Interview Preparation

The biggest mistake in interviewing is not being fully prepared. It behooves jobseekers to use every conceivable means possible to prepare for the interview and to allow ample time to fully prepare. Understand that interviewing is a skill; as with all skills, preparation and practice enhance the quality of that skill. Preparation can make the difference between getting an offer and getting rejected. There is no one "best" way to prepare for an interview. Rather, there are specific and important strategies to enhance one's chances for interview success. Every interview is a learning experience, so learning that takes place during the preparation and actual interview process is useful for future interviews. Initial preparation requires recent assessment of skills, interests, values, and accomplishments; a re-assessment and updating of one's resume; and research on the targeted company/organization and position. Preparation also includes actual practice of typical and targeted interview questions. Final preparation includes details of dress and appearance, knowledge of the location of the interview, what to expect, and protocols for follow-up. General preparations before you begin the interview process:

Self-assessment: I recommend self-assessment annually, but most people resist this step. When one is unemployed or fearing lay-off, the time is right for reassessing current skills, talents, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, interests, and work values. In addition, it is clearly time to re-examine accomplishments and achievements, particularly those that may be relevant to a prospective employer. I recommend keeping an on-going accomplishments file in which to maintain such items as articles, congratulatory letters, kudos from the boss or clients/customers, 360 evaluations, and descriptions of successful activities as they occur. In the course of daily business life, one often forgets those notable successes. [Editor's note: To read more about leveraging your accomplishments, see our article, For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments.] Updating your resume: The accomplishments file serves as a springboard to reassessing your resume. The file contains content for selective resume inclusion. If we assume that a resume must be accomplishments-based rather than descriptive of one's responsibilities, then the file serves to jog one's memory about recent notable activities. Bare-bone the resume by removing all superfluous and/or irrelevant material, all articles (a, an, the), and work at getting it onto one page. Use functional headings to help focus the reader on what you have done and what you can do for the prospective employer. Be absolutely certain it is error-free.

Let's now assume you have a specific interview lined up.

Research, research, research: Depending on available time, use every possible means to learn all you can about the company and position. Use the public library or local bookstore to locate and read information about the company/organization. Access books, journals, magazines, newspapers and any reference materials useful for investors -- and job-seekers! Ask the reference librarian about connections to investor online publications or services, such as Value line, Lexis-Nexis. Read and/or check online resources for major business publications, such as Forbes, Money, Kiplinger's, The Wall St. Journal, or Investors Business Daily. Go online to the company's Web site as well as competitors' sites. Use investor Web sites to learn what's happening now in the news with this company and its competitors. Use bizjournals.com to find business news by industry and/or location. Use your alumni network to the best advantage: if your college offers a searchable online database, search by company name. Contact any alumni who work for that company. Choose fairly recent graduates (to learn about the interview and hiring process, and early experiences on the job) and older alumni as well (to learn about corporate culture, history, and career paths.) All alumni contacts are valuable for their insights as well their connections. Always come away from any networking meeting with at least two additional contacts. Re-assessing your resume: Even if you have sent your best-yet resume, which was obviously successful in making the cut, review it thoroughly and know everything that's on it. Be prepared to discuss supplemental experiences that might be important to this employer. Use a Job Interview Prep Sheet to focus on experiences you feel are most relevant and match them to the employer's needs.

Practicing typical and targeted interview questions: Use the practice interview questions offered by Quintessential Careers to review typical interview questions. Be able to answer the "Basic 3:"

Why are you interested in this field? Why are you interested in this company? Why are you interested in this position?

Be prepared to discuss anything on your resume. Be prepared to answer questions/issues you really don't want to answer. For example:

your greatest weakness your lack of related experience your low GPA your lack of leadership experiences your record of job-hopping

