|
Post by Marnie Winters on Jun 20, 2017 9:28:50 GMT
The purpose of this specific thread is to ask any questions you have regarding job interviews. Job interviews can be tough and can really make or break you. If you get an interview, this is a good thing. Not everyone gets past the "submit your resume" phase so, congratulations, you have made it past the guarded gate. Make sure to put your best foot forward.
|
|
|
Post by Marnie Winters on Jun 22, 2017 13:31:15 GMT
One of the stages of the hiring process is a job interview. If you make it to the job interview stage, you are ahead of a lot of other applicants. You want to make sure you do well and don't blow it. There are many things to do to not blow the interview and one of those is your behavior and how to handle yourself during the interview.
First, arrive on time, but not too early. If you arrive late, it is considered a sign of disrespect for the interviewer's time. These individuals have a lot on their calendars and if you are late, then they are late for the rest of the day. And, if you end up being really late, you may not even get interviewed at all. The interviewer has every right to terminate the interview if you arrive too late. If you arrive too early, this can also make the interviewer grouchy. They feel obligated to take you early and can cause issues. The proper amount of time to arrive is about 5-7 minutes prior to the beginning of the interview. If you arrive earlier than that, then hang around until about 5 minutes or so prior to the beginning of the interview and then go check in.
Second, do not chew gum, eat, or drink during the interview. This can be considered rude and is really distracting. Some people are sensitive to noises and don't want to hear the sound of you chewing or slurping. You can blow the interview by doing this. Don't even have a mint in your mouth because it can be distracting.
Third, sit up straight, keep your legs crossed or together (yes, even you, too, men), keep your hands folded neatly in your lap or on a table in front of you, look directly at the interviewer, and do not interrupt. These non-verbal cues indicate you are paying attention and you are professional.
Fourth, do not argue with the interviewer under any circumstances. Sometimes job interviews don't always work out as well as you want them to and this can be frustrating. You will need to control your behavior during the interview. Don't argue with the interviewer about job details, the job description, the kinds of people they should be hiring, or work tasks. It's their job and if this is what they are telling you it is, then it is what it is. They aren't about to change the job so you can be employed---they are about to hire someone else who will do the job as they have written it. And, if you are truly that unhappy with the way the job is designed, you probably shouldn't be fighting for it, anyway; find another job with a description that makes you happy.
Fifth, dress the part. Dress one step above the level of your job. If the job you are applying for is blue collar or a laborer position, business casual dress for the interview should be ok. If you are applying for an upper level management position in a white collar company, plan to attend the interview in a suit. If you arrive to an interview in torn jeans, stained clothes, clothing with inappropriate messages written on them, and so forth, you likely won't get the job.
These are just some basic on interview behavior that will help you land the job.
|
|
|
Post by Marnie Winters on Jul 6, 2017 10:07:37 GMT
A couple more tips and strategies for you for the job interview:
If your interview takes place when the weather is chilly and you wear a coat, take the coat off prior to the beginning of the interview. It sends a subliminal message that you intend to stay. If you leave the coat on, it sends a subliminal message that you are in a hurry to get out of there.
Next, be prepared and take some additional copies of your resume and cover letter with you to the interview and offer them to the people that are interviewing you. These individuals may have already received copies of these and may have them in their possession, but there is the chance that the HR Department didn't send copies of these over to the interviewing members of the organization. In the event they do not have your resume or cover letter, they will greatly appreciate them. It also shows you are prepared for the situation and it will score you some bonus points. You will make a better showing than someone who arrives empty handed.
|
|
|
Post by Marnie Winters on Jul 11, 2017 10:27:35 GMT
How you dress for an interview will be extremely important. What you look like is going to be the very first impression that a hiring manager or Human Resources representative makes of you and it will set the tone for the rest of the interview.
It is recommended you dress one step above the position for which you are applying. If you are applying for a position as a construction worker, consider an outfit of khaki pants, a button down shirt, and nice, clean work boots or loafers. Wearing a suit will probably be over the top. You'll be considered over dressed. If, however, you are applying for a position as a vice president of a bank or a loan officer, then you had better be in the suit and have on nice dress shoes. Wearing khakis, a button down shirt, and loafers will be underdressed for the position. In a job interview, being overdressed or underdressed can leave (and probably will leave) the job interviewer wondering, "What the...?" Make sure you are dressed appropriately.
