Interviewing APPEARANCE

Transcription

1 Interviewing BEFORE THE INTERVIEW An important part of being prepared for the interview is to know as much as possible about the company itself. By researching the company s products, services, customer base, holding company, principal owners and locations, industry ranking, sales and profits, you will be more informed as to how the position you seek fits into the organization as a whole. Here are some suggestions for researching the company position before the interview. Research the Company Read company literature. Call ahead and ask if you can obtain an annual report or marketing packet. Check online for background information via the company s website (if available). Research the industry, and get familiar with industry trends by consulting related magazines, newsletters or other publications. If the company is small, try to learn as much as possible about its products and services, ownership and future growth plans. The interview can also be a good time to ask some of these questions. Consult basic reference material in the local library. Two good references are the Manufacturer s Guide (lists state manufacturers) and the Service Directory (lists state service companies). Ask the resource librarian for other material on companies and industries. Internet research is often helpful. Read the company s website, or click on other industryrelated websites (including association chat rooms, newsletters and articles). Research the Position Know as much about the position as possible before the interview. Do you have proper experience for the job? Is the location acceptable? Talk to people who work for the company. Learn as much as possible about the job and the work environment. Have questions about the position prepared in advance. If your questions are not covered in the interview, you may ask them at the end of the meeting. You may be pre-screened prior to setting the interview. When you are contacted, it is appropriate to ask a few questions about the position, but don t overdo it. Provide answers to the screener s questions only. Do not offer more information than requested. APPEARANCE Employers make judgments about a prospective employee within the first 10 seconds of the initial meeting. Take the time to plan your wardrobe, grooming and demeanor to reflect calmness and confidence. Attire for Women To present a professional appearance, women should wear a business suit with a skirt. Neutral tones (i.e., navy, brown, black) are best. Matching, closed-toe pumps and hosiery will contribute to a sleek look. A dark one-piece tailored dress is an acceptable alternative. Stay away from frills, glaring colors and revealing or suggestive garments. If the job you are applying for is less formal in nature, you might wear a skirt and blouse or tailored dress with pumps. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. Attire for Men Men should wear a dark business suit, wellmatched tie and shined shoes. Khaki or beige is acceptable for summer. Shirts should be a solid color, lighter than the suit. Socks should match shoes and slacks. For repeat interviews, simply choose a different tie and shirt. Men applying for skilled positions such as carpenters, electricians or skilled craftsmen should dress according to the acceptable dress code in their industry. A good rule of thumb is to dress as the boss would dress.

2 APPEARANCE (continued) Grooming Clothing should be clean and pressed. You should be bathed and free of body odor. Teeth should be brushed and mouth fresh. Your hair should be clean and carefully styled. Men should be clean-shaven. Women should not wear heavy makeup. Perfume, aftershave or cologne should be worn lightly or not at all. Body Language Smile, relax and enjoy the people you meet on the way to your interview. Remember, these people could be future coworkers. You are making a first impression wherever you go in the company. A pleasant face will be greeted with a smile, and you will be more relaxed in the interview. Proper posture is important. Stand straight and tall. Slouching, shrugging or shaking your head conveys a lack of interest on your part. Maintain good eye contact with the interviewer during your conversation. Practice your handshake. Is it firm? If your hands are moist, discreetly wipe them before the handshake. Carry your purse or briefcase in your left hand, so your right hand is free for the handshake. Do not chew gum. Do not smoke. If you are participating in a lunch interview, never order alcohol. If a dinner meeting has been arranged, take the interviewer s lead in ordering alcohol. Limit yourself to one glass of wine. TIPS FOR MAKING A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION You may be asked to complete an application. Do not state that you have already sent a resume. Be on time! Arrive no more than 10 minutes early. You will have time to freshen up and find a restroom, if necessary. Then take a deep breath and relax. This may be true, but the application may be necessary for proper documentation if you are hired by the company. Never fail to show up for an interview. The person you are to meet has arranged his or her schedule around your visit. If you are delayed for any reason or need to cancel the interview, you must notify the interviewer as soon as possible. A person who does not call or show up for the interview will be rejected for the position and may never be considered by the company in the future. Be organized. Make sure you have extra copies of your resume and reference information. If necessary, bring copies of degrees and examples of written or artistic materials. Have a list of questions that you would like to ask the interviewer. Remember: good manners never go out. Arriving at the Interview You have arrived. Be sure you are familiar with the pronunciation of the interviewer s name. Do not use first names unless you are invited to do so. The interview will probably start with general topics. Did you find the office without difficulty? How was the traffic? Try to be direct and positive with your answers. Speak clearly and concisely. When meeting the interviewer, make an informal, positive comment about the company. Tell the person that it is a pleasure to meet him or her and to have an opportunity to view the facility. Do not get too friendly; one or two sentences will be appropriate. Be seated as guided by the interviewer, and allow him or her to lead the conversation. SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Interview questions are formulated to determine your past performance, job goals, skills, abilities and how well you work with others. This is the time when the potential employer can determine your ability to perform the essential functions of the job. Following are some questions that your interviewer is likely to ask. Read each question thoroughly and consider a response. If you answer them on paper, you will have completed a personal evaluation of your work experience and will benefit from this time of reflection. Of course, only a few questions will be discussed in the interview, but if you have prepared answers to most of the following questions, you will be more than ready!

