How to Prepare For Your Job Interview

In today's world, getting the job you want often takes more than just a good resume. Did you know that preparation can make all the difference in getting selected for a job and getting turned down? Interviewing can be considered an art, and like any skill, the better you prepare for it, the better the outcome will be.

A job interview is quite stressful, and most people are nervous whenever they think about that face-to-face meeting with an interviewer. However, if you are well prepared for a job interview, your self confidence will be high enough to override any nervousness you may feel.

What is the best way to prepare for a job interview? Most people will begin by researching the company where they hope to become employed. This is always a good idea, as it will help you to better see where the position you are seeking will fit into the company as a whole. Also, you may be asked what you know about the company when you are being interviewed. If you are knowledgeable about the company, you will look quite competent in the interviewer's eyes.

Spend some time practicing answers to interview questions, with a friend posing as the person conducting the interview. Though you may not know the exact questions that will be asked, you'll find that just the practice alone will help to increase your confidence.

You want to make sure that you are correctly dressed for a job interview. First impressions are very important! Dress in a business-like manner so that the person giving the interview will be impressed. Remember the old adage “Dress for Success” is very true! But you don't want to dress like you are going to a formal dinner. No tuxedos or glittery dresses, please! Just a simple business suit for men, and a tasteful dress or pants suit for women is perfect for a job interview.

It is very important for you to be punctual, so do everything within your power to ensure that you are not late for a job interview. In fact, its best if you are around ten minutes early. This will give you time to sit in the outer office, catch your breath, and flip quickly through the folder you will bring along with you to make sure all of your papers are in order.

What will this folder contain? Copies of your resume, perhaps a letter of reference, and any academic records that you feel would help show your qualifications for the job. You will only have this one chance to make a first impression, so make it count.

It is customary to send a thank you letter to the person who interviewed you on the day after your interview is done.

Body Language and the Interview

No one will argue about the fact that a job interview is a stressful situation. It is also agreed that appearing nervous during the interview does not send the person who is doing the interviewing the right message! What many people do not realize is that no matter how calm and collected we strive to be on the inside, there is the problem of our body language, and the message it sends to others.

Many of us don't even realize that we are telling others quite a lot about ourselves with our body language. In fact, a job interviewer can find out more about us from our body language than we would ever admit on our own. Our bodies react when we are under stress. We may unconsciously chew on our fingernails, stare at the floor blankly, or drum our fingertips on a table top. We may clear our throat, or lick our lips over and over.  All of these seemingly innocent gestures can indicate to the interviewer that we are insecure and lack confidence in ourselves.

During a job interview, you want to insure that you are sending only a positive message. Research has shown that a person's first impression of us is based 7% on what they hear us say, 38% on our tone of voice, and a whopping 55% on our body language. When you walk into the office where your interview is to take place that first impression has been made in the first three to seven seconds! By the time you take a seat in front of the desk, the interviewer already knows a lot about you.

What can you do about this? Work on your body language skills! You need to be able to see and hear yourself as others see and hear you. There are a couple of ways you can accomplish this. Have a friend with a camcorder record you while another friend acts as a mock interviewer. You would be surprised at how often you use your hands, shift your body, cross and uncross your legs, and other movements that are pure body language. If you are unable to do this, another way is to practice a mock interview in front of a large mirror while speaking into a tape recorder.

Correct not only your hand movements, but also what seem to be the little, trivial things such as sitting up straight, making eye contact with the person who is interviewing you, correct posture, and keeping both of your feet flat on the floor. These are not trivial by any means, and can truly make the difference in whether or not you get your job.

What to Say at Your Job Interview about Your Work History

So, you're stressed out about your job interview next week? Take the time to mull over some of the standard interview questions and their sample answers to better prepare yourself for what to expect.

• Describe your employment history.  Yes, even though the interviewer has your employment history listed in detail on your resume or the job application you filled out, it is still expected that you be familiar enough with the names, dates, and places you were employed to be able to recite them at will. You should also know the dates you started and left a job, and how much your salary was.  Be sure the information you tell the interviewer matches what is on the papers on his desk!

• What were your job responsibilities?  You want to be able to describe what you did on each of your previous jobs accurately and completely, while at the same time linking them as much as possible to the responsibilities of the job you are applying for. This will show you have the experience needed to do this job. Honesty is always the best policy, so don't try to embroider your previous jobs to make yourself sound important. When the hiring personnel checks your references, you don't know exactly who he will be speaking to.

