if you receive an offer. Find out the name of the Department/Division and its function related to the other departments/divisions. How […]
Interview Tip 2. Research the company/organization or firm before the interview – understand their product or service.
Before your interview, research the firm/organization and find out whether it is non-profit, government, corporation or small business. The best place to look is their web site—look at all the pages on the web site to determine what types of services or products they offer. The web site will also provide some of the […]
Interview Tip 1. Prepare questions you would ask if you were the hiring manager – and then be prepared to answer the questions.
A few days before the interview, brainstorm a list of questions you think they may ask you. Prepare the answers and then practice them. Ask yourself what you would want to know about candidates if you were the hiring manager. The day before the interview, review the questions and answers again to make sure […]