Interview Preparation

Know the company.
Your knowledge of the prospective employer will contribute to the positive image you want to create. Research the company before the interview. Talk to others who work there; ask for information about the firm and for a job description when the interview is set up; use the Internet and your local library reference books on public and private organizations. Know exactly where the company is a day or so before! Drive there and see how long it takes you in traffic. Nothing is worse than a late candidate.

Know the job.
Learn everything you can about the job you are interviewing for and how your previous experience and training qualify you for this position.

Know yourself.
Review your resume before the interview to have it fresh in your mind, because it will be fresh in the mind of the person who interviews you. Better yet, have it in front of you on the table.

Prepare questions of your own.
Employers are as interested in your questions as they are in your answers. And they will react favorably if you ask intelligent questions about the position, the company and the industry. (Examples: Where does this position fit into the company as a whole? Is there any problem on this job with waste/accuracy/meeting quotas, etc.? What is the largest single problem facing your staff now?).

Get the big picture.
Visualize the entire interview, from start to finish. See yourself as performing with style and confidence. How will the interview end? Will you get a job offer or be called back for a second interview? How much salary do you want? What kind of benefits? The research you do ahead of time will give you an idea of what to expect. Be ready for any eventuality.

Focus on responsibilities instead of results.
While it is important to tell the reader what you did at each job, it is far more important to spend most of your time talking about what you accomplished and how you made yourself valuable to past employers. Focus on results and achievements. The more specific, the better.

Dress Accordingly.
You will only get one chance to get it right. It is important to remember that first impressions last. Cover up tattoos. Men should remove earrings (Not everyone in business thinks that a man wearing an earring is cool). If you smoke, try to refrain from doing so for atleast 40 minutes before the interview. Ladies, be conscious of the length of your skirt or dress. Conservative is better. Any nice blazer is better than leather, even if you have to borrow one, it will be worth it. Be aware of the amount of aftershave/deodorant/perfume that you apply right before the interview. You do not want he interviewer sneezing or battling to breath. Men must always shave. (Unless you have a beard) Hair must be neat.

Talk to The Labour Practice.
If there is anything that you are uncertain about call us. We are there to help and do not go to the interview unsure. We want you to succeed. We are the professionals in this process and can offer a wealth of expertise to make the process easier.

Look Them in the eye!
Sit up straight, and look at the person interviewing in the eye. Do not look around or look away. Body language is important and some interviewers are skilled in recognizing certain actions. Constantly looking away when answering is a sign of insecurity or deception. Whoever asks you a question, look at then in the eye, make them see you for what you are – the real deal. When in a panel interview, look at all the panel. Make them all feel like they have your attention. Either you look from left to right, right to left, it does not matter, just keep them all interested in you by looking at each and every one of them.

Common Interview Questions

The best way to avoid having a bad job interview is to prepare ahead of time. So practice, practice, PRACTICE your answers to the following questions:

• Please tell me about yourself
• Why should we hire you?
• What are your plans for the next year? Two years? Five years?
• What do expect to get from this job?
• What are your biggest weaknesses?
• What are your biggest strengths?
• Why did you leave your last job?
• What would your former employer say about you if I called them today?
• Why did you get into this line of work?
• What make you want to apply to this company?

The interview is a two way street. Remember you are also interviewing the employer to see if you want to work for that company. You should have a list of questions in mind to ask the interviewer. Here are some suggestions.

• What would you expect of me? What would my main responsibilities be?
• How would my performance be evaluated?
• Is there room for promotion?
• Would there be any travel involved with this position?
• Where do you see this company in two years?
• How would you describe your management style?
• How do you see me fitting into this company?

Most hiring decisions are made at the first interview. How you come across in that interview could be as important as your experience and job skills.