Useful Interview preperation

WhiteWashMan · 13-03-2004 10:53am #1

copied and reformetted from http://www.job-interview.net/
good resource.
before you go out and start interviewing, try going through these and write out answers for all the questions, it will help you know end because you will learn more about yourself and be able to give much more constructed and fluid answers.
better than saying 'erm' a lot!

Confidence

1. How confident are you that you can successfully perform the duties of this position and why?
2. Tell us about a situation that would demonstrate the level of confidence that you have in yourself.
3. Tell us about a situation that would demonstrate the level of confidence your manager has in you.
4. Tell us about a situation that would show the confidence your coworkers have in you.

Creativity

1. Are you creative? Give us one example of your creativity.
2. Describe a situation where you came up with a creative solution to a problem.

Independent/Self-Starter

1. Provide us with an example of your ability to work independently.
Give an example. The example may relate what you did in an emergency situation. If this is an entry level position, use an example from school, church, or other volunteer activities.

Pressure

1. What experience have you had in pressure situations?
2. Tell us about a pressure situation you were in that would demonstrate your ability to work under pressure.
3. Provide us with an example of how you’ve asserted yourself in an emergency or high-pressure situation?
4. What does it take to get under your skin?
5. What are some constructive methods of dealing with stress?
6. Why are manhole covers round?
A test of your ability to think under pressure. Would a round manhole cover or a square manhole cover fall through the hole?

Responsibility

1. Briefly describe the most significant responsibility you have had in your career and what it taught you?
2. How do you handle responsibility?
Risk
1. How do you deal with risk on the job?
2. Name the greatest risk that you've taken?
3. Name the greatest risk that you've taken which resulted in failure.

You

1. Tell us about the passion in your life as it relates to your work.
2. What aspects of your work do you get the most excited about?
3. What are your most outstanding qualities?
4. If you were to start your own company, what would that company do?
5. Tell me about the last book that you read.
6. If you were a cucumber in a salad and somebody was about to eat you, what would you do?
7. What are your worst qualities?
8. What is your favorite color and what does it reflect in your personality?
9. Rate yourself from one to ten on your work ethic with ten being best .
10. Describe yourself.

Why do you feel we should hire you for this position?

Before you submit a resume or draft a cover letter and certainly before you go to an interview you should do 2 things:

1. Research the job and the organization. What do they need? What are the requirements for the position? What role does this job play in the overall goals of the organization?

2. Research yourself. What skills and experiences and interests can you offer? How will you add value to the organization? How can you prove that you have the required skills and experience needed for the job?
Do a skill matching exercise: The organization/job needs ..(skill/experience) and I have it because I did ..... The organization needs..... and i can provide..... Be certain to have specific examples of how you have added value in the past and be enthusiastic on how you can add value to this organization.
Do not forget...the organization is looking to solve a problem and you are selling yourself as a solution.

Describe a challenging work issue you had to face, and how you dealt with it?
Consider what would be the requirements of the 'new' job/organization and find something in your past that highlights a skill, experience or situation that might occur or be needed going forward. It is always a good idea to make lists in preparation for interviews:

New job will need I can provide Proof/example

For your proofs, list (for yourself) examples of when you used the skill, exhibited the characteristic or handled the problem. This will not only give you 'short stories' to relate in an interview, it will also bolster your confidence and target your job search.
If you were on a merry-go-round, what song would be playing? If you were going to be an animal on the merry-go-round, what would you be?"

Congratulations! You have found the unusual interviewer asking a rare question. Don't feel stupid just feel like you have run into a very unusual situation. If you are interviewing for a creative position, then the question is most appropriate because the interviewer may be attempting to evaluate your creativity and your ability to deal with an offbeat question. have fun with it. Give the question your focused attention and go with your instincts. Be ready to say why you chose the tune you did. Perhaps tell a brief story that reminds you of merry go rounds in your own experience. Or if you are really clueless give a song that you have always liked, has real meaning for you or is important for whatever reason and attach it to the merry go round but refocus the question to he importance of the song and make it brief but interesting "words tell but stories sell." As for the animal, give the animal that you want to be (even if you think the question is ridiculous and you really need this job) your total attention and focus.

On the other hand, the person you are dealing with may not have a clue and just asked because he/she felt like it. We know one person who asks the question and feels it is meaningful. She is into Yoga and looks for the person to be thoughtful in response. We have never heard her say anyone was rejected because of the animal selected.

Working Effectively With Others

1. Tell us about your inter-personal skills.
2. What experience have you had working with external agencies?
3. How do you deal with conflict?
4. Tell us about a situation in which you were required to work with people at various levels within your organization? What was the most important step that you took to work effectively with these people?
5. To what extent have your assignments required interface with other departments?
6. Tell us about an incident in which you dealt with an irate customer, which would demonstrate your ability to work effectively with others?
7. In what kinds of situations do you find it most difficult to deal with people?
8. Describe to us the extent to which you have worked with executive or top management.
9. What has been your experience in working with community organizations?
10. Tell us about your experience in working with volunteers.
11. To what extent have you worked in an ethnically, socio-economically, and/or culturally diverse community?
12. Tell us about your experience in dealing with a variety of different people.
13. How do you handle difficult people?
How do you handle conflict?
On the job, there are many possible sources of conflict. Conflicts with:
· fellow employees
· management
· rules, procedures
· clients, customers
· demands of work vs personal life, family

The best way to approach a good answer is to look at if from the employers point of view---they want to be your first priority and they want you to solve problems (not bring them any). "I know everything cannot run smoothly at work all the time. When there is a conflict I usually try to determine the source of the problem and see if it can be solved. This might involve other members of the work team discussing the problem and offering possible solutions. I would then try to pick the solution which appears to have the best outcome and put it into action."
A natural follow-up to this would be: Tell me when you solved a conflict at work. So, have a brief example...a short story...to illustrate your approach. Even if not asked, you can offer your story! If it proves your point and accentuates a skill needed for the position, go with it.

WhiteWashMan · 13-03-2004 10:54am

Education

1. How does your experience and education qualify you for this job?
2. How does your education qualify you for this job?
3. Why did you choose to attend the college that you are attending?
4. What aspect of your education applies to this position?
5. What training have you received that qualifies you for this job?
6. What have you done outside of formal education to improve yourself?
7. What training opportunities have you taken advantage of and why?
8. What additional training will we have to provide for you if we hire you?

Experience

1. Tell us about yourself.
Focus on the aspects of your experience that apply specifically to the position that you're applying for.
2. How are you qualified for this job?
3. How does your current job qualify you for this position?
4. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
5. Describe a typical day at your present position.
6. What were your three greatest accomplishments on your last job?
7. What are some of the things on your current job you have done well?
8. What is the most difficult assignment you have had?
9. What accomplishment on the job are you the most proud of?
10. What steps have you taken to improve your job skills?
11. What significant contributions have you made to the operation of your work group?
12. How has your current position prepared you to take on greater responsibilities?
13. What makes you more qualified than the other candidates?
14. Why do you want to leave your current job?
15. How has your job prepared you to take on greater responsibility?
16. Tell us about your qualifications for this position.
17. What actions have you taken in the past 10 years to prepare you for this position?
18. What steps have you taken in the past two years to improve your qualifications?
19. In the areas where your experience falls short for this job, what steps will you take to make up for this shortfall?
20. Describe yourself.
21. What skills and abilities do you have?
22. Recall an incident where you made a major mistake. What did you do after the mistake was made? What did you learn from this mistake?
23. What is the greatest failure you've had? What would you have done differently?
24. What action on the job are you the least proud of?
25. Tell us about a difficult situation that you encountered and how you resolved it.