Practice with a friend, career counselor or coach, or in front of a mirror. Video or audiotape your answers for future review. Scrutinize how you look and sound. Note inflection

of your voice, mannerisms and gestures, facial expressions, poise, energy and enthusiasm in your answers as well as in your body language. How can you improve, enhance, develop, or revise your answers and/or delivery? Because interviewing is a skill, you can only improve your style and acumen with practice. College and university career services offices typically offer mock interviews and interview workshops. But you can always prevail upon family or friends to help you prepare. ASK!!! Ask too for genuine feedback that will be helpful in working out the kinks. Practice is important too in assuaging fears and nervousness. However, a degree of tension is beneficial toward maintaining a level of alertness that causes you to sit up straight and forward in your seat, leaning toward the interviewer. The ideal is to strike a balance between poise/calm and energy/enthusiasm. Prepare questions to ask. These questions should reflect your research on the company and position and should never include questions whose answers are readily available in company literature or Web site. Do NOT ask about salary or benefits! Final preparations: Select appropriate attire long before the interview day. Know the culture of the organization for which you are interviewing and dress accordingly -perhaps a notch above that -- especially if the company has espoused corporate casual. A business suit is always acceptable. Be certain that your clothing is clean and well pressed. Do a test run to determine comfort level. Too short or too tight may cause you -- or others -- to be distracted or uncomfortable. Minimize accessories. Remember: less is more. You want to be memorable for the right reasons. Know the location of your interview. Do a drive-by if possible. Plan to arrive at the designated office 10 minutes in advance. Allow ample time for traffic, the possibility of getting lost, and parking difficulties. Bring extra copies of your resume in a folder or portfolio. Bring a small notebook for notes, but keep note-taking to a minimum. Collect business cards from every individual with whom you interview. Ask about timeframes for filling the position, how and when you will be notified, and if they would like additional information or materials from you. DO NOT ASK ABOUT SALARY OR BENEFITS! Follow-up: Send a thank-you note within 24-48 hours of your interview. Send one to every person who interviewed you. Email is OK, but follow protocols for formal business correspondence, which is always more formal than typical email. Use the thank you note to reiterate your interest and to emphasize your specific qualifications for the position. What do you want them to remember about you that is likely to "sell" them on you as a viable candidate? Everything about the job search should be focused on what YOU can do for the company, what YOU bring to the position, and why the employer should hire YOU! The interview may be your one shot -- so make it a good one!

Interview Body Language Posture

When the interviewer offers you a seat at the start of the job interview,sit upright but not too stiffly in your chair. This indicates that you are comfortable and feeling confident. Hunching down in your chair gives the impression of nervousness and low self-esteem. A sloppy posture indicates a careless attitude and a lack of energy. Sitting on the edge of your chair can come across as being nervous and tense. Relax and lean slightly forward, about 10 degrees, towards your interviewer. This gives the message that you are both interested and involved. Leaning back makes you appear too relaxed and casual. Leaning to the side can be perceived as not feeling comfortable with the interviewer. How you position your head also sends a message. Tilting your head very slightly to one side comes across as friendly and open. Keeping it straight comes across as self-assured and authoritative. It is also important to pay attention to the posture of your interviewer. Sometimes you can establish rapport by adopting the same posture as the other person. This is called mirroring. If they have adopted a more formal posture do the same until you see that the interviewer has relaxed and become less formal.
What to do with your Hands

If you are unsure of what to do with your hands, rest them, loosely clasped in your lap or on the table. Control your hands by being aware of what you are doing with them. Having your hands above the neck, fiddling with your face or your hair, is unprofessional and conveys nervousness and anxiety. Keep your hands away from your face. Interview body language experts will tell you that touching the nose or lips can indicate that the candidate is lying. Holding a hand behind your head is often a sign that you are annoyed or uncertain.

Folding your arms across your chest suggests a closed and defensive attitude. Waving your hands and arms around can be perceived as uncertainty and a lack of professionalism. Common wisdom is that the less you move your arms and hands about the more confident and in control you are. Practice a comfortable way to loosely place your arms and hands while you are sitting, both at a table and in a chair on its own. Be aware of the interview body language message your legs are giving. A lot of leg movement is both distracting and indicates nervousness. Resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee makes you look too casual and comes across as arrogant. Crossing your legs high up conveys a defensive attitude in the one-on-one context of a job interview. Crossing them at the ankles or placing both feet flat on the floor conveys a confident and professional look during the job interview.
Eye Contact

If the interviewer is talking and you want to show that you are actively listening, you need to instigate direct eye contact and maintain it. Avoid appearing as if you are staring aggressively by blinking at regular intervals and moving your head every now and then, such as giving a small nod. Interview body language experts suggest that when you are doing the talking you need to hold eye contact for periods of about 10 seconds before looking away briefly and then reestablishing eye contact. Overusing direct eye contact when you are speaking can come across as lecturing or challenging the interviewer. Typically the listener maintains direct eye contact for longer than the speaker who breaks it off at intervals. Looking constantly downwards makes you appear insincere or submissive. It is acceptable to look down if you are making notes or referring to information in front of you. However if you are speaking, or the interviewer is asking you something, raise your head and make regular eye contact to show that you are actively involved. With panel interviews it is best to look at and direct your answer to the person asking the question, with a glance periodically at the other interviewers. Eye contact is essential interview body language to establish rapport with your interviewer. Not making eye contact makes the interviewer feel

disconnected from you. Eye contact should be a positive aspect of interview body language, if it is not used properly however it can quickly become negative.

