Interview Savy: Creating Your Professional Image

Transcription

1 Interview Savy: Creating Your Professional Image First impressions are lasting impressions. If you ve gotten used to dressing casually, which is common for most students on campus, you ll need to begin thinking about developing the professional image that will be vital to making a positive first impression in your first professional interviews, whether they occur on or off campus. Most experts emphasize that interviewers form a subjective opinion about a candidate within the first few minutes of the interview. Eighty percent of an interviewer s analysis of a candidate will be based solely upon his/her first impression. Dress, body language, smile, and handshake are all important components of that first impression. According to H. Anthony Medley, author of Sweaty Palms, The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed, you should consider three factors with respect to dress for the interview: 1. Dress to your advantage 2. Dress to suit your interviewer 3. Dress appropriately for the position for which you are applying Within the last two years of your college career, it is wise to invest in a set of professional clothes that will boost your professional image and self confidence. This does not have to be an overly expensive proposition if you start early and shop wisely. Neatness and cleanliness should be your highest priority when it comes to preparing for an interview. You ll want to aim for a well coordinated, clean, polished look. Bad breath, wrinkled clothes, dirty fingernails, or lingering body odor will leave a lasting negative impression on an interviewer who has just spent 30 minutes to an hour with you in an enclosed room. Although this may seem to be common knowledge, these are conditions of which you are often unaware, so you ll need to pay close attention to them when preparing for the interview day.

2 Conservative dress (meaning tailored clothes with simple or classic designs, basic prints or solids and neutral colors) is considered to be the surest bet for an interview. The idea is to attract attention to your face and get the interviewer to listen to what you have to say. You don t want your clothes or your appearance to distract the interviewer from accomplishing the task of getting to know you and what you can contribute to the company. You want your clothes to enhance your appearance as a professional. Women will want to lighten their makeup, accessories, and perfume, choose a more classic neatly styled haircut or style hair away from the face. A skirt with a matching jacket and modest blouse, a tailored dress and pumps with moderate to low heels are good investments. For men, a full suit in neutral color (gray, navy, beige) with a well coordinated tie and polished black or brown (plain or wing-tipped style) shoes are an intelligent choice. Make sure your socks are not white athletic socks! It s a good idea to find out how professionals dress in the positions and companies where you are applying. Browse through the company literature prior to interviewing and notice how the employees are dressed in various pictures. Better yet, if the company is local, stop by the office around lunch time or at the end of the day and observe how the employees are dressed in the department where you d like to work. You will probably find that people in more creative or fashion oriented careers dress with more flair, color and variation than those in conservative industries like banking. If you know a professional in your field, you might consider asking him/her for some advice. Mistakes That Prevent You From Getting an Interview Sending a sloppy Resume Appearing too arrogant in job search materials Focusing on your needs over the company s I want to learn for myself, I want to gain experience for my future. Not following specified directions from the company Failing to follow up Using an unprofessional address to send in your resume i.e. Pimp2006@yahoo.com, sexygirly123@aol.com Having inappropriate pictures and information on myspace, facebook, friendster, or any other Internet forum that potential employers could look up. Before The Interview Find out as much as you can about the organization such as its business objectives products or services, mission and vision statements and competitors. You can find this information on the web and by requesting documents from the company. Also, find out the job role of the interviewer so you can prepare your answers for the right audience On The Day of The Interview Preparation is the key: it will be immediately apparent to the interviewer those candidates who have taken the time to prepare and those who have not. Wear appropriate clothes for the organization you are applying to. If you are unsure then err on the formal side Make sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before, but avoid arriving extremely early such as half an hour before, the employer may get annoyed feeling that they are being rushed to get to you. handshake and maintain eye contact

3 Making A Connection In The Interview The interview is your best opportunity to convince a potential employer that YOU are the right person for a desired position. You ll want to do everything possible to make a good impression in this meeting. Aside from professional appearance, there are two major areas upon which you will want to concentrate when preparing for the interview Know yourself Know the Company or Organization You ll want to continually look for concrete examples that illustrate how your background, skills, interests, etc. MATCH the company s needs. Before the Interview What you don t know can hurt you in a interview. Doing some thorough research on a company, so that you can discuss its products, services, goals, and philosophy will always be to your benefit in an interview. Doing your homework not only impresses the recruiter, it helps you choose the company that is more suitable to you. Lack of knowledge about the company is the most common reason given for rejection of candidates in on campus interviews. It is also smart to review a list of common interview questions. Write out your responses to each question the way you would respond to them in an interview, or better yet, role play an interview with your career counselor or a close friend who can give you some constructive feedback. In addition, here are some general suggestions for interviewing: Tune in and Listen to the Interviewer- adapt to the interviewer s style and be sensitive to the nonverbal feedback you receive when responding to questions. Try to ascertain why particular questions are being asked before responding. Don t be afraid to ask for clarification if needed and give yourself time to think before responding. Be Positive- speak positively regarding your past work and educational experiences, as well as past employers. Emphasize what you have LEARNED from past experiences and how you solved problems in response to challenges. Watch out for negative words that may creep into your explanations or even words that distract from a positive statement, such as pretty good, maybe, I think, sort of, etc. Communicate Interest in the Organization- point out to the interviewer the particular reasons why you are interested in the organization Emphasize your Personal Theme- Know three good reasons why you are an outstanding candidate for what particular position and company and weave them into the interview. Concentrating on a personal theme in relationship to the company and its needs will not only help you stay focused, it will help you come across more naturally and avoid appearing as if you have rehearsed answers to a series of interview questions. Give Examples- Don t just say I m a good manager, give an example of how you handled a situation that illustrates good management or leadership skills. Describe situations, tasks involved in solving problems and the actions and steps you have taken that lead to specific results for any interview question scenario you may use. Using examples is one of the most important components of good interviewing. Get Feedback- Interviewing can improve with practice. By analyzing your interview with a career professional or knowledgeable colleague, you can continue to improve upon your poise, confidence, and effectiveness in the interview. The better you are able to communicate what you have to offer as a candidate, the closer you ll come to a job offer, and that s what interviewing is all about!

