Quick Tips: The In
nterview
w
BASIC TIPS:
•
Be on time. Dress professionally
B
y. Make eye
e contact. Use
U a firm handshake
e.
B positive and enthusiastic. Listten attentively.
Be
•
Research th
R
he company
y before th
he interview
w. Check out
o the com
mpany website
and cover the basics: history, mission
m
statement, loc
cation, and company
personnel profiles.
p
Know the nam
mes of imp
portant exe
ecutives. Re
ead the an
nnual
eport. This
s will show the employer you really want the
t
job. If you
y
know who
w
re
w be interrviewing yo
will
ou, researc
ch his or he
er informattion on the website as
s
w
well.
•
Practice ans
swering common inte
erview ques
stions. All eyes
e
are on you durin
ng
an interview
w, and you don’t want to stumb
ble on your words. Mo
ore than lik
kely
he interviewer will as
sk you: Wh
hy did you apply
a
for th
his job? What skills will
w
th
you bring to
o this posittion? What are your strengths
s
a
and
weakne
esses? Colllege
areer cente
ers often have
h
lists of the usuall interview questions and can se
et
ca
up mock intterviews. Also
A
consid
der asking for an informational interview at
a a
ompany th
hat interestts you.
co
•
Make the connection.
M
c
Be able to
t apply yo
our work an
nd school experiences
e
s to
th
he open po
osition. Giv
ve specific examples
e
t illustrate
to
e your succ
cesses.
R
Remember,
you are se
elling yourself as the best candidate for th
he job.
•
Use your re
U
esearch to ask
a pertine
ent questio
ons. Don’t ask questions that ca
an
be easily an
nswered on
n the comp
pany’s webs
site. Ask about
a
futurre projects,, the
cific challen
nges assoc
ciated with the positio
on.
direction of the industtry, or spec
U these questions
Use
q
to
o showcase
e your business know
wledge and interest.
•
Bring a porttfolio. Emp
B
ployers lov
ve to see co
oncrete exa
amples of your
y
work..
Prepare a sa
ample of projects
p
to match a sp
pecific job description
n. It’s a go
ood
dea to mak
ke copies of your porttfolio so yo
ou can leav
ve a copy behind
b
with
h the
id
in
nterviewer..
•
Speak clearrly in concis
S
se sentenc
ces. If you need to, ask
a the inte
erviewer to
o
clarify a que
estion. Be honest. Try
T to prese
ent yourse
elf in the be
est light
ghlighting your winning attributtes. If you
u must disc
cuss a nega
ative
possible, hig
ncident, share what you
y
learned
d from the experience
e. If you are
a confron
nted
in
w
with
an illeg
gal question during an interview
w, considerr your optio
ons. You ca
an
1| Page The Salary
y Question Cont.d
answer the question, redirect the conversa
ation, or infform the employer th
he
question is not approp
priate. Employers should not as
sk persona
al questions
s
hat are nott related to
o the job (ffor example
e, your ma
arital or fam
mily status,
th
age, race, or
o religion).
•
Wait to disc
W
cuss salary until the employer
e
b
brings
it up, or until th
he second or
th
hird interviiew.
•
Bring copies
B
s of your re
esume and
d a list of re
eferences.
•
Thank the in
T
nterviewerr for his or her time. Ask
A what the next ste
ep is in the
e
process.
•
Follow-up quickly. Sen
nd a thank-you letterr within 24 hours of th
he intervie
ew.
•
Iff you get a call for a second inte
erview, approach it with
w
the same
enthusiasm and professionalism that you exhibited
e
on the first interview. You
w probably meet mo
will
ore people,, and have more in-depth discus
ssions about
your skills. The compa
any executtives will also be gaug
ging wheth
her you fit the
t
ompany cu
ulture.
co
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