The Winning Job Interview
So how do you get the job you want? Sure, your skills and experience are essential. But what makes the major difference between you and others with those same skills and experience? The job interview itself. You've got to outshine the competition. Does that make you nervous, thinking about laying yourself on the line in front of a stranger who's scrutinizing your every move and word? Relax. Easier said than done, I know. But truly, you simply have to relax. Don't let them see you sweat. Appear confident. Know that you're going to get the job. Here are some important do's and don'ts for winning that job interview.
Be Prepared - Sound familiar? Preparation in anything - cooking a meal, going on a big date, succeeding in life - is half the battle. When you get your ducks in a row, your anxiety level lowers and your confidence grows. A job candidate with no apparent anxiety and who exudes confidence looks pretty darn good to a potential employer.
Résumé - Be sure you've got a professional looking résumé. If you can't prepare one yourself, hire someone to do it for you.
Be Rested - Get a good night's sleep.
Look Good - Get a haircut; iron your clothes, dress to impress.
Know Your Target Audience - Research the company or business and learn as much about it as you can.
Anticipate Questions - Think about what sort of questions you might be asked. Draft answers and practice saying them out loud in
front of a mirror. We'll discuss some of those specific questions in a minute.
Get There on Time - If you're not familiar with where you're going, go to MapQuest and get directions. Being late could kill your chances.
Try to Relax - As I said, who wants to hire a Nervous Nelly? You've got to be cool and calm. So here
are a few more tips to achieve that serene condition.
- The Night Before - Lay out your clothes. Set your alarm clock to go off earlier than usual, so you're not rushed. Sleep well and long.
- Go Easy on the Caffeine - The caffeine in coffee and colas is a stimulant that will only increase your nervousness and feeling of anxiety. Drink water instead. Water energizes you and also clears your throat.
- Breathe Deeply - On your way to the interview and as you're waiting to be seen, practice some deep breathing exercises. It's a proven fact - no doubt about it whatsoever - that breathing exercises help relax, calm
and balance you. Take 2-3 second long breaths through your nose and 4-5 second
exhalations through your mouth. Concentrate on those breaths, thinking of the
oxygen going in and out of your lungs. Your body and mind will feel better.
- Arrive Early - Get there ahead of schedule. You'll be more relaxed and also have time to go over your sample questions and answers again. You should also use the restroom and double check your appearance.
- Visualize Winning - Close your eyes for a minute and go through the upcoming interview, visualizing yourself putting on a winning performance. Remember, you got this far and many others didn't. You got an interview so you're already a winner. So picture yourself dazzling the interviewer and being told, "You're hired."
- During the Interview - Stay focused. Maintain eye contact as much as possible. Looking away or looking down is a sign of anxiety or lack of confidence. Speak clearly in a measured tone. Pretend the interview is a conversation with a friend.
- Anticipate and Prepare for the Questions - One of the stupidest things anyone can do before an interview is to not think about what sort of questions you'll be asked. It's pretty basic: you'll be asked some questions. So prepare for those questions in advance. Here are some of the most common questions you'll be asked:
- Why should we hire you? Well, now there's a good question, right? Why, indeed? If you don't know why, then why should they know why? SELL YOURSELF! Tell them how great you are, basically. Detail all you know - that's relevant to the job, obviously - and all you've done. Do NOT simply say you're a hard worker and motivated. Yawn. Who wouldn't say that? Give them concrete, specific examples of what you've done and how skilled you are.
- Why do you want to work for us? Here's the question that checks to see if you've learned anything about their business. They want to know specifically why you want to work for them. They want to know why they are special in your eyes and how you, specifically are right for them.
- Do you have any weaknesses? This is not a trick question unless you lie and say "No." You should answer this question by detailing something about you that you're working on improving. For example, you could say, "I'm over-demanding sometimes, but I'm learning to not expect the same from everyone as I do myself"; or "I tend to be a perfectionist, but I've learned that there are other ways of achieving a good result besides my own way, so I've become a team player more than I used to be." This sort of frank response shows confidence, honesty, and a willingness to take direction and try to improve.
- Why did you quit your last job? Hey, everybody knows that you don't leave a job you like or are doing well at. So, the interviewer suspects something went wrong. Again, try to put the best spin possible on it. If you were fired, that's a problem, isn't it? Can you admit you were fired and explain why without making yourself look bad? If so, do so. If not, then maybe you are bad. Right? Face the facts with yourself, if not with anyone else. If you were fired over something bad, then you have to find a way in the interview to explain it and take the blame that's due you, or you're faced with trying to cover it up. My advice is to be truthful - admit your role in being fired and put the best face on it that you can. If you quit your job, why did you quit? Again, try your best to be tactful. If you complain endlessly about your last job, that doesn't look too good to an interviewer, who might then perceive you as difficult to work with. The best approach is to say you want
more - more of a challenge, more money, more chance to advance, more of a quality feeling when you go to work, which you know you'll get here, with this interviewer's company.
- Tell us about a problem you had at work and how you handled it. This isn't that hard a question, really, unless you've never been able to handle a problem. Prepare your answer by picking a conflict with a co-worker or boss and how you handled it with communication, diplomacy, patience, tact, thinking outside the box, research, face to face meetings, critical analysis, etc. The interviewer is trying to get a sense that you can think on your feet, work smart, and be a team player.
- What have you achieved that makes you proud? Again, this is easy if you've done something worth being proud of. Think about what they want from you in your position and come up with a specific deed or job task that fills the bill for them.
That's about the extent of it: be prepared, act confident, answer the questions well, and you'll likely beat your competition and win the job. So go for it!
