Interview Basics (Fifth in a Series of 12): Get To The Point

When you reply to questions, remember this is not a conversation with a friend.  Get to the point of the answer and don't ramble on.  Avoid using multiple conjunctions, "and, "and," "and."  While it is important to completly answer the questions, focus on the quality of the reply rather than the lenght of the reply. 

Use the three-phase method when answering the questions.

(1) acknowledge the question
(2) generalizing the question
(3) your answer

You can read more here about the three-phases of responding to a question.

Interview Basics (Fourth in a Series of 12): First Impressions

There is a widely known saying that first impressions are really important.  While in some cases if we don't make a good first impression we have an opportunity to make a good second impression.  However, in an interview - there is no second chance.

Here are some tips to make a good first impression at your interview.

• Body language:  Stand tall and confident.  Don't slouch or seem too comfortable during the interview (you are not in your living room). 
• Gestures:  Be aware of any bad habits or gestures you make.  Don't play with your hair, pen or anything else that gets the attention of the interviewer.  Utilize use of good gestures with your hands, and head, such as nodding and have a friendly smile.
• Handshake:  Always shake hands with a firm grip. 
• Voice:  Speak with clarity.  Don't speak too fast or babble continuously.  Use effective pause and pitch.
• Attire:  Most interviews require a suit and tie (well, women don't need to wear a tie). If you are unsure, then it is a good idea to wear a suit and tie.  When choosing the color of your suit, a dark neutral color is recommended.  Blue is the most popular.  Avoid bright colors or suits that have patterns.  For women (and men) avoid wearing an over-abundance of jewerly and accessories.  Make sure to groom well also.
• Scents:  Don't overuse perfumes or colognes.  Wearing a light amount to no scents is recommended.

All in all, think about the first impressions you want to make in any situation.  When you first meet your in-laws, going to church, meeting the President and so on...

Job Interview Video

Learn how to form polite questions in the context of a professional job interview. In this intermediate English lesson you will see a job interview taking place in an office. Listen to the polite way the interviewer is asking questions. [from podEnglish]

 

4 Hidden Resume Mistakes

The first step in the interview process is the resume.  Without a good resume, you may never move on to the actual interview, thus making you land that job impossible.

Here is an article about some mistakes that could prevent you from obtaining your future job.

4 Hidden Resume Mistakes That Will Cost You The Job















[photo from AOL jobs]

Techniques to Land a Job

During the job search, there may be times when you feel frustrated and feel that getting a decent job is next to impossible.  And once you get a job offer, the offer is not what you expected.

Here are some tips on how to improve your success rate for landing a job that meets your expectations.

Click on the link below:

8 New Techniques to Land a Job

Posted by: Kevin Cormac|

A better job search, a better chance

[from New Grad Life]

When You Don't Understand A Question

During an English interview, many interviewees may have difficulty in comprehending an interviewer's question.  The worst thing to do is pretend to understand and incorrectly respond or just sit there and smile and contemplate the question with a minute's silence - only with a, "I don't know."

Instead, you should simply ask them to repeat the question and/or seek clarification of the question.

As an interviewer (for English language assessment), I don't expect the interviewee to understand every question.  If he/she doesn't understand something, seeking clarification shows me that they want to understand, but just needs a little bit of additional explanation.  And most of the time, with a little clarification, the interviewee can reply to the question.

Here are some useful phrases:

"Can you repeat the question again?"
"I don't understand what you mean by, fractional?"
"Can you rephrase the question?"
"Can you give me an example?"
"When you save ten-fold, you mean ten times, correct?"

Here are some sample dialogs: (A = interviewer, B = interviewee)

(A)  Are you a charismatic person?
(B)  Can you explain what charismatic means?
(A)  Sure, charismatic means having leadership qualities that people trust and want to follow.
(B)  Oh, I understand.  Yes, I believe that I have ...


(A)  Do you work well with a team, or do you feel more comfortable doing tasks unaided?
(B)  Can you rephrase the last part again?
(A)  Let me rephrase the question.  Do you work better with a team or by yourself?
(B)  Both.  I do the work by myself or with a team, whichever is needed.

When An Employer Requires Experience And You Have None - Jacquelyn Smith - Forbes

When An Employer Requires Experience And You Have None - Jacquelyn Smith - Forbes

Having No Previous Experience

There is a paradox of sorts when it comes to having experience.  In order to get experience you need experience.

Click here to read an article published at Forbes.com regarding this issue.

Interview Basics (Third in a Series of 12): Arrive Early

There is a saying that my dad used to say - "It is better to arrive two hours early than 1 minute late"

I have kept this advice, well not so much when I was younger, but as an adult I always try to arrive plenty of time in advance for any appointment.

As for the job interview, arriving early has many benefits.  Give yourself at least 15 - 30 minutes before the scheduled interview to arrive.  Expect the unexpected, such as, traffic delays or difficulty in finding the location.  In some office buildings, it could take 10 minutes or more from the entrance to the interview area.

Some benefits include, arriving early you have a chance to relax and focus on presenting yourself in the best way possible.  You also have a chance to look around and get a sense of the working environment.  You could also pick up a brochure or other reading materials related to the company.  Every little bit helps in this competitive job market.

If the unfortunate happens and you are going to be late, try to let the company know that you are running late.  If you are late by a few minutes, apologize, but don't go into too much detail - just gain your composure and begin your interview with confidence.

Hot Careers That Are Hiring Now

Are you thinking about changing your job?  Do you want to move your career into another direction?

Click here to read about five hot careers that are experiencing strong hiring.

Interview Basics (Second in a Series of 12): Research the Company

When you go to an interview, make sure you do your research about the company. 

This company you are interviewing for may be your home for years to come, so it is vital that you know at least the basics of the company.  It will also help you determine if you really want to work for this company.  There may be some areas that the company does business in that goes against your personal views. 

By doing the research it can also help you with the interview process by letting your perspective employer know that you are knowledgable about the company.  This knowledge can be a positive factor for the employer in determining to hire you.

Some of the things you will want to know are:

• Company history
• Names of high-ranking executives
• Knowledge of key locations (Headquarters, plant, warehouse, etc...)
• Products and/or services the company offers
• Alliances and partnerships
• Milestones
• Future plans

It doesn't take long to acquire this information.  By spending a little amount of time doing this research can benefit you in making the decision to wanting to work at the company and also helping you through the interview process.