JOB INTERVIEW

What Is The Purpose Of A Job Interview?
---- A job interview is the first stage in employment screening. The purpose of a job interview is for you to get to know each other and find out whether there's a good fit of skills, experience and attitude.
Why should you care what the purpose of a job interview is?
---- It's typically seen by the interviewee as an interrogation or even an examination.

Job interview techniques are vital to getting that job offer. Success is about more than just turning up and being well qualified.
It's a myth that the best candidate gets the job. Chances are it's the person who's used proper job interview techniques - the strongest interviewee. If you can impress in the interview, you're much more likely to make it to the next round.
It's a competitive market out there.
Fortunately there are strategies and tactics you can use before, during and after the interview to tip the odds in your favor.
Human nature means the interviewer will have their own biases, even if they're not aware of them. They'll be constantly assessing how you're performing, compared to their expectations - and the first few minutes are when they'll form their main impression.
It's essential to use job interview techniques that influence the interviewer positively and demonstrate clearly why you're the ideal candidate for the job.

The good news is that there are techniques you can apply, to help you remain calm and confident - showing them the best "you".
The two most important interview techniques are making sure you're well prepared and being able to prove what you're saying.




Job Interview First Impressions

You only get a few moments to make a good first impression in a job interview. Job interview first impressions can make or break your chances of getting a job offer.
The recruiter will make judgments about you in those first few seconds. Here are 3 factors they'll be considering.



Appearance
Are your clothes professional? Are they clean? Do they fit well?

Are your nails clean and tidy? Or bitten and scruffy?

Posture: are you sitting / standing confidently or slouching? This might make them think you're either too nervous or too laid back.


Handshake
Your handshake is one of the most important parts of a first impression. A firm (but not vice-like) handshake, good eye contact and a relaxed smile give you a confident start.

If you're not sure about your handshake, ask for feedback from a friend.


Smile
There are two elements to a smile:
1. Good, relaxed eye contact.
2. A relaxed, confident smile. It doesn't matter whether or not you show your teeth.

If the interviewer feels like your penetrating stare is too much or your manic grin is uncomfortable, you won't make a great first impression.

If you're unsure, practise in front of a mirror.



What to Take To a Job Interview

YES
Copy of your CV / Resume
It's not uncommon for the interviewer to forget it.
YES
Notepad and pen
Write down any questions you have for the interviewer.
Resist the temptation to make notes during the interview, unless it's essential information.
MAYBE
Briefcase / Handbag
Yes, if it makes you feel more confident and saves you carrying paper and keys in your pockets
NO
Mobile phone
Don't take it into the interview, unless it's switched off. Cancel any alarms.
NO
Voice recorder
The answer is almost definitely no. It's likely to make the interviewer uncomfortable or even suspicious that you might want to use it against them, if you don't get the job.
NO
References and certificates
You don't need to take these, unless you're specifically asked to provide them for the interview.
It's best to avoid the risk of losing certificates.







Job Interview Manners and Etiquette
It’s easy to make a silly mistake with job interview manners. It could offend the interviewer and count against you. Here are the Dos and Don'ts of job interview manners, to help you get it right.
Turn up early • Not more than 15 minutes (or you'll be either inconveniencing someone or sitting, waiting in reception for a long time). Sit in the car park, if you need to!
• Not less than 5 minutes, or you may appear to be late.
• Being late is bad manners and can make an employer think you’d be late on all deadlines.

Have a firm, but not vice-like handshake • You only get one chance to make a first impression.
• Your handshake is one of the most important parts of a first impression.

Treat everyone with respect • You never know who is involved in the recruitment process.
• It’s common for even the receptionist to be asked their opinion of candidates.
• Watch your manners over lunch. The job interview isn’t confined to the meeting room.

Don’t get caught unprepared • Don’t spend most of the interview gushing about how much you want to work for the company, only to have to admit you haven’t even bothered to visit one of their stores…
• Researching the company shows you're enthusiastic and give you a great head start.
• It is bad manners to go to a job interview, unless you’re actually interested in the job.

Respect the company culture – formal / less so • It’s a job interview. No matter how much rapport you feel with the interviewer, you’re not in the pub with your mates.
• Be polite & courteous. Let the interviewer take the lead.

Don’t Be A “No Show” • If you're not really interested, have the decency to turn down the offer of the interview. Don't waste everybody's time.
• If you're going to cancel, let them know. Don't be a "no show". It takes a place away from a more suitable candidate.
• Remember it's a small world: you never know when you might need to do business with someone who was annoyed by your rudeness.

Job Interview Preparation Strategies
12 essential questions that make job interview preparation easy

Job interview preparation strategies need to prepare you for any question thrown at you.

Few of us are used to thinking about our strengths. Yet, when we're in a job interview, we're suddenly supposed to be able to "market" ourselves.

The following 12 questions are a highly effective job interview preparation strategy. Spend time thinking about your responses, because you will find they form a fundamental part of your interview preparation.

By knowing the answers to these, you will find yourself easily able to identify key achievements for your CV and being able to give quick, compelling answers in an interview.