Resume

1. Take us through your resume.
2. What are you most proud of on your resume?

Tell me a story.

Many interviewers like to hear 'stories' or examples from your worklife. So pick something that is more usual than not (not the day of a plant explosion and you saved 10 lives!) but a story that shows how you handle yourself, handle difficult people or situations. Can you think on your feet? Do you adhere to the rules? Consider the type of organization you are aiming at...each has its own culture. The World Wrestling Federation entertainment culture is different than the American Bible Society and also different from Amazon.com. Gear your stories to give the listener a feeling that you could fit in...you could do the job here.
In what way do you think you can contribute to our company?
Preparing to answer this question requires a 2-step preparation: assessing your skills and researching the needs of the company. An integral part of skill assessment (looking at your own experience, education and talents) is to 'skill-match'. Considering the job opening, what are the skills needed? Make a list of the requisite skills (in priority order) and then list concrete examples of your possession of the skill. For example: a sales representative would need good interpersonal skills, the ability to deal with difficult people. For 'proof' of this skill, you could list experiences and examples of how you were successful in a difficult situation. These matched skills are your key selling points.
Next, what appears to be the current problems at the organization, based upon your research? What are their needs that you can meet? In other words, given the specifics of the company, what value can you add? After these two steps, you are in a great position to come up with concrete examples of what you can offer the company. This question, by the way, is just another version of "Why should we hire you?". In the interview, when asked this question, you could respond with: "In my experience in sales, I know having the ability to deal effectively with all types of people is not merely a positive element --- it is an essential one. With your plans to expand into ____ market, a sales representative with a proven ability to meet with all types of people and to be able to assess and meet their immediate needs would be a great asset. In the past __ years, I have increased sales __....."

Analytical Skills

1. Are you analytical? Give us one example of your analytical abilities.
2. Tell us about your analytical skills.
3. Tell us about a particularly difficult problem that you analyzed and what was your recommendation.
4. What steps do you take when analyzing complex problems?
5. How would you rate your analytical ability? Why?
6. How would your manager rate your analytical ability?
7. Tell us about a situation where the analysis that you performed was incorrect. What would you have done differently?
Tell us about your analytical skills.
This should be easy if you have done a realistic skill inventory for yourself, listing what skills you do have and how you can offer proof of this skill (where you learned it, last used it). Working off your inventory, focus on various analytical skills and match them to the skills you feel are most important for the job you are considering. You can now give specific examples of skills you can offer. (Do not neglect skills obtained in extracurricular activities, such as volunteer work.)

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

1. Why should we hire you?
2. What are your three greatest strengths?
3. What can you contribute to our organization?
4. Assume that you are a candidate in the coming general election. Tell me why you are the best candidate in the field.
5. What is your greatest strength?
6. We've interviewed a number of highly qualified students for this position. What sets you apart from the others?
7. What are your strengths?
8. What part of your current job are you the most comfortable with?
9. What are your strong points and how have they helped you to succeed?

Weaknesses

1. What is your greatest weakness?
2. Name your three greatest weaknesses.
3. Which is the worst of your three greatest weaknesses and why?
4. What are your weaknesses?
5. What part of your current job are you the least comfortable with?
6. What are your weak points and how have you overcome them?
7. What about yourself would you want to improve
8. In which area do you need to make the improvement in?
(17)

What are some of the things you find difficult to do?
The interviewer is looking to determine how well you know yourself, how you react to difficult situations/tasks and credibility. Look back over your work experience for examples of challenges...speaking in public at a meeting, disagreeing with a manager over an important issue, being asked to use a software program you have not had an opportunity to learn...

These 'stories' should illustrate a lesson learned, a problem overcome or a weakness being dealt with. (SEE: Question bank for answers on weaknesses).
"I always seem to need a day or two to prepare myself to give a presentation to department heads. When I know I have to give a report on my projects, I plan out all the details in advance and rehearse. One time, there was a problem with a supplier and I was asked to update senior management...immediately. The supply chain was crucial to the completion of an important project we had been working on for 5 months and decisions had to be made based on the information I had to prepare and present on a moment's notice. I gathered the information and presented it simply and in detail. It was much easier than I thought without the hours of concern and practice. The facts spoke for themselves. Since I understood the situation, I was able to make it clear to management and get a rapid decision. I still prefer advance notice but I know I can deliver when asked to."

What is your biggest weakness?

This is usually a chance to damn yourself with faint praise, turning what may be a weakness but is actually a strength. For example: "I cannot leave a job half-done and usually find myself thinking of possible solutions to problems while I am driving to work or in the shower. Some may think I take it too seriously, but I have found keep ideas on the 'back burner' usually saves time and effort in the long run."
Another tactic is to remember a true weakness...and relate how you have overcome it. It should be a small weakness...not a major character or work-related flaw. This is not the time to go into details regarding personal problems. "I was being flooded with paper and I could not keep up until I requested we try for a paper-less department, relying on email for the bulk of our communication. This not only cleared my desk considerably, improved my work rate it also greatly improved office communications."

WhiteWashMan · 13-03-2004 10:55am

Career Goals

1. Where do you want to be 5 years from now in your career?
2. What are your long term career goals?
3. What prompted you to take your current job?
4. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
5. Why did you make a career change?
6. Why do you want to leave your current position?
7. Five years ago, where did you see yourself today?
8. What is your career goal?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

This is the interviewer trying to see how you are in making long range plans and if you have goals that mesh with the organization's. One way to answer this question is to look back on your accomplishments to date: "I started out in my profession as a junior clerk while I completed my college studies during the evenings. Once I had my degree, I applied for a transfer to a more advanced position, citing my on-the-job training. This has been my pattern for my career with my past 2 employers. I learn quickly on the job and am willing to take classes and workshops to augment my experience. I have been able to assume greater responsibilities and add more value to the organization. I do not think in terms of titles...I think more in terms of "How can I solve this problem? Since this has been my career style to date, I do not imagine it to change. In five years, I feel I will have continued to learn, to grow into a position of more responsibility and will have made a significant contribution to the organization."

What are your short and long term goals?

No one can make goals for you. It comes down to where you are in your professional life and what you want to do. Most people have 5-6 careers in their working lifetime---some with 2 careers going at the same time (like us).
The best advice is to be certain to relate your answers to the organization that interviews you. Do not make a point of having goals that cannot be realized there ("I want to work in Paris." Organization is strictly domestic.) If you do your research into the organization, and into what you truly want to do in the future, you will be able to come up with reasonable responses. No one is going to come back to you in five years and chastise you for not meeting these goals! You will not be held to them...it is only an interview and they are interested in how you see yourself (and they want to see you in the job.)

Customer Service

Quick Tips
Four C's for Taking Good Care of Your Customers

How can you keep your existing customers and win back ones you've lost? Become a customer caretaker. Here are the four C's of excellent customer care:

Concern

Sincerely care about your customers' complete satisfaction, and convey that caring in all your interactions with customers. Not only is this doing the right thing, it's also doing the smart thing: After all, customers' satisfaction and continued business can definitely impact your job security.

