http://www.edubook.com/how-to-impress-during-a-job-interview/17017/
In the current economy, finding a job can be difficult. Anything a person can do to increase their chances of being hired is worth trying. One of the most important factors considered by employers when deciding which potential employee to hire is performance during the interview. As a manager in the healthcare field, I have sat in on countless interviews. Some have been good. Some have been bad. Some have been entertaining. A few have even been bizarre. I know what companies look for during a job interview. I know what works and what doesn’t work. Here are a few tips to help individuals nail their job interview and make potential employers want to hire them.
If you remember only one rule after reading this, I want it to be to always dress appropriately, and appropriately is the key word. While it is always better to overdress, that doesn’t mean you should wear a three-piece suit to a job interview at a fast food restaurant. You are not going to impress anyone. You are going to get laughed at. A nice pair of slacks and collared shirt will suffice. Find out what most people that work for the company wear on a day-to-day basis, and dress accordingly.
Researching the company as much as possible is also recommended, and is by far the best way to impress a potential employer. When hiring for a recent opening at my company, all the applicants were well qualified and had impressive resumes. The determining factor in picking our new employee was the initiative one individual took. This candidate researched our company through the internet and our newsletters and was armed with information for their interview. They knew what software programs we used most often, and even mentioned ways they could assist us on upcoming company projects. If you show you are willing to make the extra effort to get a job, you establish yourself as an individual that a company can count on down the road.
Being confident is key, but being arrogant will get you nowhere. Let’s face it. Everyone is nervous prior to a job interview. If someone tells you otherwise, they are either lying or didn’t want the job in the first place. Speak clearly and firmly when you respond to questions. When the interviewers try to fluster you with questions, don’t be afraid to pause for a moment to compose your thoughts. A quick response isn’t always best. Blurting out a meaningless string of words while you try to come up with a better answer in your head leaves the wrong impression with interviewers.
When you are asked about your biggest weaknesses, don’t say that you don’t have any or give some ridiculous answer such as you work too hard. No one is perfect, and if you claim that you are, most employers are going to be mad. It is okay to give a legitimate answer to this question. In fact, the question can actually be used to your advantage. If you are applying for your first job, then say your weakness is experience. Then sneak in the fact that because of your lack of experience, you are easier to train and teach new policies and procedures. After all, you won’t have any old habits to break because you have never been with another company.
If you can, give a specific example from your life or previous job that helps answer the questions you are asked. Saying that you are a hard worker is great. Explaining to me how you used your organizational skills and quick thinking to get your job finished despite being short two employees, leaves a much better impression. Real life, concrete examples of your skills at work are invaluable. Make sure to inject as many as possible into your responses.
Having someone grill you with prep questions can also be a big help. Even if it is a friend or family member asking you the questions, at least you have the experience of the interview setting. Much like preparing for a speech, answering a few questions prior to an interview can alleviate a lot of the stress. It can also give you an opportunity to think about bits of information you want to make sure you mention during your interview.
Success in a job interview starts well before you start answering questions. If you come armed with information and specifics rather than stereotypical and cliché answers, you are going to greatly increase your odds of being hired. They say in life, it’s not what you know, but who you know. I say that it’s not what you know, but how you well you show people what you know. It is possible to win over a potential employer during an interview. Don’t waste a golden the opportunity.