Think about being able to impress the interviewer, as you clearly stay relaxed under pressure, where other candidates would be fighting for answers.
1. What have I enjoyed most about my career so far?
2. What are my transferable strengths and skills (i.e. useful to a new employer)
3. What are my weaknesses / development areas?
4. Which key things have I learned (either concrete skills or about my personal attributes)?
5. What have been my biggest achievements?
6. What wouldn't have happened, if I hadn't worked in my current / previous roles?
7. What do I have to offer my next employer?
8. What evidence can I provide to back up my claims?
9. What will my current boss miss about me when I leave?
10. What will my colleagues say about me when I leave?
11. What will my direct reports say about me?
12. Why do I want to change jobs?
These are a great start, to help you think of good examples to back up your response to even the toughest job interview questions.

When to Ask About Benefits and Salary?
... And other topics you should never raise in the interview.
When should you ask about benefits, salary, sick pay or maternity packages?
The general rule is NOT IN THE INTERVIEW.
But chances are you'll want answers to your questions, before you accept a job offer. So when should you raise these potentially tricky topics?

Salary
NEVER ask about salary in the job interview.

You should have checked that the job is within your target salary range, before the interview. So don't raise the topic of money, unless in response to the interviewer's question.

If possible, leave salary negotiations until the job offer comes through. Your confidence will be soaring and your negotiation position will be stronger.


Benefits Package
Is there a particular benefit that's important to you (e.g. a company car)?

The job interview isn't really the time to ask about benefits.

If the absence of that benefit would mean you'd turn down the job offer, then you should check it out before you even apply - or at least before you take time off work for the interview.

If it's a benefit you're more flexible about, and then negotiate after the job offer. If you're already at that stage, then check out the section on salary negotiation.


Holiday Entitlement / Maternity Leave / Sick Pay Entitlement:
This would form part of your contract of employment and you are entitled to see details of the company's policies before accepting the job offer.
This topic can make the interviewer uneasy. They might assume you're about to become pregnant (and go on maternity leave) or maybe hiding a long-term illness that would lead to significant periods of absence.

Their imagination may run riot!


Working Hours / Overtime / Travel:
This can be a harmless question; and one you should get an answer to! But it might lead the interviewer to start mind-reading.

They could assume that, because you "need to ask", then you'll not want to work long hours or travel.
If this is an issue for you, then you should clarify it with the employer's HR contact before you apply for the job.


Job Interview Travel Expenses: Will the company pay them?
Unlikely. Nowadays it's rare for a first round interview candidate to be paid expenses.

The exceptions to this rule are if you head-hunted or travelling from overseas. You may then find economy class travel will be refunded. If it's an issue for you, clarify this before accepting the interview appointment - not during the interview!

Second round interviews will sometimes include travel expenses, particularly for graduate recruitment, but you should check first, rather than assuming.











Job Interview Tactics
How to subtly give evidence to prove your claims
A good interviewer is trained to question every word you say. They're used to polished, text book answers. They want to know about the real you.

They're unlikely to believe you if you tell them you're a great communicator or team player. After all, everybody tells them that.

So what can you do?

Prove it!

There are job interview tactics you can employ to increase your chances of getting the job:
• Make a list of the key characteristics and experience required for the role.
• Think back over your career for specific examples of when you have demonstrated these.
• Be able to describe each example BRIEFLY.
• Make sure your examples are specific, not woolly
This is great preparation for any behavioral or competency job interview question.

You'll be able to back up your answer with the specific examples from your interview preparation.

This is compelling and memorable. This simple job interview tactic dramatically increases your chances of getting a job offer.





Top 10 Job Interview Mistakes
How to Avoid the Gaffes That Can Ruin Your Chances of a Job Offer...
The best way to avoid the most common and dangerous job interview mistakes is to think ahead and decide not to make them. Read on for a whistle-stop tour of the top ten interview mistakes!
1. Lying:
• Although it's tempting, it doesn't work. By all means gloss over the unflattering things. But out-right fibbing NEVER pays.
• Mark Twain said: "If you tell the truth, you never have to remember anything." Think about it. They will catch you out later.
2. Slating your current company or boss:
• Fed up with your current job and would give anything to leave because they've treated you badly? Your job interview is NOT the time to seek revenge. The interviewer will be listening to your answers and thinking about what it would be like to work with you.
• Ask yourself: do you like working with people who constantly criticize others? Isn't it a bit wearing? The trouble is that the interviewer draws massive conclusions from your answers.
• So your throwaway comment about your boss or employer may be interpreted to be your "standard" way of thinking. It makes you look bad, not your employer.

3. Being Rude:
• If you find you were accidentally rude, then apologies calmly and genuinely. Then leave it behind you and get on with the rest of the interview. If you dwell on it, it will affect your performance.
• What's "rude"? Well, that depends on your audience. As a rule of thumb, avoid cracking jokes about potentially sensitive topics and beware of being too "pally" with the interviewer: polite and friendly is enough. After all, you're not in the pub with them. So stay professional.
• Remember that everyone you meet could be involved in the selection process. So blanking the receptionist or talking down to the junior members of staff could cost you the job.

