Hey, it’s game day. We’re going to discuss the ten things you should do to perform your best at an interview. But, remember that an interview should be a give-and-take conversation with a new person, so respect the interviewer, but be yourself. Here are ten things you need to do in an interview:
- Arrive early; take the pressure off yourself by leaving home early in case of traffic or transit delays. It also gives you time to review your notes and copied materials, and see what’s happening in the reception area.
- Know about the position: companies don’t often best job in describing the requirements of the job. Before you go into detail about your background, ask if they could confirm or discuss about the position and expectations. This will give you a good idea where would focus of your discussion.
- Listen carefully to the questions: make sure you understand each question before you answer. Your understanding is often a major part of their evaluation process. If you don’t understand (1. _____), it’s really smart to ask.
- Always be positive: If you want to blow an interview, be negative. You should always answer a question in a positive manner even when discussion is in a difficult situation. Always express the positive side of what you learn from that experience.
- Tailor your resume: adjust your positioning statement and highlights of your previous job to the needs of position. This will give you the interviewer an idea of what you did that matches with their needs.
- Delay salary discussions: in the early stage of the interview process, you should be100% focused on the job itself. If they ask, you should say “I’m open to what’s fair compensation for the position. If pressed, then state either your salary history or put your first job at your college where understand your market is.
- Make the interview a conversation: the best interviews happen when you and the interviewer each talk the same amount of time. To assure this happens, answer each question directly, don’t ramble, then, follow up with a question of your own. And listen real closely to answers you get.
- Know what the next steps are after the interview: if it’s not clear what next steps are, ask. I liked a direct method myself, “What are the next steps?” or “What is your time frame to filling the position?” then keep quite, and let the interviewer do talking. This questions indicate your interest. Don’t forget to thank the interviewer for his time, but don’t (2. _____).
- Complete your notes: right after the interview, make notes covering what you learned about the job expectations, the company, and the people you met. This information will be vital if process continues, or on future interviews for similar positions.
- Always send a follow-up letter; sending a brief follow-up letter within 24-h, thanking each interviewer, demonstrates your interest and professionalism. It’s a good idea to draft those letters before the interview, so you won’t forget. A quick response will be remembered. Remember, your goal is to be remembered.
Now for further prepared the interviews, go to the video “answering the interview questions”. This is Rich Alexander, and thanks so much for watching.