INTERVIEW

The interview is an opportunity for you and interviewer to determine if the job is right for you. It’s also your chance to sell yourself. Preparing for the interview is critical for your success, because a good interview will improve your chances of employment, but a great interview can secure the position.

• 1. First impression - before you walk in the door - make sure you wear comfortable and appropriate for the position you apply for. Avoid extremes.
• 2. Know your resume - be prepared to answer questions to what is written in your resume. Once you spend time to prepare it, make sure you know exactly what’s in it. Know what you did at each position, why you chose your shool, major and listed jobs. Be able to provide specific numbers, examples and go beyond resume with details about your acomplishments. Think of how your contributions made a real impact. Know Your Numbers and be able to quantify your own achievements.
• 3. Know what you want - be prepared to talk about your career and personal goals in both long and short term. Aks yourself questions: “What is it I really want?”, “What am I naturally good at?”, “What do I really enjoy?”, “Is this the right environment that will help me to achieve that?”. Understand what drives you and what the right fit is for you from a culture perspective, as well as what opportunities are going to match to your long term goals.
• 4. Know your strengths and weaknesses - be prepared to speak confidently and positively about both. Once you understand company and position you apply for, identify areas where you can add value and areas you will need to improve. Always turn shortcomings into a positive and weakness turn into an advantage by describing it as an opportunity to improve. Be realistic.
• 5. Do your homework - research the company, position and the industry. Match yourself to the opportunity. Communicate your interest. The more you know, the better chance you will present as a serious and an outstanding Candidate. Know the Industry - research what trends are impacting the company, both positively and negatively.
• 6. Be prepared - to anwer work-related questions about your past employment, current position, responsibilities and career goals and behavioral interview questions that focus on how you have reacted under certain circumstances in the past as an indicator of future performance. Prepare yourself by analyzing your skills and those required by the position, and identify situations where you have successfully demonstrated those skills. The interviewer will assess you if you are qualified candidate with notable achievements.
• 7. Be Yourself – just be yourself, be authentic. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
• 8. Ask Questions - don’t be afraid to ask questions. By asking relevant, informed questions about the company, the department and the position, you will demonstrate a strong, proactive interest. You will also present yourself as someone who is ready to work, not just for any company, but for this company in particular.
• 9. Interview close - be sure to close the interview in a strong, confident manner. Tell the interviewer why you want this job and the benefits you would bring to the company. This is a good time to summarize your job skills with what the interviewer is looking for. Ask the interviewer about next steps.