3 Past Experience and Specific Skills 1. What is/was your boss s title? Describe his or her functions. 2. Tell me about your present/most recent job. Describe a typical day in your job. 3. What do you feel were your major responsibilities in your last job? What were some of the things you spent time on, and how much time did you spend on each? 4. Tell me about the people you hired in your last job. How long did they stay, and how did they work out? 5. Tell me about the people you had to fire. What were the reasons for termination, and how did you handle the situation? 6. Describe some things in your job you feel you did particularly well, or where you achieved the greatest success. Why do you feel this way? 7. What do you consider the single most important idea you contributed or your most noteworthy accomplishment? 8. What were some things you particularly liked about your last job? 9. What was the most or least promising job you ever had? Why? 10. What do you think it takes for a person to be successful in (fill in job or specialty)? 11. Are there certain things you feel more confident about doing than others? What are they, and why do you feel the way you do? 12. What were some of the things about your job that you found difficult to do? Why do you feel this way? 13. If you ran into this situation (give a typical problem situation the candidate might be expected to deal with), how would you handle it? 14. What are some of the problems you encountered doing your job? Which frustrated you the most? What did you do about them? 15. Most jobs have pluses and minuses. What were some of the minuses of your last job? 16. How would you describe yourself? 17. How do you feel about the progress you made at your most recent company? 18. What specific strengths do you think you can bring to this position? 19. In what ways do you feel your most recent job has prepared you to take on even greater responsibilities? 20. What are some of the things that motivate you? 21. What are some of the reasons you had for leaving your last job? General Intelligence and Aptitude 1. Can you explain how you go about making a decision? 2. What are some of the things your company might have done to be more successful? 3. What do you know about our company? In my 19 years of financial management, I feel that the most important characteristic of a good employee is a positive attitude. What someone may lack in experience may be overcome if he or she is teachable and committed to learning with enthusiasm. John Wicker Chief Financial Officer

4 Attitudes and Personality 1. Could you tell me why you are interested in this job? 2. What are your current salary expectations? How have you arrived at this figure? What would you consider satisfactory salary progression from this point? 3. What would you like to be earning two years from now? 4. What is your overall career objective? What are some of the things, other than your job, that you have done, or that you plan to do, that will assist you in reaching this objective? 5. What kind of position would you expect to progress to in five years? Ten years? 6. What have been the biggest failures or frustrations in your business life? 7. What kind of people do you like working with? What kind of people do you find it most difficult to work with? How have you successfully worked with this type of person? 8. How did you enjoy working for your former employer? 9. What kind of person was your supervisor? 10. What are some of the things about which you and your supervisor disagreed? 11. What do you feel were your supervisor s greatest strengths? 12. In what areas do you feel your supervisor could have done a better job? 13. How do you feel about the way you, or others in your department, were treated by your supervisor? 14. What are some of the things your boss did that you particularly liked or disliked? 15. What do you do when you are having trouble solving a problem? 16. What did you do in your last job to make yourself more effective? 17. In what ways has your supervisor helped you to further develop your capabilities? 18. How do you feel your supervisor rated your job performance? What evidence do you have to support this conclusion? 19. What did he/she feel you did particularly well? What were his/her major criticisms of your work? How do you feel about those criticisms? 20. Where do you see yourself in three years? 21. Tell me about your hobbies and interests. 22. How much stability would you like in terms of a fixed job description? 23. What are some of the things in a job that are important to you and why? 24. What are some of the things you would like to avoid in a job and why? 25. What do you want from your next job that you are not getting from your present job? 26. Describe a problem you have had at a past job, and explain how you solved the problem. 27. Has a policy or directive come down with which you really disagreed? What did you do? 28. Give an example of a meeting you have attended or run that worked well. How do you feel a meeting should be organized to be effective? 29. In your last job, if something was not due for several weeks, how did you approach getting it done? 30. What risks did you take in your last few jobs, and what was the result of these risks? 31. Think about something you consider a failure in your life, and tell me why you think it occurred. 32. Describe the best boss you ever had. 33. What kind of references do you think your previous employers will give you?

