After the Training, Tips for the Job Interview

I just read an excellent article by Rachel Zupek, a writer for CareerBuilder.com. She shared some very interesting interview tips that I thought would be valuable to pass along.

In her article “Have You Tried These Interview Tips?” Rachel reviewed some very familiar suggestions that we have all heard before: Dress professionally; make eye contact; research the company; and have a firm handshake. She then turned things around by asking a few job seekers for their ideas. Here are some of those suggestions.

1. Ask the important questions, such as: 'Have I said anything that would lead you to believe I'm not the best person for this position?' This gives you an opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings and it also gives you a chance to redeem yourself or explain where you are coming from on something. It also shows that if there's a problem, you are capable of fixing it." Another question that is helpful, and that they do not expect -- 'I know you are interviewing a lot of candidates for this position and I'd like to leave this interview feeling like I've done my absolute best. Where do I stand in comparison to the other candidates so far?' – shows boldness and that you are aggressive in your job search."

2. The interview is not about the candidate, it's about the job. No matter how great you are as a person or employee, the interviewer is trying to fill a position. Hence, talk about the job as much as possible. Ask what a perfect candidate would be like. Only occasionally talk about yourself and only to show how you suit their requirements."

3. Research the company -- and the interviewer. "Find out some information about your interviewer(s). See if you share anything in common and understand that they're a person, too, with interests, background and hobbies. Whether or not you know who will interview you, you'd better make sure you know as much as possible about the company and don't be afraid to let them know what you know.”

4. Can you take the heat? "I've found that saying that I can take constructive criticism has a big impact on employers. They need to know that you are not going to fold under scrutiny. Especially with the younger generation, where we have been coddled quite a bit with excessive praise and self-esteem boasters, you need to show you are resilient."

5. List five things you've accomplished during your previous job and concentrate on those items during your interview. That can give you a boost of confidence when going to the interview.

6. Make it personal. "One thing that you can do that has gotten positive feedback is send a handwritten thank-you note."

7. Show your research. "Print out a couple pages of the Web site from the company you're interviewing with and bring it with you to the interview. Keep it on top of your résumé ... when you open up your notebook or binder to take notes or pull out your résumé, the interviewer will see the printed company materials and assume you've done your research. Of course, ideally you have actually researched the company ... in which case you're showcasing that fact."

8. Know the job description. "Reviewing the job description will help you customize your answers by addressing the specific needs of the organization and requirements of the position to your skill set."

9. Keep your answers to questions short and to the point. "Don't volunteer extra information.”

10. Be gracious. "Be polite to absolutely everybody. If someone gets you a cup of coffee, thank them; hold the door for someone else -- that kind of thing. Give the receptionist or the last person you see a cheery goodbye. You want to leave a good impression."

11. Speak as if you have the job. "Steal a page from the presidential candidates and talk if as if you already have the job. Say 'I will," not 'I would.' 'I can,' not 'I could.' This will remove doubt instead of inject it. Bosses like someone confident and proactive.