| PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW |
An interview is a two way street. It’s an oft-repeated phrase, but one well worth restating here. It is an opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer as well as to ascertain whether or not the role and company is the right fit for you. As such, you should be sure to research the company and the role before the interview. This will better enable you to answer questions and evaluate them as a possible employer when it comes time to ask the questions you want answered.
When preparing for an interview, you should first determine what it is you want to say and how you want to impart that message to the interviewer. What you say should be relevant to the company and the position in question, so you must first do some legwork and find out what you can about the company. You can consult with your recruiter, the Internet, industry people and annual reports, if it is a public company, in order to get the information you need.
First appearances can be critical as can the way you conduct yourself, listen, as well as ask and answer questions. Arrive a few minutes early and be dressed appropriate to the position, conservative, tasteful and always professional. When the first introduction is made, greet the interviewer with a sincere smile, a firm handshake and the appropriate amount of eye contact.
At all times be sure to follow the interviewers’ lead. As an example, if the interviewer wants to talk, let the interviewer talk.
It is important for you to communicate clearly and concisely. Answer every question thoroughly, but do not ramble, go off on tangents or keep on talking just to fill silence once you have answered the question. Keep in mind that the interviewer is assessing your body language and non-verbal communication, so it is important to be aware of proper posture, eye contact, gestures and body movement.
Always be prepared to relate your experience and accomplishments to the position in question. It can be helpful to provide examples to illustrate your point. It is equally important that you are able to explain your career moves in a logical and rational manner.
In the initial stages of any selection process, do not bring up the subject of compensation unless specifically asked. When the time comes to ask questions, ask intelligent, well thought out questions that get to the core of what you need to know about the company, its culture, the people and the position in question.
In general, you should be mindful of your personal presentation, the way you communicate who you are and how your goals and aspirations match up with the company’s goals and culture. Try not to be negative of past experiences or employers – you risk coming across as someone that may never be happy or is unable to deal with adversity. Don’t try too hard to impress or be too familiar or too friendly with the interviewer-always maintain as professional a demeanour as possible.
At the conclusion of the interview, thank the interviewer for his or her time. Follow up with a handwritten thank you note or e-mail, but do not pester the interviewer with phone calls or e-mails in an attempt to ascertain the status of the position you are seeking. Determine in the interview how the interviewer would like to move forward and how they would prefer to convey timelines and decisions to you.
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