Interview Preparation
Each interview consists of 3 different phases – Opening, Body, and Closing.
Open with Impact:
It’s said that the majority of the hiring decision is made in the first minute or two of the interview. With this being the case you need to make a good first impression. Some of those quick split decisions are: “Can I trust this person?” “Does this person have integrity?” Look and appearance are important in generating a good first impression. It’s important that you look the interviewer in the eye and she their hand.
Dress Appropriately: What should you wear? Suit and Tie? Business Casual? The rule of thumb is to mirror what their environment is. If it’s business casual than you should go with Business Casual. You can also move up a notch to suit and tie, but you don’t want to go below to jeans and t-shirt.
Body:
This is the informational stage of an interview. They want to get information from you – and you want to help them get information. You want to answer their questions, but you do not want to overload them. If they ask you to tell them a little about yourself – Give a short synopsis of your industry experience. This is NOT the time to talk about your pets and summer vacations.
Be Prepared With Information:
Review your resume. Remember that, apart from a phone interview, the only information they really have to base their questions on is your resume.
Develop Your Top 10 List:
Develop a list of 10 questions based on your resume and the job description of 10 questions that they may ask you. Come up with your answers in advance.
Identify your 3 key strengths: i.e. C# / .Net, Communication, Leadership
Develop short vignettes to describe your three key strengths using the S.T.A.R Method:
EXAMPLE:
Situation: You have a software release that is coming up this Friday.
Task: I had to finish my section of code in order to meet the release date.
Action: I worked late to get my job done, but I actually implemented some enhancements which dramatically improved the GUI functionality. I also finished early which allowed me to jump in and help with the build.
Result: Product was delivered on time with some new enhancements.
No W.I.I.F.M Questions in your first interview unless the client brings it up:
Remember that the body of the interview is to give them information about you. You don’t want to ask “W.I.I.FM or What’s in it for me” questions. Questions like
What benefits do you offer?
What is the Salary?
How much vacation do you offer?
There will be a time for these questions, but your goal is to get an offer that you can negotiate. If they bring up the subject then feel free to discuss, but you still don’t want to go overboard and look greedy.
Close With Confidence:
Once the interview is winding down get ready to “ask” for the job. Thank the interviewer for their time and ask them for the job using one of the following phrases or one of your own that you feel comfortable using:
“I’d love to work for your organization when could I start?”
“Do you feel I meet the qualifications you’re looking for?”
“I’d love to receive an offer from you. Do you feel I match your qualifications?”
“When can I expect to hear from you. I’d love to get an offer and get started?”
Bottom Line… Relax and be yourself!
We will help you find the job that is suited for you.
As you search for a potential job opportunity, B3 Staffing Solutions can provide you with a comprehensive and confidential job search.
B3 Staffing Solutions gives you an opportunity to explore the local job market at no cost to you.
Once a placement is made, B3 Staffing Solutions will be compensated for their time and effort from the employer. There is never a fee for skilling new jobs.
Interviewing Strategies: Leaving Your Mark
Before you start the interview, you should make sure that you are well dressed and groomed. Whether we like it or not, first impressions do count. Some interviewers like you or dislike you in just a few seconds depending on how attractive, articulate, assertive and affable you are. Look the person you want to be perceived as.
DO NOT BE LATE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW and BE PREPARED!
What hiring managers are looking for
During the interview hiring managers are looking, among other things, for initiative, good work ethos, comparable past performance, cultural fit, intelligence and ability to solve problems. If, in addition, you can demonstrate that you understand the nature of the position and that your past performance compares well with the job objectives, you will have a good chance to get the position. Enthusiasm, positive attitude, clear responses and a sincere interest in the position, will help you score points.
Expect tough questions
Expect some tough questions during the first interview as increasingly a lot of interviewers are using the first interview to weed out unsuitable candidates. Practice, practice, practice.
Here are some of the questions you may encounter during your interview.
Describe your current situation and tell me about a significant achievement you are very proud of.
The intereviewer is trying to find out about hard work, initiative, work ethos, teamwork. Also, the interviewer will want to find out how comparable this accomplishment may be to the advertised position. So, make sure you come up with specific and measurable answers about that accomplishment.
Tell me about the longest day you worked at the office over the last 60 days. When did this happen, what did you accomplish?
The interviewer is trying to find out how energetic you are and how you deal with unexpected work requirements. Your answer to this question should show work commitment and the ability to work long hours without complaints. Try to pick up a good, relevant example.
Why do you think you are the best person for the job?
The interviewer is trying to analyse specific traits that make you suitable for the position. If you understand the major objectives for the position and tie up your comparable achievements to the job objectives. The interviewer will want to see certain skills depending on the position objectives: management skills, technical skills, planning skills, strategic skills, etc
How do you balance your personal life with the work pressures on a daily basis?
The interviewer wants to ascertain capacity for hard work and good work ethos and how you balance work with your personal life. Take time to think about the answer to this question. Do not try to come up with outrageous answers or idealistic answer. Share what you did in an actual situation when you had to juggle between home life and work.
Give me an example of when you lost a big deal. What did you learn form this experience? What would you have done differently if you went through the same process now?
Be honest and do talk openly about your failures. The interviewer is trying to find how open you are to accepting criticism. We all have had failures or lost deals but if we have learnt from them and we do not put the blame on others for our failure, this shows a flexible and open personality, willing to accept criticism and improve oneself.
How do you think your colleagues would describe you?
Pick up 4-5 adjectives that describe you as an individual and as a team member. Make sure that each adjective is followed by a good, relevant example. The interviewer wants to see what qualities make you a real professional who can work in a team environment.
Tell me about yourself
Some interviewers pick this question to start the interview. They are probably looking to find out who you really are, your communication skills, your presentation skills, how assertive and how articulate you are.
Concentrate on a summary of 1-2 of your achievements and do not make it a lenghthy monologue. Try to restrict your answer to two minutes.
How did you prepare yourself for this interview?
Most interviewers expect that you have done some basic research on the company. The minimum they expect is that you have visited the website. Depending on the nature of the position, you should visit specific areas of the web site and talk about your impressions. For instance, it is expected that a web developer would have studied the structure of the web site, a sales person would have checked out some of the major products and services the company offers. Do not underestimate the nature of this question. Knowing what the company does, means interest in the position and enthusiasm to be part of the interviewing process.
Non-desirable traits
These are the non-desirable traits candidates should not have during interviews:
- Too self-assured
- Too aggressive
- Too domineering
- Critical of previous companies and superiors
- Non-enthusiastic
- Cold
- Badly dressed
- Non-eye contact
- Too much talking
- Being unprepared
- Being late for interviews