• Posted by: Staff Editor
• On: 01/11/2007 00:00:00
• In: Job Seeker - Interview

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Let’s assume that you’ve taken the
first step in your job search by preparing and sending in a winning
resume and cover letter to the jobs that meet your search criteria.
Now, let’s take it one step further and address that all important
job interview. As with the resume and cover letter, you never get
a second chance to make a good first impression, and this meet-and-greet
session could make or break the job offer for you.
No matter how old the candidate or how much experience
he or she possesses, if you show up on a job interview late, ill
prepared, or dressed inappropriately, you could be sealing your
own fate. Your credentials may look impressive on paper, but if
you arrive for a job interview looking like the embodiment of Casual
Friday, chances are you will not be receiving a call back for that
new position. It may sound old fashioned, but a neat, professional
appearance is always apropos for a job interview. Make sure that
your shoes are not scuffed, your nails are clean or polished, your
goatee is trimmed, your bangs are not covering your eyes, and your
outfit has seen a dry cleaner recently.
Rehearse with a friend, relative, or co-worker
a day or two before the interview to sharpen your communication
skills. Practice a few devil’s advocate questions to prepare
positive responses regarding your strengths and weaknesses. Prepare
for the standard, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
questions, as well as for the more pointed, “Why do you want
this position?” Research information about the company/position
before the interview so that you can address these questions intelligently.

I always suggest to job seekers that they display
an attitude of “humble egotism”. Psyche yourself up
into creating the impression that “I’m great, I know
I’m great, but I know I have more to learn” and “I
want this job more than anything else in the world and if I don’t
get a job offer, I’m just going to lay down and die”
and show your enthusiasm, dedication, and ambition through your
words and body language. If you come in with an attitude of “show
me why I should work for this company” and halfway through
the interview you think you might want to, it’s too late.
The most important goal of the job interview is to get a job offer.
If you get an offer, then you can decide if you want to take it.
If you don’t get an offer, there is nothing to decide. You
can always think it over and turn it down later, but the name of
the game is to get that job offer above all other candidates!

Please arrive on time, if not a few minutes early,
for your interview. We know that traffic and delays occur but the
professional interview candidate anticipates for such events and
arrives composed and prepared, not out of breath and apologizing.
Walk tall, smile, make eye contact, and present a firm handshake
-- this goes for men and women.
In addition to your charming, well-coifed self,
remember to bring at least two flat copies of your resume to the
interview. Job seekers have told me numerous times of sitting down
to the interview and getting the feeling that the interviewer has
never seen their resume or at least does not remember it. Feel free
to offer another copy of the resume to the interviewer so that you
can address questions and point out your best achievements with
the two of you on the same page, as it were.
Another piece of advice along this same vein is
to try to keep the interview on target and focused on you. I can’t
tell you how many interviews are conducted by people who are just
not good at interviewing. Lack of experience, lack of interest,
over-work, and unexpected scheduling problems are a few of the reasons
why the interviewer may not know his rear from his elbow and the
poor job search candidate has to suffer the consequences!
Answer questions clearly and concisely. Don’t
get long winded or meander into personal details that are just not
appropriate to discuss. A confident, focused professional will make
a better impression than a candidate who sits back and lets the
interviewer throw out random questions. Be prepared to sell yourself
in person by highlighting your strengths, your accomplishments on
your present or previous jobs, and your eagerness to work for this
potential employer. If there are unrelated jobs or gaps on your
resume which the interviewer asks you about, be truthful and to
the point. No need to apologize for anything, just accentuate the
positive, relevant information instead.
Try not to fidget in your chair, pick at your
cuticles, hum, chew gum, tap your foot or do anything else that
might give the impression that you are a nervous, neurotic mess.
If the interviewer asks an open-ended question, “How do you
feel about status reports?” try to narrow down the focus by
asking a more specific question in return, “Would you like
to know how I handle deadlines and maintain an organized data base?”
If salary is discussed during the interview, don’t bring up
ancillary questions about benefits, personal days, or vacation time.
An interview is not the appropriate place to haggle over money --
it’s best to conduct salary negotiations only when you actually
get the job offer.

When the job interview is concluded, stand up
and extend your hand, and thank the interviewer for his/her time
and consideration of you as a qualified candidate for this position.
Leave gracefully -- you may ask when the decision is anticipated
but don’t offer to call back or give your cell phone and pager
numbers -- just walk out as confidently as you entered.
I wish you all the best of luck!

About the Author

For a free critique/price quote, email Career Resumes at Peter@career-resumes.com.
Peter Newfield is President of Career-Resumes.com,
one of the premier resume writing services in the United States.
He is The Resume Expert for SpencerStuart.com, BlueSteps.com, ExecutiveRegistry.com,
NETSHARE.com, DirectEmployer.com and the former Resume Expert for
Monster.com and the Career Center on AOL. View samples at: www.career-resumes.com