Interview Dos and Don'ts
Interviewing is one of the most stressful events that a person will encounter in their lives. It combines the fear of speaking in public or to strangers and the desire for the position that you are interviewing to get. There are scores of websites, books, and seminars that promise to make you a better interviewer but the secret is inside each person. As a former retail store manager, I have interviewed candidates for many positions from part-time cashiers to full-time assistant managers.
The first big tip is to get comfortable with the skill set that got an interview. Employers receive many applications for each position and only select a few to take to the interview step. If an employer asks for an interview, that step has been cleared and the skill set is present to be successful in the job. Many applicants forget that very important fact. Too many times, the stress of the interview overshadows the step in the selection process that has already been cleared. A second important tip is to make sure to get ready and arrive early. The proper attire that both fits the level of the job and offers some confidence to the interviewee is very important. The confidence you get from your clothing can very well make a difference in how you perform in the interview itself. It will also help to get some familiarity with the building and surroundings that you will be interviewing. It might not be the same room but comfort in the building and surroundings can give you an edge.
There are also many things to avoid in an interview. Good posture and appropriate eye contact go far with prospective employers. The confidence that it shows when you are answering questions can go farther than a candidate that has to look around or down when answering or thinking about their answers to questions. Eye contact is a very delicate balance to find. Too much or too little can portray negative things about the person being interviewed. Candidates also want to think about your responses. Giving answers too quickly can seem like they were not well thought out. Candidates want to take a short amount of time to construct their answer before going into their explanation of the question. Again, this is an important balance to find because taking too long seems like the candidate is not ready for the position. Finding balance in all interviews is one of the most important tips to try and follow.
Interviewing is one of the most stressful events in a person's career. Doing well can help advance a career and being bad can find people stuck in certain positions for long periods of time. Interview skills can be increased by being in that interview positions and time to practice those skills.
The first big tip is to get comfortable with the skill set that got an interview. Employers receive many applications for each position and only select a few to take to the interview step. If an employer asks for an interview, that step has been cleared and the skill set is present to be successful in the job. Many applicants forget that very important fact. Too many times, the stress of the interview overshadows the step in the selection process that has already been cleared. A second important tip is to make sure to get ready and arrive early. The proper attire that both fits the level of the job and offers some confidence to the interviewee is very important. The confidence you get from your clothing can very well make a difference in how you perform in the interview itself. It will also help to get some familiarity with the building and surroundings that you will be interviewing. It might not be the same room but comfort in the building and surroundings can give you an edge.
There are also many things to avoid in an interview. Good posture and appropriate eye contact go far with prospective employers. The confidence that it shows when you are answering questions can go farther than a candidate that has to look around or down when answering or thinking about their answers to questions. Eye contact is a very delicate balance to find. Too much or too little can portray negative things about the person being interviewed. Candidates also want to think about your responses. Giving answers too quickly can seem like they were not well thought out. Candidates want to take a short amount of time to construct their answer before going into their explanation of the question. Again, this is an important balance to find because taking too long seems like the candidate is not ready for the position. Finding balance in all interviews is one of the most important tips to try and follow.
Interviewing is one of the most stressful events in a person's career. Doing well can help advance a career and being bad can find people stuck in certain positions for long periods of time. Interview skills can be increased by being in that interview positions and time to practice those skills.
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