Interview Voice An interview is similar in a way to a tune. The lyrics are the content of the interviewee's responses and the music is the tone of voice used. Certain songs may have an optimistic empowering effect or contrarily may be melancholy and blue. An interviewee that responds in a confident manner is likely to induce confidence in the interviewer. On the contrary, an interviewee that will be shy and hesitant, similar to a sad tune, is likely to raise doubt and concern in the interviewer. The interviewer may wonder, 'this person seems unconfident, will he/she be suitable for the position?' The doubt emerging in the interviewer's mind may disqualify the job applicant (interviewee). Many job applicants assume that if the content of their answers is good and worthy their path to success in the interview is almost certain. True, the content of the responses is extremely important but the tone of voice is just as important if not more! Your tone of voice sets the atmosphere during an interview. It projects your inner confidence, your authority and the ability to cope. The degree of inner confidence projected through your tone of voice sets the tone and atmosphere of the interview to a large extent and induces a sense of confidence in the interviewer in relation to the applicant. An applicant can have perfect answers in an interview but if the music of the words spoken is hesitant and shy the interview may turn sour. For your tone of voice to sound confident it must come from within. You must believe in yourself; in your abilities; in your talent and in your skills. In the previous sections ('treat yourself with respect you deserve it' and 'your attitude to the workplace makes a difference') we discussed and reiterated the importance of having faith in yourself and in ways of increasing

your selfesteem and reducing self-criticism. The more you appreciate your past positions and achievements, the more confident you will be; the more confident you will be, the more it will show in your tone of voice.

Questions & Answers

1. Why are you looking for a new job? Bad Answer: My boss is a jerk and the customers are hard to deal with. Tip: Keep the answer positive, in terms of where you want to go, not what you want to get away from. Better Answer: I have been promoted as far as I can go with my current employer. I'm looking for a new challenge that will give me the opportunity to use my skills to help my employer's business grow. 2. Why do you want to work for us? Bad Answer: I'm desperate and no one else will hire me. Tip: Before the interview, visit the employer's website to learn as much as you can about the company. When answering this question, focus on one or two flattering items to explain why you want to join this particular company. Better Answer: When I read the mission statement on your website about giving back to the community, I felt really inspired. I was also impressed with the facts about your growth in the past three years three new locations, and a 40% sales increase. That's really something to be proud of. I think it would be rewarding to be a part of a company that is such a leader in their industry and in the community. 3. Why have you had so many jobs? Bad Answers: I get bored easily. Tip: Give acceptable reasons (frequent moves, changes in personal goals, etc.), but focus on the fact that you're ready for a permanent position now, which is what they are really concerned about. Better Answer: When I was younger, I decided to sample a wide variety of careers. That way, when I was ready to choose a career path I would be absolutely certain that I had

found the right one for the long-term future. Now I've settled on this industry, and that's why I'm here today. 4. What are your strengths? Bad Answer: I can burp on demand and keep a straight face when telling a lie. Tip: Discuss three or four of your strengths as they relate to the position you are interviewing for, and give examples of times they have helped you do your work. Better Answer: I have a really good eye for detail, and in the past, I have caught critical mistakes before they happened. When I worked for ABC Company, I helped the company avoid a few catastrophes this way, so they started routing orders through my office to check even though I wasn't working in the orders department. Of course, I'd be happy to apply this skill in any way you feel is suitable in this company. Another strength I can offer an employer is... 5. Why should I hire you? Bad Answer: I need the money to pay off my gambling debts. Tip: This is your chance to reiterate your skills and relate them to the position you are applying for. Better Answer: When I read your ad, I couldn't have imagined a better match for my skills and experience than this job. Now that I have spoken with you, and learned more about your needs, I'm even more certain that I'm the right candidate. I know that I can hit the ground running and exceed your expectations because of my experience with...