5 Job Requirements 1. Give an example of a time when you were late meeting a deadline. 2. What is the hardest directive you have had to follow at a company? Why? What did you do? 3. Have you ever had to complete work without thorough instructions? How did you handle it? 4. How do you handle interruptions? Education 1. Why did you decide to go or not to go to college? 2. Tell me a little about how well you did in school. 3. What were your best and worst subjects? 4. What jobs did you have while you were at school? Proper Interview Questioning Questions should be asked that tell about your past performance. Questions should relate directly to the essential functions of the job. Job descriptions for the position may be available for you at the interview and will help you focus on the job functions. Questions about age, sex, national origin, physical characteristics, health, drug addiction, past work-related claims, litigation or personal habits should not be asked. In case the interviewer mistakenly asks an inappropriate question, it will be helpful to both of you if you are equipped with an answer such as Could you explain how that information relates to the job functions of this position? However, applicants may be asked about their ability to perform specific job functions. Your Turn At some point the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions. Many of your concerns will have been addressed during the interview conversation. Be prepared to ask follow-up questions based on the discussion. 1. Do you have a clear picture in your mind where this position fits into the company as a whole? Who would you report to, and who would report to you? 2. Do you understand the opportunity for advancement within the company? 3. Do you have a clear understanding of the functions and requirements of the job? 4. Do you want to know more about the company? 5. Do you want to know more about the company management? 6. If available, would you be interested in an employee handbook to review? 7. Do you understand why the job opening exists? 8. Don t miss the obvious. Have scheduling, overtime requirements, travel, equipment needs, specific skills been covered? 9. Ask the interviewer to outline the next steps in the candidate selection process. 10. Hold any questions about benefits or salary until after the initial interview. In order to succeed, you must know what you are doing, like what you are doing, and believe in what you are doing. Will Rogers

6 INTERVIEWING TIPS Practice answering some of the questions out loud, in front of a mirror, if necessary. Never speak negatively about your past jobs or employers. Focus on what you have learned if you have an opportunity to talk about negative situations. Maintain good eye contact. Preparation is essential. A good interviewer will talk only about 20 percent of the time. You will get to talk the other 80 percent of the time to a captive audience! Let silence in the conversation work for you. Silent moments allow both of you to rest. Let the interviewer break the silence. Make sure that what you say matches your resume. Be honest at all times. Show how your experience qualifies you for the position. Ask your interviewer if he or she has any further questions about your qualifications If you can determine that this is not the job for you, don t hesitate to be up front with the interviewer, and tell him or her why. Reflecting on the Interview Take the time to review the interview in your mind. Did you have the opportunity to spotlight your talents and skills? Did you come away knowing as much as possible about the job? It is impossible to think of every question you have, and to have perfect responses to all inquiries, but your hope is that the interviewer remembers you in a positive way. Following Up After the Interview Write a thank-you letter to the interviewer within 24 hours. Even if you decide the position is not for you, be sure to thank the interviewer for his or her time. Highlight the key points of the meeting. Repeat how you could benefit the company. Prove that you are the solution to the staffing need. If you have not heard back from the interviewer by a certain date, feel free to give him or her a call. However, be sure phone calls do not become too frequent. Be sure you convey your continuing interest in a position. Perhaps you will not be chosen for this one, but you may be considered for another position at a later date. Make every answer count. Sell your abilities and accomplishments. Respond concisely and completely without rambling. Salary Negotiations Prior to the job interview, you should have identified an acceptable salary range for the position. Research salary information. Career resource material in the library or the career center of your local bookstore will help you know what the salary range is for your job function. Make a list of the types of benefits you desire in order to arrive at a total figure. Is the job exempt from overtime, or non-exempt? Consider basic salary, insurance packages, pension plans, holidays, vacation days, educational reimbursement, vehicle expenses, paid time off and bonuses in the total package. Most salary negotiations are not done during the initial job interview and should not be conducted until you have been offered the position.

7 The Job Offer If you receive a job offer, it is best to accept in writing. If a verbal offer is extended and agreed upon, be sure to confirm the details in writing. Agree on the salary and benefits package after the offer is extended. Terms and conditions of the salary and benefits package may be offered to you in writing at the time of hire. Confirm the details in your acceptance letter. If you are offered a job on the spot during the initial interview, ask the interviewer for a day or two to consider the offer. Do not be hasty with your decision. Decide how much you are willing to compromise. Negotiate in person, if possible. Be sure to point out areas of agreement. Do not make demands in the form of I want statements. Salary negotiations should be mutually agreeable and beneficial to both parties CONGRATULATIONS! You are on your way to getting BACK TO WORK! Your planning and persistence will help you reach your goals, and we wish you the very best in all your future endeavors. The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. Vince Lombardi