Consideration

In today's bustling business environment, customers relish good, old-fashioned courtesy and genuine kindness. Even when you're tired or stressed, act as though you were feeling energetic and cheerful. Your customers will appreciate your efforts.

Conscientiousness

Always do what you promised in a timely manner. This is essential to earning customers' trust, and that trust is the key to gaining repeat business.

Cooperation

If one of your co-workers needs a hand in order to provide excellent service, roll up your sleeves and help out--even if you know your co-worker may get all the credit afterward. It doesn't matter who gets the glory; what does matter is whether or not the customers' needs are met completely.

What are the steps involved in successfully handling an irate customer?
Your steps should include listening to the customer, letting the customer vent, identifying the problem, trying to solve the problem, and following-up with the customer.
1. What does good customer service involve?
2. Tell us about how you have handled a dissatisfied customer in the past.
3. Tell us about your experience in dealing with the public.
The more public or customer contact the better. Include a situation where you provided exemplary service.
4. A citizen becomes irate because his permit application cannot be found. How will you handle the citizen?
5. A salesperson comes in to talk to your boss without an appointment. How will you handle the salesperson?
6. What do you think your customers would say about your work?
7. Give us an example of a situation you handled exemplifying superior customer service.
8. Tell us about a situation in which you dealt with a customer and what you would have done differently.
9. How would you handle a customer who used abusive language?
10. Tell us about your experience in working a public service counter.
11. A citizen calls in and states that one of your company's trucks ran over her mailbox. How will you handle the citizen?
12. Name five criteria essential to establishing effective service standards.
13. Name some of the criteria that may be included in a citizen satisfaction survey.
14. What are some of the ways to measure customer/user satisfaction?
15. What steps can you take to establish a "customer first" attitude in the organization?
16. In what ways can an organization transfer a "customer first" attitude to the Internet?
17. Tell us about the customer service training programs that you have implemented.
18. In what manner can business processes reinforce customer service training?

What does "customer service" mean to you?

Think of yourself as a customer -- what do you expect from salespeople ... regardless of the circumstances and/or the problem. An example may be "Customer service is a two-piece reaction. First---respect; second -- problem solving." See if that makes sense and if you sound convincing when you do practice it. If you can give a brief story or two of what you have witnessed as extraordinary examples of customer service behavior. By using yourself as a focal point you will be able to enunciate clearly your understanding of customer service.

New Job

·
1. What is the most attractive aspect of the job you are interviewing for?
2. What is the least attractive aspect of the job you are interviewing for?
3. In order to successfully meet the responsibilities of this position, which of your personal qualities will be of the greatest benefit?
4. What part of the job that you interviewing for do you look forward to the most?
5. What part of the job that you are interviewing for do you look forward to the least?
6. What aspect of our organization has the greatest appeal for you?
7. Knowing our organization and the position that you’re interviewing for, where can you make the greatest contribution?
8. How will the job you’re interviewing for, fit into your career plans?
9. Why did you choose this profession and this specific job?
10. What do you think your responsibilities will be if you’re hired?
11. Why are you interested in the position?
12. What are you seeking from this job?
13. What challenges do you think that you will face in moving from your current position to this position?
14. What aspect of the job announcement interested you the most?
15. In comparision to your current position, what do you think will be different in your new position?
16. Our company is more widely recognized than the current company that you're working for, why do you think that is?
17. Tell us why you believe you are ready to promote to the next level of management.
18. What can you contribute to our company?
19. What do you know about our company?
20. What interests you about a career in (field of new job)?
21. Why should we give you a chance to perform in this job?
22. Why should we hire you instead of the the other candidates?
23. We have 24 candidates. A number of the candidates have more experience than you do. Why should we hire you instead of one of the other candidates?
24. Why do you want this job and how does it fit you?
25. What do you intend to accomplish as a (title of new job) with our company?
26. Why should we hire you?
27. What additional training or development will you need to perform in this position?

What do you know about our company?

If you can relate your knowledge to the area that you would be involved in, it would show that already you have an active interest in the organization. For example, if you were interested in marketing, "I understand that you are one of the top 10 companies in sales to Europe but are currently interested in expanding your market into Asia. Competition is keen in that area but you have an advantage in that you product offers features that others do not, such as....."
It is not only showing that you have done the research but also that you like/know what you have learned about the company and have applied it to how you can add value in the position.

WhiteWashMan · 13-03-2004 10:55am

Why do you want to leave this job after only four months?

Well, why did you? What is the closest to the truth:
1. Job was not as it was described to me
2. Organization changed its focus/goals
3. Organization could not effectively use my talents/skills
4. Change in management...wanted to bring in own staff
5. Downsizing, reorganization

All of these will probably prompt a follow-up question. Do not fabricate...but most interviewers have heard these stories before and really are not interested in all the gory details. (Note that this job need not be included on your resume since it was of such a short duration but may have to be included in a application form if it looks to account for all your time.)

Circumstances also come to play...did you leave your other job to take this 4 month job? or did you 'try' it while already unemployed...hoping for the best? If you were recruited to change jobs, there is a lot of room for exaggeration in a sales pitch, and many employees have been misled.

If you have held other jobs for substantial periods and you took the other job in good faith, stress your past performance. You are not a capricious person---job hopping. You have skills to offer and want to put them into good use.
What do you wish to gain from our company?

Excellent question! Research is the answer (know everyone is tired of hearing this but we feel this is one great way for applicants to make a difference in their candidacy). Determine some of the key elements in the corporate structure, product base, employees/management team or recent history. What appeals to you about working at this company? Go with what you know.

"In the past, I have had opportunities to work on new products being launched. I am very excited about your plans to start an entire new line of products. With my prior experience I know I can provide insights and make contributions immediately and I will also learn so much from the excellent team you have in place. Having done single products, I would love to be in on the give-and-take meetings planning the new line...there is much I can offer but also much for me to learn."
Finding something specific...the opportunity to use a new technology, a new skill, to work with 'experts on their team"...are ways for you to find job satisfaction, which is another way of asking this question

What do you think the employee's responsibilities are to the company?
As an employee you have several responsibilities to your employer. They are as follows:
· to perform a good day's work
· to be loyal
· to act as part of the team
· to value the relationship
· to earn the employer's trust
· to grow with a passion for the product/service.
Why do you want to change jobs?
When asked on an application, "If presently employed, why do you wish to change positions", what do you put down. The reason I am changing positions because the company I am applying at is known nationwide I want to work for a company with their background and one that I can retire from.

This same question is sometimes asked on interviews as well so it is important to have a good answer. Additionally, if you decide to leave your current employer, it is also wise to have consensus as to the reasons that you are leaving.
It already sounds like you have positive reasons for wanting to work for the national company---go with that. Use your research to put forth several points about the company that you feel will be a great match (for the company) and suit your particular skills and experiences. Emphasize the fact that this opportunity to work for them is 'just what you have been looking for' because....and then go into several ways you can add value to the organization.

Remember, when asked why you left, do not downgrade in any way your prior/current employer...leave the interviewer with the feeling that you have only been associated with winners! Do not go into the 'I can retire from this job' aspect; it can have negative connotations. Present yourself as a vital, enthusiastic employee that can offer experience to their organization...for many years to come. Note: If appropriate, point out that you are not just 'looking around' but are sincerely interested in working for this particular company and that you are not a 'job-hopper' but are interested in a long-term career move.