PORTFOLIO

What You Put In A Portfolio

Your portfolio should be built around five major basic items ...

1 - A copy of your complete master resume. You can refer to your master resume when you get asked questions about the extent of your experience or need to refresh your memory. It is also a great way to show

the level of your skills, the breadth of your skill base and the depth of your experience Often, hiring managers are looking for people who can grow along with the company, or people who more than the minimum requirements have listed in the ad. So having this list on hand shows them you have lots of untapped potential and sets you apart from the rest of the people being interviewed. And you never know when you will mention a skill they can use but never expected to find.

2 - Real examples or representative samples of your work. These clearly show you have done what is on your resume and show your level of skill and quality. Unless you are working on secret or confidential tasks, you can include real examples of your work, including ...

writing samples such as white papers, press releases, newsletters, advertising copy, scripts, memos, and reports

finished product examples in the form of photographs or real samples

service testimonials such as client references, documented success stories

design samples such as brochures, code flow diagrams, and conceptual sketches

performance reviews (great ones only!) and letters of commendation from previous bosses

copies of training and award certificates (if you were employee of the month, you definitely need to include the picture and paperwork here!)

3 - A brief list of your accomplishments. This list highlights all the special things you have done, especially those which fall outside your

normal job responsibilities but show what a valuable employee or business owner you would be. For example, you will want to highlight ... what you did and how much money, time, or effort you saved

when you took action to avoid a disaster problems you solved or defused when you helped another department out

when you went the extra mile for a client or boss. For example, when you spent the weekend working or stayed late into the night to meet a deadline. examples of when you demonstrated company or personal values, such as high quality, promptness, keeping customer commitments, being discrete, or staying under budget

4 - A list of all your features. Often, we can do more things than our past jobs have given us the opportunity to do. But because you have not actually done them, they do not belong on your resume. So if your skill level has outgrown your current job, you want to list here the things you could do successfully. This is a short list of the ... activities and responsibilities you have already successfully mastered that you can do right now

tasks that you could easily do and succeed at if you had the opportunity to do it

activities you could tackle with some training and guidance and that you are very interested in growing into in the next 3-9 months

tasks that would be a stretch that you would really like to do in the future. (Again, this may be just the thing that

matches how the manager sees the job growing. And it is a great way to signal not only that you want to grow and advance but how you want to do it.)

5 - A short list of the ways you can benefit your employer. This is a list of how a company will benefit from hiring you. Often, it is hard to express exactly who you are and why you are a dream candidate. So, if you have ever been asked that question and did not know how to reply, this section is just what you need. Here you list all the things it is hard to express and still appear humble in an interview ...

your top gifts and talents your top values based on your ideal life story your long term objectives based on your life calling the problems, issues, and needs that you love to solve

Once you have all this assembled into a three ring binder or portfolio case, you need to know how to decide when and how to use it in an interview.

Using Your Portfolio in an Interview

We recommend taking your portfolio along on every interview. But since each interview is different, you do not have to open and show it if it does not feel right. In instances where the job is clearly not be a fit, or you feel the interviewer will be put off or overwhelmed, you will want to keep it discreetly tucked out of sight. If you are not sure, you can pull it out only if you need to illustrate a particular point. For example, you get a question about your experience and you have an example which clearly illustrates it. In that case you can open your portfolio and give the interviewer something to look at as you talk.

However, we should warn you that once you bring out your portfolio, you need to be prepared for the interviewer to flip through the entire portfolio. Sometimes this worked well for us and we were able to talk about all our experience and skills. But in some cases it can derail the interview because they are so curious about your portfolio that you miss out on hearing a detailed description of the job. If you are feeling very confident, have your portfolio clearly in hand when you meet the interviewer. Perceptive ones will ask what it is if you lay it on the edge of the desk at the beginning of the interview. You can even mention you brought it along in case they wanted to see samples of your past work. Then it is up to the interviewer to decide when and if they want to see it. We think creating a portfolio is a rare win-win interview tool. It gives you a rare edge in interviews and lets the interviewer get a much clearer idea of what you can bring to the company. And it might even mean that you end up interviewing for more than one position or get called back to interview in more than one department.

The Next Step

Once you have a portfolio, you may also want to learn about ...

How To Create A Master Resume How To Get Called For Interviews How To Find Your Dream Job