• What have you been doing since your last job? Many people are nervous about any employment gaps that show up in their resume, because they figure that the interviewer is going to ask them why they were not working during that time. No, the interviewer won't be quite that blunt, but he will want to know what you did. Just be honest! Say that you did freelance work, spent the time looking after your elderly parents, had a baby and spent some time being a stay a home mother. You just need to let the interviewer know that you didn't spend that time lying on the couch watching television!

• Why are you leaving (or Why did you leave) your job?  Don't dread answering this one if it applies to you and your circumstances. Just state the facts calmly and quietly, and keep the following in mind. Don't talk badly about your former boss or the former company where you were employed. This might make the interviewer thing you would do the same for his company the next time you are job hunting. If you were laid off, state why this happened. If you're changing career directions, tell the interviewer about your plans. If by chance you were fired, briefly and tactfully tell the truth, and keep the conversation moving so you can go on to discuss why your skills are perfect for this job.

Whatever the reason, practice your answer before you go for the job interview so you will be well prepared.

How to Handle Job Interview Questions About Yourself

Answering questions about you is one of the most difficult parts of a job interview. What can you say about yourself that is positive, and yet doesn't sound like you are bragging? You should simply state the facts, being straightforward and honest. The interviewer is checking to see if what you will say matches what is in your resume, or what they may have deduced from speaking with your former employer. Also, remember that you are talking about your professional and not your personal life.

• Tell Me About Yourself.  The classic job interview question, this is not a cue for you to start chatting with the interviewer, telling him about your family, your dog, and your Great Aunt Sue. Remember, be professional! Spend some time thinking about a one-sentence description of yourself that says who you are, where your strengths lie, and what you can do for this company where you hope to work.

• How do you work under stress or pressure?  A good answer, if it fits your beliefs, would be to say that you work better under pressure, or that you deal with stress by finding the balance in your life between good and bad stress. Give an example of an occasion where you handled stress or pressure successfully so that the interviewer can get a feel for how you would react at his company.

• Do you prefer to work individually, or as part of a team?  Most companies are looking for team players, but they also want someone who can work well on their own. You may want to give an example of a time in a previous job where you worked as part of a team, and also as an individual.

• What are your salary expectations? Do a little homework on this one before the interview. Research salaries, and find out what a job like the one you are applying for usually pays. That way, when the interviewer asks about your salary requirements, you can respond with the figure that you have gleaned from your homework. Or, you can say your requirements are open, and would be based on the position you were offered, as well as the position's compensation package.

• How many hours do you work?  You'll want to be careful with this one. If you don't know what the normal workweek is like at this company, you could be seen as a slacker or an overachiever! At some companies, 40 hours a week is common, and there is never any overtime. At other companies, employees work 50 to 60 hours a week. The best answer would be “As long as it takes to get everything done."

Why Company Research Is a Good Idea for Your Interview

If you don't take the time to do some research on the company where you plan on applying for a job, you are doing both yourself and the company a disservice. For you, research can help you to find a company that is a good fit with your skills and personality, and one that you can see yourself working with long term.

The company always has their eye out for someone who would be loyal to them in action and deed, as well as capable of doing the required job. Knowing something about a company shows the employer that you are enthusiastic and interested in working for them.

During your interview, you will be asked a few questions to judge what you know about the company. Here are some to give you a good idea of what to expect.

• What can you do for this company? This is really a typical interview question when applying at a large company. If you've done your research, you shouldn't have much of a problem giving an answer, as you will know what the company's goals are. Simply match those goals with your own, and give a reason why your education and experience would make you a company asset, not a company liability.

• Why should we hire you?  Another typical question. Answer it by responding with examples of how your experience and skill combined with the needs of the company make you an ideal candidate for the job.

• Why do you want to work here? Typical interview question number three! This question is normally asked to make sure that you are really interested in the job and in working for the company. Your research will help you with this question as well. You can mention what the benefits of working for this company would be as well as how you feel you would be a company asset.

• What interests you about this job? What you will want to do when asked this question is to compare and connect the qualifications for the job with the skills and experience that you possess. This means that you will need to become familiar with the qualifications before the interview date, which will also impress the interviewer! You'll want to make known your enthusiasm for the chance to be considered for this position, along with your knowledge of what is needed to fill it.