Motivation

Entry Level
1. One of the requirements for this position is that the individual be a self-starter. Give us an example of your ability to be a self-starter.
2. How do you motivate yourself to complete unpleasant assignments?
Advanced
1. What motivational techniques do you use with your work unit?
2. What can a supervisor do to enhance an employee’s job and the employee’s motivation?
3. What motivates employees?
4. Name some of the ways that a supervisor can demotivate staff.
5. What are some of the ways in which a supervisor can motivate staff?
6. Tell us about a situation where you motivated your staff to extraordinary

What motivates you?

Other than looking into your past experiences....times when you were motivated and times when you were not... no one but you has this answer. Find concrete examples when you had to pull it all together and get motivated to get the job done; what does it for you?

Teamwork

Entry Level
1. What are the characteristics of a successful team?
2. Tell us about an unsuccessful team of which you were a member. What, if anything, could you have done differently?
3. Tell us about a successful team of which you were a member. What was the most outstanding characteristic of that team? What did you contribute?
4. What are the important qualities a person should have to become an effective team member?
5. What qualities do you have that make you an effective team player?
6. Do you work better by yourself or as part of a team?
7. What can you contribute to establish a positive working environment for our team?
8. What type of people do you work best with?
Advanced
1. What factors would you consider in assembling a project team?
2. Name some of the pitfalls to be avoided in building an effective team.
3. Through what tools can a committee become more useful or productive?
4. What actions can a supervisor take to establish teamwork in the organization?
5. You supervise a group of civilian employees. Your employees appear to be at odds with the uniformed personnel. What steps can you take to improve the teamwork between civilian and uniformed personnel?
6. What are the advantages, if any, of establishing team goals as opposed to individual goals?

What things make a good team member?

Consider first the situational context of the question. What is the team environment of the organization that you are interviewing---do they have a strong, organized team-based work environment or is it based on informal authority and fluctuating teams? Ideally, you should have had an opportunity to research and ask some questions about the organization to determine how they operate (and if indeed you want to work in that environment.)

Model your responses to the organization. Obviously, you are describing yourself = good team member. My ideas of what makes a good team member may be very different from yours---and from the organization. Also depends on where you are in the team---new member, leader, support.
How do you see yourself?
How do you make yourself fit into a new team? How do you elicit cooperation from other team members? What do you think the organization's biggest problem is relative to teams and team-building? And, what solution could you provide?

Interview Closing

1. Do you have anything to add?
Summarize by emphasizing your qualifications as they apply to this job. Also, cover anything that you missed from your opening.
2. Is there anything you’d like to address?
3. Have we missed something that you’d like to add?
4. Is there anything else?
5. Is there anything you would like to add?
6. Do you have any questions?

· Do you have any closing comments?
What can you add to what we have already asked you that should make us want to hire you?

Think grocery shopping...all those brands in the soap aisle begging for your attention. Each one comes with its own key selling points.

Remember the comics, Superman? On TV, he sold himself...stronger than a locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
What are your key selling points? Plan this out ahead of time for the next interview...or include in a thank you letter for this past interview. Think a 1 minute infomercial about yourself. What are your core strengths? Is it communicating with children, being a mentor to other teachers, being able to keep topics current and interesting....

Think of what is needed to be successful in the job and how you specifically meet those needs---provide examples. Increased reading scores by using... Math scores jumped __% due to my ... Offer some proof from your past to support your claims. But it is your ability to assess the situation and analyze your potential contributions that will sell your candidacy.

Do not think it too late --- send a strong thank you and include in your request for the job the key reasons why you are the best candidate.

WhiteWashMan · 13-03-2004 10:56am

now, bet youre glad you read all that!

coolio_64 · 27-03-2004 1:01pm

that was a great article whitewashman!

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:04pm

Taken from www.getahead-direct.com and reformatted. Hope it helps.

The 3 Key Question Types
There are only 3 main categories that interview questions fall into:

• Can you do the job?
• Will you do the job?
• Will you fit in?

The heart of the interview is the question and answer session. If you are not careful you can rapidly find yourself on the defensive, trying to justify yourself in the face of tough questions rather than having the chance to 'sell' your benefits.

A well-trained interviewer will throw all sorts of odd and challenging questions at you in an attempt to assess your true suitability for the job. They will often deliberately create stressful situations to see how you react. In fact, the tougher the questions, the better you're doing. Knowing how to answer them with the 'correct' type of answer is the key to success or failure.

So remember, the good news is that all of their questions will be in one of the 3 main categories.

Interview Questions – Can You do the Job?
The first type of question is seeking to determine whether or not you are capable of doing the job. These questions will be about your skills, attitudes, knowledge and experience in short your track record. Typically about 60 per cent of a professional interviewers time will be spent assessing your abilities against those required by the position on offer.

You should be looking for any opportunity to impart information about your skills and abilities, backing them up with examples of what you have already achieved.

Here are some common examples of this type of question:

What is your greatest strength?
If you've done your homework before the interview, you would have several strengths to choose from. The obvious choice would be the strength which best suits the demands of the job. This is one of the most common questions and represents a good opportunity to assert your career statement. How to answer this question is covered in detail elsewhere in the multimedia training course – GetAhead in Winning at Interviews.

What skill have you acquired most recently?
Here the interviewer is seeking to establish that you are an interested, active lifelong learner and not somebody who has just attained a variety of disparate qualifications along the way. Try to avoid putting a timeframe on your answer; unless you have attended a course very recently and try to add details of how you have already applied the new skill in the workplace.

Can you work well under pressure?
This is a closed question and can be a sign of an untrained interviewer. Use the opportunity to give a comprehensive but brief answer focusing on several clear-cut examples showing your ability to cope under pressure.

Specific, job related questions
The interviewer may ask any number of questions that relate to your past experience and how this might influence your suitability for the current position. Here you will need to call on the work you did in analyzing your own career achievements, as explained elsewhere in the multimedia training course – GetAhead in Winning at Interviews. Using real examples and framing these in terms of a problem or challenge that you successfully addressed is the key to answering job related questions.

Interview Questions – Will You do the Job?
The second type of question is concerned with your personal disposition and approach to work. These questions are seeking to determine whether you are hard working, motivated and committed; in short are you the kind of person who will do more than just what is in the job contract.

You should be looking for any opportunity to impart information that demonstrates what a positive and committed employee you have been. In preparing for the interview, decide which areas of your work to date can be used to illustrate your commitment and motivation.

Here are some common examples of this type of question:

What was it like working for your previous employer?
Here, you could choose to answer the question in terms of their product development, management style, use of new technology or any number of other aspects.

However, by taking the initiative and answering it in terms of what the job required of you and how you met these demands, emphasizing your flexibility, long hours working when required, etc, you will begin to address the real issue behind the question. Once again, stay alert and look for opportunities to sell your benefits.

Have you done the best work you are capable of?
This is a deliberately tricky question. If you say yes, the interviewer may determine that you have peaked, and that it is downhill from here. However, saying no invites the question of why not? Perhaps you haven’t been fully committed, or worse competent.