4. Complaining:
• Ok, so your train journey might have been a nightmare and maybe you thought the tube would never arrive, or the tailbacks on the motorway were endless. But your interviewer doesn't want to know that.
• Complaining, even in jest, is not a recommended icebreaker. It may be completely harmless, or it might simply make the interviewer switch off. Don't let complaining set the tone for the interview!

5. Talking about people you don't get on with at work:
• These days, it's common to be asked how you deal with conflict. Companies realize the importance of interpersonal relationships in the working environment.
• So if they ask you about difficult people or situations, make sure you hold back from character assassination and blaming others for problems because it won't do you any favors!
• If you accidentally do "break" this rule, apologize and explain what you "really" meant.

6. Not being prepared
• Re-read the relevant version of your CV and the job advert, just before the interview. You'd be surprised how many people can't remember what they wrote on their CV. And if you remember what type of person the job advert was looking for, it's easier to demonstrate that you have those qualities.
• Make sure you've brought with you anything you were asked for. It's fine to bring a note-pad and pen, but make sure they're tidy. It's even ok to bring notes with you; particularly if you have any questions you want to ask. It shows you're taking the job application seriously. Ill-prepared candidates rarely get job offers.

7. Appearing to be too nervous, or too confident
• If you appear too nervous they'll think you're not confident enough to do the job. However, appearing too confident will make them think you won't fit into the team.

8. Making a weak first impression
• Unfortunately, no matter how hard the interviewer tries, a lot of "don't want to hire them" decisions are made in the first few minutes of contact. If you make a strong first impression, the interviewer will be more inclined to overlook "imperfections" in your answers.

9. Not having researched the company
• As a general rule, the more famous the brand, the more they will expect you to have done your homework. Researching the company shows you're serious about the job.
Example from a real interview for a major food brand:
Candidate: "Hello Mr. Interviewer. Yes, I'd love to work for your company. I think your brand is great and I really believe I could make a contribution to your marketing strategy."
Interviewer: "So what do you think about our current merchandising, compared to our competition?"
-----Likelihood of getting the job? Low.

10. Putting your foot in it and not noticing
This can be the most unnerving of all job interview blunders.
Yes, we know, you didn't mean to put your foot in it. But it doesn't really matter what you intended. What counts is how the other person reacts.
So what can you do?
Be prepared to say "sorry, that's not what I meant!" This requires you to pay attention to the interviewer, rather than your own thoughts and feelings. Once you've apologized, leave it there, take a deep breath to help you relax and move on with the job interview.

Answers to Tough Interview Questions: Steps 1 & 2
How to give great answers to tough interview questions
It's not always easy to find answers to tough interview questions.

You know that one question that completely throws you. Isn't that the part of a job interview that we all dread the most?

This super-tough question hits you and you have two choices:
• Panic and give one of those "regret-it-later" answers
• Employ the "tough question strategy" and give your best answer

So what's the strategy? How do you answer tough interview questions?

1. Keep your cool
It's easy to get flustered and that makes it almost impossible to think straight.

How do you keep your cool? Focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath to help yourself relax. It makes a big difference and makes you sound more confident.


2. Listen!
Have you understand the question? Or are you guessing and making assumptions about what they want to know?

Don't be afraid to ask for clarification. There are few things more annoying for an interviewer than a candidate waffling the answer to a different question.

If there's something about the question that's unclear - ask! Then interpret the question: what does it really mean? What are they looking for? That should guide you towards your answer.


3. It's ok to ask for time to think
A few moments to think helps you come back with a great answer, rather than a "regret-it-later" response.

Many interview questions are designed to make the candidate think for potentially obscure examples from their past, so you need time to think. If you need a few seconds to think, just ask for them.

Most interviewers would rather wait for a great answer than have to endure "yet another" waffled and less relevant response. In fact, sometimes it can count against you if you answer too quickly, because the interviewer thinks you're making it up - or regurgitating an over-rehearsed response.

4. Emergency tactic
Could I come back to that later?" This isn't a preferred option, but it's better than giving a poor answer. Tell them you'd like time to think of a really relevant example. Bear in mind that a non-work example might be acceptable.

5. Don't answer it
There are some questions that simply shouldn’t be asked. If you think you've just had one of these (e.g. whether you're planning a family or not), then politely explain that you'd rather not discuss that in the context of an interview; you like to keep your work and home life separate. Stay calm and realise that this type of question is almost always asked innocently, as an ice-breaker.
The key to successful interviewing is giving answers that prove you're the obvious candidate for the job.
ATTITUDE
The more we talk to recruiters, the more we find that, above all other factors, they're looking for the right attitude.

They will often make allowances for your skills (they can train you) and your experience (if you can prove you pick things up fast), as long as you have the right attitude.
So what's the "right" attitude?

Someone who is genuinely interested in the company and who they think will fit in with the culture and the team.

All the more reason why you should make sure you are relaxed and natural in the job interview. It really isn't the place for putting on a different personality - most interviewers will spot it.

At the end of the day, you're either the best person for the job - or you're not. But there are things you can do to weight the odds in your direction.