Regardless of the position you are applying for, there are some certain dress rules you should follow. These include:
1. Don't wear any torn clothing.
2. Don't wear any dirty clothing.
3. Don't wear any wrinkled clothing.
4. Don't wear anything too revealing. This is important! Revealing clothing is incredibly distracting. And, the hiring interviewers believe people are dressed up and conservative for a job interview. Once hired, their outfits will be more casual. They figure that if you are too revealing for the interview, then your clothes will only be more revealing once hired. They don't want to risk hiring someone who is going to come to the office and make their co-workers and customers uncomfortable because of super revealing outfits. A revealing outfit can cost you the job. Cover everything, no cleavage, do not wear super short or tight clothing, If you wear a skirt, make sure the length is down to right above the knee or longer. Just use good judgment and cover yourself.
5. Do not over-accessorize yourself. Too much jewelry is distracting. Limit yourself to 2 pair of earrings, a wedding set on one hand and a maximum of one ring on the other hand, one bracelet, and one necklace. A watch is a fantastic idea because it sends a subliminal message that time is important to you. Don't wear the watch on the same wrist as a bracelet-put them on separate wrists.
6. Avoid wearing cologne or perfume. Many people have smell sensitivities and wearing cologne or perfume can be too much for them to handle.
7. Do not wear too much make-up. This, too, can be distracting, believe it or not. Wear only a minimum amount and make sure the colors you choose are complimentary for you. In this situation, less is more. You don't want a job interviewer remembering you for your make-up.
8. Shower before the interview. This seems basic, but trust me, it needs mentioning. You don't want to smell like yesterday's soccer game or this morning's swim in the pool. It is important to be clean and smell fresh. Other people smell you easier than you smell yourself. You will make a good presentation by showering in advance. Also, brush your teeth, too. You don't want your breakfast or lunch sticking in your teeth. You also want to brush your teeth to avoid bad breath. If you ate spicy tacos for lunch, your breath will be bad and the smell will go right across the room to the interviewer. Brushing your teeth will help fight the bad breath. You may want to consider also using a strong mouthwash and/or a mint, as well.
9. Take a few minutes in the bathroom right before the interview to check yourself out. Make sure all your clothing is in place. Make sure our underclothing is not showing. Make sure your clothing is not sticking out awkwardly. Make sure you are presentable. You can use this opportunity to also brush your teeth at the last minute, too.
|
|
|
Post by Marnie Winters on Jul 18, 2017 10:39:26 GMT
When you go to an interview, your attitude is going to be extremely important. Be nice to everyone you meet. Be nice to the parking attendant, be nice to the receptionist, be nice to the doorman, be nice to everyone. If you arrive and start off by being arrogant, rude, and mean to everyone you encounter, you just blew the job interview. Trust me, the hiring managers WILL hear about it. Likewise, if you are super nice, the hiring managers will likely hear about that, too. Sometimes, hiring managers ask other staff about their impressions of the job interview candidates. If the reports about you come back negative, you won't get the job. Employer will not hire someone who is going to be a potential problem in the workplace. If your attitude is perceived as bad, they feel it will only get worse once you get hired, and the human resource office or employer is not going to hire someone they feel they will have to constantly discipline for bad behavior.
So, when you arrive for the interview, here are things you can do to display your nice, good nature: smile a lot, say hello, ask how the person is doing, shake hands (firmly, but don't break the person's hand), and follow instructions. Don't argue with people. Don't show frustration. Remain calm under all circumstances. Don't pester people. If the hiring manager is late for the interview, don't keep asking the receptionist where the interviewer is at or when the interview will start. Compliment people. Tell them you like their scarf, jewelry, or tie. If you see pictures of children on a desk, tell the person how cute the children are and ask questions such as...are those your pictures? (The person sitting by the pictures may just be filling in for someone and those may not be their pictures and, also, people sometimes share desks). If the pictures do belong to the person, then you can ask...how are you related to those children? (Sometimes people don't have children, but could be close to other young family members such as nieces or nephews or young cousins). The overall point is to be on your best behavior.
|
|
|
Post by Marnie Winters on Aug 1, 2017 23:53:34 GMT
My name is Marnie Winters and I am the administrator for this particular forum. I would love to field your questions. If you have a question, please feel free to ask. If there is a topic you would like to see discussed, please post it. If you want to remain anonymous or don't want to register with the forum to ask a question or request a topic, please e-mail me at FindingMyPath@hotmail.com. I check this e-mail frequently and would be more than happy to address the question or topic for you. I really am receptive to hearing from you and hope to hear from you soon.
|
|