The best response is to recall some of the your top achievements to date, to answer in a way that implies an increasing performance trend. Follow this up by showing that you are looking forward to bigger challenges and even better achievements in the future.

How long will it be before you make a net contribution to our organization?
Unless the job is very mundane or routine, you cannot realistically make a real contribution until you have been through a significant learning curve. This learning curve is one that is recognized by employers and generally the higher the level of the position the more tolerant the organization will be about the time needed for this.

However, the upper limit for this is rarely more than 3 to 4 months and the longer the learning curve the more is expected from the performance following it. Think about the realistic bedding in time and what sort of contributions you might make during this period.

If you got this job, how long would you stay with us?
The best way to answer this question is to tailor your reply to fit the culture of the organization and your own career path. For example, if the organization is highly entrepreneurial then replying that you are looking for a retirement home will not play well.

However, if the culture is more paternal or family centered then indicating that you are considering your final job move may be very well received.

Some people think that implying that you will be happy to stay as long as you are developing new skills or facing new challenges is the best approach. The down side of this can be that it implies the organization is responsible for your nurturing, education and entertainment. Think carefully about using these type of explanations as you may give the impression that you may leave as soon as you are faced with a dull project.

Interview Questions – Will You Fit In?
In answering questions from the first two categories, you should be clearly demonstrating your abilities and motivation.

The third basic question type is concerned with whether or not you will fit into the organization. Most employers are looking for staff who are not only capable of, and committed to, doing their job but who will fit the prevailing corporate culture and image. Here, the more senior the role, the more important fitting in becomes.

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:05pm

You should be looking for any opportunity to impart information that demonstrates how you would fit in. In particular areas to consider are:

• How the organization manages people
• How the organization devolves power
• How people interrelate
• How people are motivated
• How the organization competes in the marketplace

Interview Questions – Will You Fit In? - Examples
It is your research into the organization, as addressed elsewhere in the multimedia training course – GetAhead in Winning at Interviews, that will equip you to assess the organizational attitude to the fundamental issues that lie behind this type of question.

An important point here is that if you find yourself at variance with your potential employers value system then you would probably be advised to look elsewhere. It is almost impossible to succeed in a culture that feels alien to you. Here are some common examples of this type of question:

How do you see yourself fitting into a new project team?
Interviewers will often seek reassurance that you can demonstrate a track record of fitting in when you have been repositioned in a working environment. You will need to illustrate times where you were placed in a new team or group. It doesn’t matter how long or short term these placements were, rather that you can show how you did fit in; how the group was not disrupted by your arrival and that a clear improvement in overall performance resulted.

How will you be able to cope with a change in environment?
This sort of question is usually posed if you've spent a long time in one particular job. It sounds like a negative but can be turned into a positive especially if you're looking for a change, or a chance to develop. Avoid sounding negative about your current environment, whilst stressing the excitement you feel in seeking a new one.

How do you go about getting to know and understand new work colleagues?
Show that you understand the process of fitting in to a new working environment and that you appreciate that the key to getting to know new colleagues is to listen. Show that you appreciate this overhead on your normal work duties and that you will invest your own time and efforts, for example in coffee and lunch breaks and perhaps in extra curricular activities. By demonstrating a knowledge of the processes involved and a willingness to commit to it, based on your past experiences, you will be creating a positive picture for the interviewer.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?
The obvious answer would be "part of the management team, or board of directors within this organization". This may not necessarily be true, but the interviewer needs to know that your intentions are to move up the career ladder within their organization. Be careful not to sound overly ambitious, as the interviewer may be your future boss. The safest option is to modestly express your desire to grow and advance within the organization.

Remember, throughout the interview you should be looking for any opportunity to impart information about your skills and abilities, backing them up with examples of what you have already achieved. Most employers are looking for staff who are not only capable of, and committed to, doing their job but who will fit the prevailing corporate culture and image.

Interview Questions – Dealing With Difficult Questions
Difficult questions can also be classified into one of three main categories. It is your pre-interview preparation that is the key to framing ideal answers to these potentially damaging questions.

There is an almost infinite range of possible questions you might get asked. Difficult questions can be divided into three main categories:

Role Related Questions: Here you have the opportunity to answer questions in a way that gives you a good opportunity to mention your major strengths in relation to the vacancy.

Personal Questions: You should frame your answer to these questions so that you are providing information about your experience and skills set that are directly relevant to the position.

Dangerous Questions: If any one of these questions are not answered carefully, your application may come to an abrupt end. It is important to understand how to answer the direct objections that the interviewer may raise.

Anticipating difficult questions and having pre-prepared answers can significantly improve your performance and help you to stand out as a star candidate. Understanding the rationale of how to approach such questions will help you become more confident at dealing with any difficult questions.

Difficult Questions – Role Related Questions
Difficult role related questions give you the opportunity to answer in a way that enables you to sell your major strengths.

Here are some common examples of this type of question:

What kind of experience do you have to benefit this particular job?
This represents a golden opportunity to sell yourself, but the interviewer will be looking for an individual who is a problem solver and can 'hit the ground running'. The answer to this question lies in understanding the role when it is first described to you and taking the trouble to ask lots of questions about tasks involved. This opens the door for you to respond with suitable skills and experience showing you could accept the role with confidence. In effect they are really asking 'how much training and instruction are we going to have to give you before you are up to speed in this role?'

What interests you most about this job?
Answering this question properly requires that you fully understand the job description, and by asking plenty of questions you should then be able to respond with some specific explanations that show your enthusiasm. Some good responses include: challenging, exciting, scope for learning and developing, departmental growth, teamwork etc.

What are you looking for in your next job?
You want a role where your skills and experience can be put to best use in contributing to the company. Answering this question is all about understanding yourself, and how this relates to the job description. Avoid an over emphasis on what you hope the organization can do for you.

Why should we hire you?
Be careful not to answer with a broad description. Keep it brief and to the point. Each point should be a direct link between your skills and experience and the demands of the role. A precise answer shows that you accurately understand the role and what you can bring to it.

Difficult Questions – Personal Questions
These questions give you the opportunity to answer in a way that enables you to provide focused information about your skills and abilities.

Here are some common examples of this type of question:

Do you consider yourself a natural leader?
The ideal answer to this is 'yes', but in reality not all of us possess the confidence required to lead. You can substitute 'natural' with either 'competent' or 'conscientious', focusing more on leading by example with good organizational and interpersonal skills. Most professional jobs require an element of leadership that you should be taking the trouble to cultivate, whether it comes naturally or not.

Tell me about yourself?
This can be a frustratingly open question, but it does give you an excellent opportunity to communicate your skills and experience. Aim to keep your answer professionally-orientated, specific to the characteristics that the interviewer may want to hear. Although your objective is to show you've got the perfect profile to fulfil the role, try to do so in a friendly manner so that you can show the interviewer that you have an agreeable personality.

What are your biggest accomplishments?
Answers to this should always be job-related, impressive but also hinting that your best work is yet to come. Don't be hesitant or vague when answering this question. Show that you have a clear idea of your achievements to date.

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:06pm

Difficult Questions – Dangerous Questions
These questions give you the opportunity to overcome direct objections that the interviewer may have with your application. If these are not addressed, you will effectively rule yourself out as a serious candidate.

Here are some common examples of this type of question:

What did you dislike about your last job?
Ideally you would answer 'there was nothing I disliked', although this may not be realistic.

