Job Interview Tips. Like many career advice experts, Steve Fogarty, staffing partner at Waggener Edstrom, says candidates should research a company thoroughly before an interview. And if the company is a private firm, that's not an excuse to skip doing your homework. Where there's a will, there's a way, and finding a way to gather information on a company "distinguishes the great candidates from the good candidates," says Fogarty. Consider Fogarty's company, a large independent public relations agency. He says that if someone were trying to find out about Waggener Edstrom, the candidate could take a number of steps.
Fogarty offers a less conventional method as well: "People might be able to find a press release that one of our PR people has written and contact that person and say, ‘I saw your press release. What else can you do to improve your chances at the interview? Be Concise Interviewees rambling on is one of the most common interview blunders Fogarty sees. Provide Examples Be Honest Keep Your Guard Up. Nonverbal Communications: Escape the Pitfalls. It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or your nervous look. Look back at speakers or teachers you've listened to. Which ones stand out as memorable? The ones who were more animated and entertaining, or the ones who just gave out information? This is not to say you have to entertain the interviewer -- no jokes required -- but it does mean the conversation should be animated and interactive.
And don't underestimate the value of a smile. Nonverbal Messages: The Handshake: It's your first encounter with the interviewer. Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you will say it is imperative. Articles in This Feature: Interview Answers: Six Answers to Help You Get Hired. During the typical job interview, you'll be peppered with many interview questions. But do you really understand what the interviewer needs to know?
"Most [candidates] have no idea why a recruiter asks a particular question," says Brad Karsh, a former recruiting professional for advertising giant Leo Burnett and current president of career consulting firm Job Bound. "They tend to think it's a competition to outwit the interviewer. " The reality is that employers have neither the time nor inclination to play games with you, especially when hiring. Do You Have the Skills to Do the Job? According to Karsh, the employer must first determine whether you have the necessary hard skills for the position, e.g., the programming knowledge for a database administration job or the writing chops to be a newspaper reporter. Do You Fit? "Every organization's first thought is about fit and potentially fit in a certain department," Corey Blanck says. Do You Understand the Company and Its Purpose? Interview Preparation: Last-Minute Job Interview Prep. Adapted from Monster Careers: Interviewing Even if you have less than a day before your job interview, you can outshine the competition with a little interview preparation.
The following four tasks will take you about four hours (plus five minutes) to complete, and you'll walk into the interview confident you'll be successful. Conduct Basic Interview Research To prepare for an interview, find out as much as you can beforehand. Call the person who scheduled your interview and ask: Who will you be talking to? That's a five-minute phone call. Learn About the Company Online Do some fast Web research, which will give you something to talk about in addition to the job description.
How big is the company in terms of annual sales or employees? Basic research should take you about an hour. Think of Some Stories Be ready to answer typical interview questions with a story about yourself. Achievement stories make you memorable, which is what you want. Pick Your Outfit, and Go to Bed Early. Make a Great First Impression at the Interview. Interview Questions: 100 Potential Interview Questions. Interview questions can run the gamut. It's unlikely you'll face all 100 of these, but you should still be prepared to answer at least some of them. Practice for a job interview with these top 100 questions.
While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. Which is why we've taken the time to prepare this list of 100 potential interview questions. Will you face them all? We pray no interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Will you be well-served by being ready even if you're not asked these exact questions? Basic interview questions: Behavioral interview questions: What was the last project you led, and what was its outcome? Salary questions: What salary are you seeking? Career development questions: What are you looking for in terms of career development?
Getting started questions: How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team? More questions about you: Brainteasers: