- PRIOR TO YOUR INTERVIEW,
CONDUCT RESEARCH ON THE TARGET COMPANY
AND THE SPECIFIC POSITION FOR WHICH YOU ARE APPLYING.
LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE COMPANY'S LEADERSHIP,
STRATEGY AND ANY CURRENT EVENT
THAT MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE COMPANY.
MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE COMPANY WEBSITE
OR BY CONDUCTING AN INTERNET SEARCH.
NOTE, IN PARTICULAR, THE COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT,
KEY PRODUCTS THE COMPANY PRODUCES AND ITS COMPETITORS
AND THE COMPANY'S ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE INFORMATION YOU'LL OBTAIN WILL GIVE YOU
A GREATER ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHER CANDIDATES
WHO DIDN'T DO ANY RESEARCH.
SHARE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY
DURING YOUR INTERVIEW
TO SHOW THE INTERVIEWER THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED ENOUGH
TO CONDUCT PRE-INTERVIEW RESEARCH ON THE COMPANY.
IN ADDITION, IT WILL HELP YOU FORM QUESTIONS
TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER DURING THE INTERVIEW.
- PRIOR TO THE DAY OF YOUR INTERVIEW,
PLAN YOUR ATTIRE AND CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL OUTFIT
THAT'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE JOB.
CHECK THAT ALL YOUR ATTIRE IS CLEAN,
WRINKLE-FREE AND SPOTLESS.
LAY OUT YOUR OUTFIT AND CHOOSE SHOES THAT WILL MATCH,
AND CHECK THEM FOR CLEANLINESS AS WELL.
ENSURE THAT YOUR HAIR AND FINGERNAILS ARE PROFESSIONAL
AND APPROPRIATE FOR AN INTERVIEW.
IF NECESSARY, GET A HAIRCUT,
PROBABLY A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR INTERVIEW.
PLAN TO USE LITTLE OR NO PERFUME OR AFTERSHAVE
AND CHOOSE A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF JEWELRY.
IT'S REALLY USEFUL
TO PRACTICE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF A MIRROR,
PRIOR TO THE DAY OF YOUR INTERVIEW.
WHENEVER YOU'RE ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS,
BE HONEST AND PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES
THAT SUPPORT YOUR ANSWERS
AND MEET THE KEY REQUIREMENTS OF THE TARGET JOB.
INCLUDE EXAMPLES THAT WILL COMMUNICATE THE SKILLS,
KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE THE EMPLOYER IS SEEKING.
- IF POSSIBLE,
DO A PRACTICE VIDEOTAPED INTERVIEW.
HAVE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER BE THE INTERVIEWER.
PRACTICE THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS
WHERE YOU WILL USE YOUR PERSONAL COMMERCIAL, SUCH AS,
"TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF" OR "WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?"
WHILE WATCHING THE VIDEO
NOTE NOT ONLY HOW YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS
BUT ALSO YOUR BODY MOVEMENTS.
CHECK THAT YOU HAD GOOD EYE CONTACT,
GOOD POSTURE AND THAT YOU DID NOT FIDGET.
NEXT, ASSEMBLE AN INTERVIEW PORTFOLIO.
CHOOSE A SMALL, PROFESSIONAL FOLDER
TO COLLECT RELEVANT DOCUMENTS TO TAKE TO AN INTERVIEW.
YOUR INTERVIEW PORTFOLIO SHOULD CONTAIN COPIES OF YOUR RESUME,
COVER LETTER, REFERENCE LIST, APPLICATION, A CALENDAR,
NOTE PAPER AND PEN.
IN ADDITION, YOU MAY WANT TO ADD ANY RELEVANT DOCUMENTS
PERTAINING TO THE JOB,
SUCH AS WRITING SAMPLES OR OTHER EXAMPLES OF YOUR WORK.
USE COPIES INSTEAD OF ORIGINALS,
SO YOU CAN OFFER THE DOCUMENTS TO THE EMPLOYER
TO VIEW DURING THE INTERVIEW OR TO LEAVE AFTER THE INTERVIEW.
KEEP YOUR FOLDER ON YOUR LAP DURING THE INTERVIEW
AND HAVE YOUR PERSONAL COMMERCIAL
OR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS DOCUMENT
ON THE TOP OF YOUR FOLDER FOR EASY ACCESS
SO THAT YOU MAY GLANCE AT IT
JUST IN CASE YOU BECOME A LITTLE NERVOUS AND FORGET WHAT TO SAY.
HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR PERSONAL COMMERCIAL MEMORIZED,
SO DO NOT READ THE DOCUMENT.
IN ADDITION,
DO NOT SET YOUR FOLDER ON THE INTERVIEWER'S DESK.
PURCHASE A PACKAGE OF SIMPLE
BUT PROFESSIONAL THANK YOU NOTES.
PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW,
WRITE A BRIEF 3-4 SENTENCE DRAFT NOTE.
IN THE NOTE,
THANK THE INTERVIEWER FOR HIS OR HER TIME.
STATE THAT YOU ENJOYED LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE POSITION,
ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE JOB
AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE INTERVIEWER SOON.
PLACE BOTH YOUR DRAFT THANK YOU NOTE
AND YOUR PACKAGE OF THANK YOU NOTE CARDS IN YOUR CAR
THE EVENING PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW.
AFTER YOUR INTERVIEW
WRITE A THANK YOU NOTE TO THE EMPLOYER,
USING YOUR DRAFT NOTE AS AN EXAMPLE
BUT TAILORING IT TO THE INTERVIEWER THAT YOU JUST LEFT.
IF POSSIBLE, PRIOR TO THE DAY OF YOUR INTERVIEW,
CONDUCT A PRACTICE RUN FOR GETTING TO THE COMPANY.
FIND THE BEST ROUTE TO YOUR INTERVIEW LOCATION
AT THE TIME THAT YOU ARE SCHEDULED.
DRIVE OR FIND RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION
TO THE INTERVIEW LOCATION AND CHECK FOR PARKING.
YOU'LL BE MORE PREPARED FOR YOUR TRIP
AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY
POTENTIAL TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS,
INCLUDING TRAFFIC AND PARKING.
ONCE AT THE SITE, IDENTIFY THE BUILDING,
FLOOR OR OFFICE WHERE THE INTERVIEW WILL BE HELD.
HAVE THE NAME AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE INTERVIEWER,
IN CASE THERE IS SOME UNFORESEEN PROBLEM.