Hiring someone who easily fits into the existing complement of staff is very important, therefore steer clear of criticizing former colleagues or managers.

Once again, if you pay attention to the company culture when they described the role to you, you can mention factors that would be likely to impress them.

How long have you been looking for another position?
If you are currently unemployed and have been looking for some time, try to minimize the 'time gap' by mentioning any other activities in which you have been involved, such as study or charity work.

If your work is of a specialist nature and you've been determined to continue in that field, point this out provided that it isn't at odds with the demands of the new role. A resourceful answer here can certainly score you points, instead of putting you at a disadvantage.

Why aren't you earning more at your this stage of your career?
This is another implied negative, which can be turned into a positive by emphasizing your desire to gain solid experience instead of continually changing jobs for the sake of money.

This question gives you scope to ask; "How much do you think I should be earning?" This could possibly lead to an offer.

Why have you changed jobs so frequently?
This is another question that can prove difficult. The best response can be to blame it on your need to gain experience and grow.

Emphasize that the variety of jobs has been good experience and that you're now more mature and settled. Questions like this can be turned around, but be careful not to dwell too much on the subject, or over-justify yourself.

Why were you made redundant?
If you were made redundant as a result of a re-organization; then this is a legitimate excuse that most recruiters will understand - they have probably been involved with laying off people themselves at some time.

Try to give acceptable reasons, such as downsizing or restructuring. Try to be brief and to matter-of-fact , encouraging the interviewer to move on.

Why were you fired?
If, however, you were fired and cannot realistically pass it off as a redundancy, then it's advisable to be open and honest whilst minimizing the reason for your dismissal. Try to portray the incident as 'one of those unlucky things that happens to the best of us' and modestly explain how you've learnt from the experience and the steps you've since taken. The objective is to put the interviewer at ease in the hope that they won't place too much importance on a reference check. It is however a good idea to reconcile with your former employers and ask them to at least give you a fair reference.

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:08pm

Handling Disagreement
You should never argue with the interviewer even though there may be genuine points of contention. There are some effective tactics for approaching disagreements and getting your point across without provoking an argument.

Generally speaking, interviewers tend to believe that people behave in interviews the same way as they do at work. Whilst this is evidently not true, because the interview is an unusual and highly charged environment, it does confirm that you should never become confrontational with the interviewer. The golden rule in an interview is to never argue, but to talk them round.

If you disagree with something that your interviewer says, check your understanding first. Ask a question or questions to clarify their meaning as this demonstrates that you are keen to clarify the precise facts, ahead of making your point.

Whilst the interviewer is in control during an interview, this does not mean that you should agree with everything they say. Some questions may be asked to see how you handle disagreement and you do not want to appear weak or characterless.

When you are stating your opinion, do so in a way that is polite and gracious. This demonstrates that you do not see any major issue between you and the interviewer; you simply have different views. Remember, this is how the interviewer will picture you behaving in the working environment.

Interview Dress Code
Making the right first impression is vital to the success of your interview, so it is important that you decide on the image that you want to convey and dress appropriately. Even before you begin to speak, the interviewer is likely to have formed opinions about you based on the way you are dressed, your personal grooming, posture and body language.

For most corporate interviews a low-key approach to dress is usually best, as this projects a professional image and does not cause a distraction. For men, this often means a well tailored but conservative suit in a basic color such as navy, grey or black. Shirts can be used to add color and individuality but you will need to judge how far to take this.

For women the choice of appropriate dress can be more complicated but normally it is advisable to follow the basic rule that your clothing should not draw attention to itself and the colors should make it easy to focus on your face

Business casual is an increasingly common trend in the corporate environment and it can be more challenging to dress appropriately under this code. Once again the best advice is to make choices that match the norm and if in doubt always dress slightly more formally than you might otherwise.

It can be a good idea to have a couple of outfits, which you only ever wear to interviews. That way you can get them dry-cleaned after each interview, and then put them away for the next time, rather than letting them become crumpled, creased and generally worn-out and tired-looking through every day wear.

Dress to Fit in
One of the key questions in the mind of the interviewer will almost certainly be Will this person fit in? Therefore, if you are perceived as being a good fit with the prevailing corporate style and culture you will be strengthening your case. Here again, what you wear can have a disproportionate effect on the interviewers perception. So, you might be wondering how you can predict what to wear in order to fit in.

It is actually remarkably easy to get information about the prevailing corporate style. If they have a website, visit this and see if there any pictures of people at work (but do be aware that some organizations use library pictures for this). Alternatively, Try getting hold of a copy of the annual reports.

Another useful tactic can be to visit the site at the start, middle or end of the working day and observing the prevailing dress code of the staff as they come and go; before assembling a smart version of this for yourself ahead of the interview.

Controlling Interview Nerves
It is perfectly natural and healthy to be nervous ahead of an interview. This nervous energy, when properly harnessed, will enable you to present yourself with energy, passion and conviction. Nerves can give you the edge that you need to perform well. However, in order to do so you will need to harness and control your nerves in a positive way.

If you are too calm immediately before an interview, then you may be underestimating the challenge. Alternatively you may be suppressing your own nervousness. Neither scenario will help you to make an effective case for selecting you.

It takes energy to stay calm, energy to speak in a lively and interesting way and energy to pay attention to the needs and requests of the interviewer.

Since you only have a finite amount of energy available, learning to control your nerves is important as it lets you focus all of your efforts on interacting with the interviewer in an effective way.

Interview Nerves Can Help You
When you attend an interview, you are likely to notice one or more of the following:

Firstly, your temperature is likely to increase and you may notice that you have sweaty palms, that you feel slightly flushed and maybe even clammy.

Secondly, adrenaline may be pumped into your system and this may make you feel shaky.

Thirdly, your respiration rate is liable to increase and this may make you feel stressed and panicky.

Finally, nervous energy may cause you to consume body sugar with the result that your mouth starts to feel dried out.

These effects - increased temperature, shakiness, panic, stress and a dry mouth can interact to make you feel extremely nervous, uncomfortable and tongue tied.

However, research has shown that they are not necessarily signs of fear but may indicate that you are gearing up to perform. Many entertainers, public speakers and competitive sports people report the same four symptoms immediately prior to performing - often before giving the best performance of their lives. In the context of an important interview that is precisely what you should be aiming to do.

Therefore, recognizing the symptoms for what they are shouldn’t panic you, as they may well enable you to perform better.

Positive Visualization
The subconscious mind works on past experiences, hopes and fears. In being apprehensive ahead of an interview it is easy for your sub-conscious to focus on negative outcomes and thereby magnify your concerns.

If you concentrate on your own nervousness then you will be drawing this to the attention of the interviewer and the impact of your message will be weakened. If you become aware that the interviewer is observing your nervous state this can serve to heighten your self-consciousness.

Before the interview, you should try to visualize an enthusiastic interviewer; who is reacting positively to your responses. Picture yourself delivering a clear and interesting presentation; admit to yourself that you may be nervous but that you are going to use this in a positive way.

Remember that the interviewer is not your adversary and they are not attending the interview in order to pull you apart. Their interest lies in what you might say and show them. If you keep your responses focused on the message and try to relax then they will be able to concentrate on taking your message on board.

