Interview Preparation - Tips to Increase Interview Success

Six Tips To Increase Your Interview Success

In a recent research study, over 50 recruiter's from key industry sectors were questioned about the traits that they most like and dislike in an applicant. When asked about the things that made a positive impression on them during the interview process certain trends emerged. Six of the top twelve responses are listed below. So, if you want to give yourself the best chance of impressing a prospective employer, review them to see how you match up.

The research suggests that employer's like applicants who:

Stay calm and relaxed. There is a direct relationship between how relaxed you are and how confident you appear to a prospective employer. Remember that interviewing is a mutual process. You are interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you. Relax and enjoy it!

Bring Samples of Work. If you don't have any start calling your old employer and get them. Always keep at least one ally at your previous employment; you never know when you will need something. Before you leave, create a portfolio and make copies of your work but omit confidential business information.

Do their Research. Do some research on the business before the interview. Know what you are getting yourself into by researching the culture and working environment. Have an understanding of the issues faced by the company.

Appear calm and confident. First impressions are lasting and made in first 30-120 seconds of an interview. Present yourself well from the start be confident friendly and polite. Greet the prospective employer with a handshake. Make regular eye contact.

Ask Questions. Never leave an interview without asking at least 3 questions. Have a number of questions that you have complied beforehand and use them at the appropriate moment.

Listen attentively. Listen carefully to the questions asked. Ask the interviewer to restate a question if you are confused. Or if you need time to think of an answer just ask "How do you mean?" this will buy you time and will provide additional information.

Following these simple guidelines should give you the best chance of interview success.

Gook Luck!

Four Tips for the Telephone Interview

Here's a phone interview tip worth considering: smile. A smile is a magic thing, and in addition to being seen in person it can be felt from a distance. When doing a phone interview, don't think that because the person on the other end of the phone can't see you that smiling and other positive body gestures are not important. The best interview tip that anyone was ever given was to smile and make positive gestures. In fact, many people talk with their hands. If you do, consider a telephone head set to free your hands up.

Another tip that will be worth its weight in gold is to have a good quality telephone. It may seem silly to even mention it, but the better quality phone you use, the better your voice will sound. Years ago everyone rented his or her telephones from the local utility phone company. These days people own their own phones, and while many people use good quality phones, many use the ten and fifteen-dollar phones they've found in the local dollar store or discount mart. Those phones are fine for talking to your spouse perhaps, but for business use make a good business impression, and use a good phone. Add this tip to the mix as well: use a landline with a cord, and not a cell phone or cordless phone. Dead batteries, crackling sounds, bad cell sites, and weather interference can make you sound bad at the other end, and you may not even know it. When doing your phone interview you want to be clear and make a good impression. Take this tip to heart and use a good quality landline.

I once received a tip from a headhunter who specialized in finding people jobs. While it seemed like common sense, I realized that it was a tip of value, and recommend it to people to this day. Do your homework on the company before your phone interview. Do a search on the Internet using any of the major search engines. If you don't have easy access to these online tools, go to your local library and tell the reference librarian what you are doing. He or she will be glad to provide you with information sources that will help you seem knowledgeable when having your phone interview.

The last tip to keep in mind is to be yourself, and be comfortable. One of the best ways to be yourself, and maintain comfort during your phone interview is to practice the interview. Ask a friend to play the part of the boss. Call your friend on the phone and go through a mock interview, answering all of the questions that you think the interviewer is likely to ask. Mock trials help lawyers, and rehearsals help musicians. It only makes sense that a practice interview will help an interviewer. While it may seem silly, this is a phone interview tip you should take to heart.

Making Job Interviews Interactive

If you were to ask yourself what type of person a prospective employer is looking for, what would be the answer? Good personality? Effective communicator? Dynamic? Knowledgeable? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions then you are right.

Now, sit back and take a look at yourself and ask yourself if you meet these criteria. Are you a dynamic, energetic effective communicator with a good personality? Are you knowledgeable in the areas affected by the position? If you cannot answer these questions positively, then you need to make some changes.

WHY CHANGE?

The main reason you want to change is so that when you go for an interview, you are not sitting there like a bump on a log waiting for the next question. Instead, you should be asking questions, showing your knowledge and skills and involving the interviewer in stimulating conversation.

HOW DO YOU CHANGE?

There are many ways you can go about changing but lots of us do not have thousands of dollars to put out for classes. The easiest and often times most productive way to start making changes is to use your friends as guinea pigs to determine if you meet the criteria.

COMMUNICATE

Start by working with one or two friends on your communication skills. If you are shy and introverted, you need to practice with your friends by being assertive and overcoming your shy nature. You can practice daily until you feel more comfortable around people. Local employment security commissions have free programs to help you with improving your communication skills. You can even go to the public library and read on effective communication.

BE DYNAMIC AND ENERGETIC

If you are the kind of person who just kind of hangs out and lets things go by, you will need to work on your energy level. Companies today are looking for employees who can do more than one job and have the energy level to contribute on any level and at any time. If you are a couch potato who only gets up if the house is on fire then you need to start working on your energy level.

Start taking Vitamin B12, CoQ10 or whatever herbal supplement will boost your energy level. Drink coffee or jog 5 miles every day. Do whatever it takes to increase your energy level to the point where a prospective employer will be excited by your energy and want to give you a job.

BE KNOWLEDGEABLE

The final step in creating a dynamic personality to make an interview the show-stopping, interactive experience it needs to be is to be knowledgeable. When you are called for an interview for a position, make sure you know something about all of the duties described in the job req. I also recommend looking the company up and getting some basic information about them.

Your ultimate goal is to create a dynamic, interactive interview experience where you display your awesome communication skills, your knowledge of the position and of the company and your high-energy magnetism that can be immediately directed towards your new job if hired.