Interview Questions and Answers
The road to a successful and prosperous career inevitably and invariably passes through a successful job interview. This article outlines some simple strategies that will give you a chance to pursue the job that you have always dreamt of.
Getting a job interview normally makes one feel thrilled and excited. However, as soon as you put down the phone receiver, you start worrying about the little details such as what to wear, what to say, and how to leave the interviewer with a positive impression of yourself. In this respect, job interviews can be enervating experiences. At the same time just like first dates, they may turn into wonderful opportunities for a new beginning. You can make a win-win impression about yourself with an additional doze of confidence and sufficient preparation. The good news is that good preparation and confidence are not as difficult as they seems at a first glance.
Good and thorough preparation is of profound importance to your success at a job interview or, to put it in Ben Franklin’s way, "failing to prepare is preparing to fail."
Positivism, outgoingness, and determination are the corner stones of a good preparation for a job interview. If you strike the interviewer as a positive and outgoing person within the first few seconds of the conversation, you will create the impression that you are a can-do person who is a real asset to their company. In terms of determination during the interview, you should make it clear that you really want the job and possess the skills to manage your duties in a professional and devoted manner.
Being informed is an essential part of your preparation for a job interview. So, it will be a good idea to try and find out some relevant information about the business of the company which is interviewing you. A good pre-interview strategy is to carefully study the job description and make sure that your application or resume matches the company’s requirements.
Once you are done with the preparation stage, you can go for the real thing - the interview! Arriving earlier, at least fifteen minutes before the scheduled time, leaves the impression that you are a responsible and well-organized person. Every job interview starts with a handshake and a greeting. To stand out, you should really try to make your greeting memorable: your handshake should be firm but not brusque. It will be even better if you make a steady eye contact and smile genuinely. So, shake hands, smile, and pronounce your name in a loud and clear voice. Don’t forget to speak out loud the name of the person you are introduced to: this act will demonstrate that you are paying attention, making the memory of you stick. During the interview, your posture and body language should exude confidence and control. It is also a smart strategy to match your attitude with that of the interviewers – a small initial ice-breaking is helpful for both sides. When asked a question, you should provide the interviewer with a concise and highly informative answer. Remember, that’s a conversation and not interrogation. Towards the end of the interview, make sure that you ask the questions that you outlined during the preparation phase.
Once the interview is over, hand out copies of your letters of recommendation and any other portfolio materials, shake hands again, and thank your interviewers for their time. Make sure that you exit the room as gracefully as you have entered. What to do after the interview? Well, the best post-interview strategy is not to worry about the interview itself. If you followed all the above-mentioned strategies, you can be sure you’ve done a great job!