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:09pm

Arriving Early, but Not too Early
You must arrive in time for your interview, arriving late means you start at a disadvantage to your competitors and it may even mean that you will not be considered.

You should calculate your journey time and allow a margin for delays and other eventualities. Check all the available travel information before leaving and amend your journey plans if necessary. Always carry a mobile phone so that you can summon taxis or other assistance whilst travelling.

With this careful planning you should arrive early for your interview - ideally about 20 minutes. Where you should then wait will depend on how early you are. Anything over 20 minutes early and it is advisable to wait in a nearby café, coffee shop or other public building. This has the advantage of helping to relax you and not risking the impression that you are a desperate candidate.

You are on show from the moment you arrive at the place of interview, so act accordingly. Is there any pertinent information that you could scan? Perhaps a notice board or glossy brochures from head office. Be busy and be seen to be busy, as nobody will pay you to sit around dreaming! Remember, it is not only the interviewer that is assessing you but any number of staff may be subsequently asked their opinion of the candidates.

Take the opportunity to ask the receptionist to look after any excess belongings, as you do not want to walk into the interview room loaded with clutter. Try to arrive at interview with just a single briefcase, document wallet or bag.

Finally, by arriving early you will have the opportunity to benefit from a slightly longer interview, if the previous candidate failed to turn up.

Creating a Positive First Impression
You must do everything you can to make a positive first impression when you meet the interviewer. Above all make sure you remember the names of all of your interviewers, this means paying particular attention to them when you are first introduced, and taking a mental note of their various roles.

There is a common misconception that type of handshake and personality is in some way connected. In the interview context there is very little information to go on and so, like many other things, the handshake takes on undue significance. The best advice is to use a firm (but not hand-crushing) handshake, remembering to make eye contact and smile at the same time.

Some people suffer from the dead fish handshake; one that is weak and clammy. If so, it is worth practicing your handshake until you feel more comfortable with it. If you do suffer from sweaty palms, sometimes associated with interview nerves, then discretely wipe your palm just before shaking the interviewers hand.

It is important that you are not seen to do this, as it is a very subordinate sign - showing you feel unworthy of the meeting. Never wipe your hand just after the handshake, as this implies that you felt dirty after touching the other person.

Opening Conversation
You will need to respond to conversational gambits, like the common question about ‘how was your journey?’ Respond by making conversation but don’t overdo it and avoid stressing any negatives, even if you had a terrible journey, as this is not a good way to start.

People generally like others who are capable of initiating conversation, so don’t be afraid of asking your own polite questions during this meet and greet phase. It is a good idea to have a few conversation openers memorized, such as commenting favorably on the premises, to help break the silence.

Remember, people like people who are similar to themselves. They like confidence, but not too much or it can be perceived as arrogance.

Assessing the Degree of Formality
You have now met the interviewer and, like it or not, your own first impressions are already forming. You are starting to judge their interview style but another powerful clue to this can come from the layout of the interview room itself. There are three basic layouts used by experienced interviewers:

Across the table:
This is the classic negotiation style, eye to eye.

Across the corner of the table:
This is a more informal, conversational colleague style layout

Across open space:
The classic friend-to-friend style of open discussion

These three options range from formal to informal and is often a big cue as to the interview style: structure, semi-structured or unstructured. The more informal the setting the more the experienced interviewer can gain. Where the interview is held across open space the interviewer can read far more from your body language than they can when a desk is between you.

The more informal the setting the more attention you should pay to your non verbal communication, whilst at the same time adopting a slightly more relaxed and informal style in the way you answer questions, although your key messages should be the same.

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:09pm

Getting Comfortable, but Not too Comfortable
It is good practice not to sit down before being invited to. This is not only polite but also gives a nervous interviewer confidence by letting them direct things.

Ideally you should sit at a slight angle to the interviewer, as this is more relaxed than the eye-to-eye head on position. To show how bright and alert you are lean slightly forwards in your chair. This is dealt with in more detail in the next section.

The accepting of refreshments can be a tricky area. The best advice is to be comfortable; to help you feel relaxed. So, if you are thirsty accept a drink but if you are very nervous bear in mind that any shakiness of the hand will be magnified when holding a drink.

However, when it comes to food the golden rule is don’t. You are at the interview to communicate a strong case for hiring your services. Communicating effectively whilst eating is very difficult and can only detract from the impression you wish to create.

Recovering from a Poor First Impression
The first impressions reaction cuts both ways and you will also be meeting them for the first time. Whatever your true feelings, make sure that you react positively to them, smile warmly and ensure you maintain positive body language. Even if you think you have just met the interviewer from hell you must proceed with your main objective - to win at this interview.

You may be convinced that they have formed an unfavorable first impression of you. Ignore this thought. Professional interviewers and other managers are increasingly trained to overcome their initial reactions and to apply more scientific interview techniques.

Even if you have stumbled and made a weak first impression you can turn their opinion round, so keep working hard at making the right impression throughout the remainder of the interview.

The first impression is important but approach the interview in a holistic manner, you are a winner and you are at the interview to win!

Positive Body Language
Body language is a very important part of any communication. Your body language will be analyzed by the interviewer; even if they are unaware of this at the conscious level.

A brilliantly prepared interview delivered in an interesting voice will fall well short of the mark if accompanied by negative, intrusive or hostile body language. This section explains aspects of body language communication as it applies in western society.

There are three main aspects of body language that you should consider: what to do with your eyes, what your facial expressions indicate and the positioning and movement of your body and limbs.

Mirror the Interviewer’s Body Language
In any intimate communication there is a natural tendency to mirror the body position of the person you are talking to, and this behavior tends to result in a more relaxed and agreeable atmosphere. You can help to put the interviewer at ease by being aware of this and making a positive but subtle effort to mirror their body language.

The concept of mirroring is based on the well-known human trait of like attracting like. People generally like people that appear to be similar to them. Therefore, by observing the interviewers body language and reflecting this back at them they are likely to feel more at ease and friendly towards you.

An individuals facial expression, tone of voice, body posture and movement often convey a world of detail about what they are thinking and feeling and how they are reacting to what you are saying.

The effective use and interpretation of body language communication will help you to identify subtle aspects of the interviewers attitudes and reactions. This understanding and interpretation of body language is a key component of intelligent listening.

Zoton · 17-06-2004 3:11pm

How to Sit at Interview
As most interviews are held with both parties seated it is important to convey a positive message in the way you sit. In particular, this comes down to the placement of your arms and legs.

With the upper limbs the guideline is that the less a person moves their hands and arms, the more powerful they are. This supports the view that they are used to people listening to them and they therefore do not have to resort to gesticulation to get their point across.

The technical term for this is Low Peripheral Movement, or LPM. When being interviewed maintain LPM and you will make a more impressive impact with your interviewer.

Try to keep your hands lower than your elbows, rest them on the arms of the chair, your thighs or even make a low steeple with the fingers of both hands.

The everyday seating position, with legs crossed high-up is not suitable for the interview setting because in this intimate context it actually conveys a defensive attitude. Your legs need to convey confidence and there are two key positions that can communicate this - the low cross position and the athletic position.

The athletic position is where one leg is brought under your chair so that only the toe of that shoe is in contact with the floor. The other leg is firmly planted on the floor, parallel with the direction of the chair, with the entire sole of that shoe on the floor. This is a powerful position, conveying a readiness for action.