4 Don t Forget: If you don t understand a question that is asked check with the interviewer by saying for example: If I understand correctly, you would like to know If you need time to think of an answer ensure the interviewer knows you are thinking by your body language/facial expressions. The interviewer will almost always ask if you have any questions at the end, so have some prepared but don t ask about wage or scheduling. Using memorized answers Make sure you: Adapt to the interviewers style, and be aware of nonverbal feedback you receive Such as a head nod or expressions with the eyes Emphasize what you have LEARNED from past experiences and how you solved problems Avoid words such as pretty good, maybe, I think, sort of etc Know three good reasons why you are a good candidate for the position and include them while talking Give examples that show how you handle situations Often interviewers will ask you to explain a flaw you may have. Have an answer prepared, and do not say you are perfect. Common Mistakes During the Interview: Limited enthusiasm Lack of Eye contact Fidgeting Monopolize Interview Inappropriate dress Lying during interview Overly aggressive during interview Late arrival Unprepared to discuss skills and experience Unprepared to discuss career plans and goals Lack of self confidence Focus on salary/benefits/perks Coming off as covering something up Sealing The Deal Thank the interviewer for their time and ask when you are likely to hear from them, but don t talk too much. Do Not: Criticize Previous Employers, Managers or Colleagues Ask for a decision prior to the specified date Common Interview Questions 1. Tell me about yourself 2. Describe your ideal job 3. Why should we hire you? 4. What has prepared you for a job like this? 5. You have changed jobs frequently; are you still uncertain of your career? 6. Will you relocate? 7. How soon would it be before you could make a contribution? 8. What motivates you? 9. What do you find challenging and rewarding in a job? 10. Who in history do you most admire? 11. What are your immediate goals once in this position? 12. What are your short term goals (2-5 years)? 13. What are your long term goals (5-10 years)? 14. How long would you stay with us? 15. What are you looking for in a career? 16. What can you do for us that someone else can t? 17. Do you work well under pressure? Describe the most stressful situation you ve run into on the job and how you dealt with the pressure? 18. What salary are you worth? 19. What are your three most important accomplishments so far? 20. What is your greatest strength? Weakness? 21. Why do you want to work for us? 22. Give an example of something you ve done that you considered creative? 23. Are you analytical? Give an example 24. Describe what good management skills are to you and give an example of a situation in which you ve demonstrated them.

5 25. How many people have you hired? What do you look for? 26. Give an example of a situation in which you played a leadership role. Describe your style of leadership. 27. How have you helped to increase earnings and/ or reduce costs for former employers? 28. How do your subordinates get along with you? 29. How would someone you work with describe your personality? 30. Are you a motivator of people? Explain. 31. Why did you major in? 32. Is your GPA an accurate measure of your ability? Why or Why not? 33. What were your extracurricular activities in school? 34. How did you spend your summers while in school? 35. What percentage did you contribute to your education? 36. How did you get along with your last boss? 37. What did you like and dislike about your last job? 38. Why did you want to interview with this company? 39. How will your major strengths help you in this job? 40. What kinds of people attract you, annoy you? 41. How do you cope with on-the-job stress? 42. What books do you read? How much time do you spend reading? 43. What questions do you have about our company? Common Interview Questions For Educators What prompted you to go into the field of education? What is your philosophy of education? What is the role of the teacher in the community? How would you describe your last principal? State a behavioral objective you taught in your last class. What have you found to be the toughest aspect of discipline? 7. Describe an ideal curriculum in your area of study. 8. How do you structure your class to achieve maximum benefit from teacher/student contact? 9. How have you emphasized the development of basic skills? 10. What is the toughest aspect of teaching today? 11. What is the role of homework? 12. What has been your most positive teaching experience? Negative? 13. How would you handle a student who is a consistent behavioral problem in your class? 14. How would you communicate student progress to parents? 15. Define a superior teacher, administrator, counselor, etc. 16. What is your position on competency based instruction? 17. What two or three books, concepts, or experiences have influenced you the most in your professional development? 18. What teaching techniques have you found to be effective for you within the classroom? 19. What principles do you use to motivate students? 20. Will individualized instruction be a part of your teaching day? If yes, how would you do it? 21. Would you feel comfortable teaching the educationally and culturally deprived child? 22. What is your position on issues such as sex education, discipline, grading, individualized instruction, classroom management, coed physical education, etc.? 23. What can you offer your community and school outside of the classroom? 24. What would you do if.(situations regarding curriculum, methods, texts, students relationships, professionalism and ethics, discipline)? 25. What would you like to ask us?

6 References Thornbory, Greta, and ClaireWhite. (2006) HOW TO be successful at job interviews. Occupational Health, 58.9, Gordon, Julie. (2006) If You Really Want the Job, Read This. Business week, 5. McMahan, Steve. (2006) Avoiding Job Interview Mistakes. Teller vision.1350, 7. Navarro, Anna.(2006) Employers Want to Know, What Can You Do For Me?. Physician executive, 32.5, Corcodilos, Nick. (2006) Nailing the Interview: A Headhunter Tells How. InfoWorld 28.38,