The athletic position is often not suited to female clothing and here the low cross position, where the legs are kept together and crossed at the ankles should be adopted.

Using Eye Contact at Interview

As well as understanding how to make positive eye contact it is also important to ensure that you do maintain this form of communication even if the interview does not appear to be going as well as you had hoped. If this is the case you will need all of the help you can muster to get the interview back on track and maintaining the correct amount of positive eye contact may help to do this.

Eye contact with the interviewer is an essential part of the interview process. Without it they will feel remote from you and are unlikely to relate to one another, or what you are saying in a meaningful way. Not many people realize how important eye contact is, or how sensitive people are to it. Eye contact should be a positive form of body language communication, but if it is not used correctly it can easily become negative.

Optimizing Eye Contact at Interview
Understanding where to look to make positive eye contact is only part of the story. You also need to know how and when to use this non-verbal communication. The amount of eye contact you make should differ fundamentally depending on whether you are in the role of speaker or listener.

It is in the role of listener that you should instigate more eye contact and hold it for longer periods of time. It supports your role as an attentive listener, whereas overusing eye contact when speaking may appear a demand for the interviewer to pay attention.

As a speaker holding eye contact initially for 5 to 10 seconds and after that using it in an intermittent way is ideal. This way you do not appear to be lecturing or hectoring and the listener does not feel that they are being challenged to a staring contest. It is normal for the listener to maintain eye contact for longer than the speaker, who will typically break off and then revisit this form of contact as they are speaking.

Eye contact when used positively can be a very effective form of non-verbal communication. However, excessive or inappropriate eye contact will prevent you establishing a good relationship with your interviewer.

Selling Yourself at Interview
An interview is best approached as a sales meeting, in which you have to communicate your benefits to the interviewer. At the same time you should avoid, or dilute, any negative aspects of your employment history.
Your aim is to make as strong a case as you can for them offering you the position. In effect you are there to sell - yourself!

One of the keys to this is to ensure that you always remain positive. Good news tends to be accepted at face value, whereas bad news tends to make people sit up and pay attention. If you get the interviewers attention in this way, they are likely to pursue this new line of enquiry aggressively. This would mean dwelling on bad news and facing awkward questions about something you really should not have brought up in the first place.

If you have some career skeletons in your closet, decide ahead of the interview how you can avoid giving too much information about these areas. Is it possible to avoid talking about these issues at the interview? You almost certainly wont have published negative information in your CV. Alternatively can you put a more positive interpretation on events? Stressing the lessons you learned and how you have put these to practical effect since?

Listen carefully to What the Interviewer Wants?
You should by now realize that every question that is asked by an experienced interviewer has a purpose. It is important that you analyze the question and understand its purpose before answering.

This may sound like a tall order, performing this in real time before answering! Won't this lead to long pauses?

Your brain can process spoken words at about 600 words per minute; whereas the average person speaks at around 100 words per minute. Therefore, there really is a lot of spare capacity to process precisely what they are saying.

As the question is being asked, ask yourself:
• WHY am I being asked this question?
• WHAT is the area of concern to the interviewer?
• HOW can I lower their anxiety?

If you have followed the advice given earlier in this course you will have a complete armoury of information from which to select. Your task then becomes quite simple: choose the most relevant and positive information you have about yourself and give it to them.

Sell the Sizzle, Not the Sausage!
In treating the interview like a sales meeting, it is worth keeping a very common sales slogan in mind: Sell the sizzle, not the sausage. This slogan stresses that you sell the benefits and not the feature.

In an everyday sales arena a salesman might be selling an expensive gas fireplace, whilst operating in front of a live demonstration model in the showroom. Here, the customer can see all the features; like design, craftsmanship and the real-fire effect.

The good salesman won’t waste his breath describing what is totally obvious to anyone looking at the fire; but will stress all the real benefits; like speed at heating a cold room, fuel efficiency self cleaning flue, etc. Likewise, your features your skills experience and abilities are all clearly identified on your CV; so when you highlight these during the interview you should do so by linking your feature to a demonstrable benefit.

You are at the interview on the strength of your application to date, but you need to secure the job offer. To do that you need to convince the interviewer that your features have brought real benefits to previous employers. The association will be that you are a benefit bringer, and that pattern will continue for their organization.

In this mode you really are selling, you are presenting the interviewer with an irresistible package of benefits. Good luck!

.....phew!
Sorry about all the posts but it wouldn't fit otherwise.

WhiteWashMan · 14-06-2005 3:02pm

fúck me. ive just discovered this post.

thats a really cool article.

(cool? god, i am so sad!

)

drdre · 15-06-2005 7:04pm

guys this thread is amazing.WhiteWashMan and Zoton have put alot of time and effort into making this thread very interesting.
guys good luck in the future.:D

CV Specialist · 26-08-2005 9:24pm

These articles on interview preparation and the much-neglected subject of appropriate attire may also prove useful...

DAS*** · 07-07-2008 7:18pm

Great thread! Covers everything

Gael23 · 24-01-2014 6:02pm

Brilliant thread! One thing it doesn't cover is at the end the ask have you any questions. What sort of things could you ask?

danthefan · 24-01-2014 6:32pm

Tag, hopefully have a 2nd interview coming up soon.

finisklin · 24-01-2014 8:54pm

ryanf1 wrote: »

Brilliant thread! One thing it doesn't cover is at the end the ask have you any questions. What sort of things could you ask?

Every job has its problems, what problems has this role?
What does success look like in this role after 6/12 months?
What surprises you most about the company's culture/customers/people?
What is the most important aspect/skill of the job description?
How do you see this role growing/expanding/developing over the next 18 months?
Do you like working here? Why?
Is there anything that stands out to you that makes you think I might not be the right fit for this job?
What distinguishes this company from its competitors?
What does a typical day/week look like in this company?

My approach is always to challenge them at this stage of the interview and particularly if they have given you a good grilling. It's a chance to put them under the spotlight and make them think a little more about the company they work for.

I would always ask a minimum of 3 questions and conclude with a closing statement of why you are right for the job.

Gael23 · 24-01-2014 9:15pm

Im.a graduate going for my first job so does that change anything?

finisklin · 24-01-2014 9:19pm

Think about the company and the role that you are applying for. Some of these questions transfer across. The key thing is to put them on the spot and make them feel uncomfortable.

I know of one accountant that researches the company's audited books in the company's office and if he identifies anything unusual would raise it at the interview. His perspective is that this makes him standout more and also indicates the type of candidate he is. If the company is a stuffy conservative place to work then obviously he wouldn't fit. That question let him know if there is a fit or not.

Gael23 · 24-01-2014 9:29pm

finisklin wrote: »

Think about the company and the role that you are applying for. Some of these questions transfer across. The key thing is to put them on the spot and make them feel uncomfortable.

Make the interviewer feel uncomfortable?

finisklin · 24-01-2014 10:21pm

ryanf1 wrote: »

Make the interviewer feel uncomfortable?

Yeah, they have made you squirm for the previous 45 minutes or so and you've been doing all the talking. The ball is then in your court to make them talk about their company and position. My aim is to provoke them to think about their company in a slightly different and legitimate way. For example, what surprises you most about your company's culture/customers etc.

The other good thing about this approach is that it will ensure they remember you.

Best of luck with it.

Useful Interview preperation

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