How to Get Ready for an Interview

One day it happens. One of the resumes you sent, one of the letters you wrote, one of the calls you made gets you an interview. You make an appointment, then hang up amid feelings of elation and anxiety. It's what you wanted. Without it, no one's going to hire you. You feel like celebrating, until you realize it's not something you're really looking forward to. You're thinking: "What will they ask me? What should I say? What should I ask them?" You've asked yourself some good questions. Let's look at how you're going to answer them.

DEFINE YOUR OBJECTIVES

Let's start with your objectives, with what you want to achieve when you interview. You should approach the job interview with two broad objectives:

1. Your first objective is to present yourself as favorably as you can without being
dishonest: that is, without saying things about yourself that aren't true. That doesn't
mean you shouldn't be selective in what you tell the interviewer. On the contrary.
Always be selective. Always tell the interviewer the best things you can about
yourself. Never volunteer information about the worst. The company that's
interviewing you certainly won't. They want to hire the best person they can. To do
that, the interviewer will present the company in as favorable a light as she can.
Your game plan should be no different.

2. Your second objective is to find a job, a company, and a community that are right
for you. You want the job you take to be a rewarding experience, personally as well
as professionally. You want to like the work you do, the opportunities for growth,
the people you work with and for, the salary you earn, and the city or town in which
you live and work. What you like and don't like will depend primarily on who and
what you are: your abilities, aspirations, personality, and values. It's up to you to
have a good sense of who you are, of what you want and don't want, of what you
can live with and what you can't.

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW

Armed with a sense of yourself and your priorities, find out as much as you can about the job, the company and, if necessary, the community. Then decide if the fit is a good one. If you feel it is, your job is to persuade the interviewer that you're what this company wants and needs, that the fit between you and the job is outstanding.

The best way to achieve these objectives is to prepare, as you would for an exam, an athletic contest, or an artistic performance—with thought, care, and effort.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE THINGS INTERVIEWERS LOOK FOR AND THE QUESTIONS THEY ASK

If they're good, interviewers will try to find out a number of things about you:

1. How you present yourself, or the impression you make.

2. How bright or intelligent you are. The key indicator will be the answers you give to
the interviewer's questions. A secondary indicator will be the questions you ask.

3. What you've done—your educational experiences, work experiences, participation in
the community, and special accomplishments.

4. How committed you are to work. Are you willing to work hard, to do what it takes to

excel in this job?

5. The kind of person you are. Are you mature? Stable? Responsible? Do you have a
healthy sense of your own worth? Are you enthusiastic? Energetic? Confident?
Trustworthy?

Interviewers will try to shed light on these aspects of you by observing you and by asking questions. The ground they'll cover includes the following:

Your Appearance

When you interview, there is normally a standard of appearance that you're expected to meet. Meet it and you're over the first hurdle. Fail to meet it and you've got a lot to overcome, usually too much. So appearance matters.

Let's look at some guidelines. Unless you're trying to land a job that is very clearly creative/artistic—a photographer, commercial artist, copywriter, musician, actress—it makes sense to wear traditional, conservative clothes to an interview.

If you're a man, the safest course is a dark blue or dark gray suit. A solid color or muted, narrow pinstripes are equally acceptable. The suit should be made of 100% wool or a quality wool blend. Wear a solid white shirt with long sleeves, and have it professionally

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cleaned. Wear a coordinating tie that's either striped or quietly patterned, a black dress belt, over-the-calf socks that either match the color of your suit or are black, polished black leather dress shoes, and a conservative dress watch. If you wear an overcoat, wear beige or dark blue. And if you wear cologne, wear a scent that's subtle as well as conservative.

If you're a woman, the most appropriate colors for a suit are navy blue, black, and medium gray to charcoal gray. Less desirable, though still acceptable, are camel, tan, and beige. Your suit can be solid, pinstriped, or plaid. A quality fabric is a must. Your blouse should be long sleeved, white or pale blue, and made of natural fabric. If you wear a coordinating scarf, make it silk or a quality synthetic blend, and stay with a solid color, paisley, or small polka dot. Wear a leather pump. Heel height shouldn't go much beyond 1/2". Acceptable colors include black, brown, navy, and burgundy. If you wear a belt, it should coordinate with your shoes. Hosiery should be neutral. If you wear jewelry, it should be understated. Makeup should be subtle, and as natural looking as possible. If you choose to wear a scent, use something that's light and fresh, and use it sparingly.

If you're a woman, carry a briefcase. If you're a man, a briefcase or attache case is acceptable. While it doesn't have to be leather, it shouldn't be pasteboard or clearly worn. An attache or briefcase will help you convey a sense of professionalism. It will also transport the things you'll want to bring with you: several copies of your resume, an 8/4 x 11-inch ruled pad, a pen, a typed list of your references, a hairbrush and/or comb, breath mints or spray, and any other last minute aids you might need. For example, if you sometimes get pre-interview jitters and your lips get parched, a stick of lip balm is a good thing to have along.

Your Body Language

Body language can create all kinds of impressions. To make your body language work for you:

1. Smile when you meet the interviewer, look into her eyes, shake hands firmly but not so
firmly that you make her wince, and say something like: "Hello. My name is Michelle
Jones. It's nice to meet you."

2. When you stand or walk, stand straight. Don't slouch.

3. When you're sitting, your posture should be open, not defensive. For example, don't
wrap your arms around your body as if you were hugging yourself, and don't hunch
forward as if you're about to leap from your seat.

4. Don't fidget. Don't swing a foot, tap your fingers, play with jewelry, or fiddle with your
nails.

5. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer no matter who's doing the talking.

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW

6. Look like you're paying attention. Don't look like your mind is wandering.

Each of these behaviors has nothing to do with what you say or how you say it, yet each conveys information about you to the interviewer: information about how poised, confident, assertive, and attentive you are.

How You Speak

Essentially, two things count:

1. Sound like you care. Whatever you say, whatever words you use, if you don't sound like you care you'll hurt your chances of getting the job. This doesn't mean that everything you say must be said with enthusiasm—too much can be as bad as none at all. It does mean that you want to speak forcefully and with conviction at key moments: for example, when you're talking about an important event or turning point in your life, when you're talking about what you want in a job or why you want this particular job, and when you're trying to convince the interviewer that you have the ability and the determination to do the job better than anyone else. In short, you have to be "up" for each interview. You have to treat it as if it's the best chance you'll ever have to get a job. If you don't, you're wasting an opportunity as well as your time.

2. Speak clearly, confidently, and at a reasonable pace. Don't mumble or talk in a voice that's so low you can barely be heard. Don't talk too quickly or too slowly. Don't say "urn," "like," or "you know." Don't speak hesitantly, as if you're unsure of the value of what you're saying. Because if the interviewer has to strain to hear you, fight to keep up with you because you're racing along, or feels that getting words out of you is like pulling teeth, she'll be less than impressed.

What You Say

Every interviewer is going to expect you to give answers that are clear and to the point. This checklist will help you decide if you have any weaknesses:

1. Can you organize your thoughts and express them clearly, or do you have difficulty
putting together a coherent sentence?

2. Do you use grammatically correct English when you're interviewed?

3. Do you talk too much? Do you say too little, offering "yes," "no," and other brief
replies?

4. Do you answer questions clearly, or are you vague, uncertain, and/or disorganized?

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5. Are your answers to the point or are they evasive?

6. Are you familiar with the jargon of the field you want to enter? If you^fre not, head for
the library or the Internet and read a few of the recent issues of the leading trade
magazines or papers. Then try to find someone who works in this field. When you
do, ask him to tell you about the business his company is in, the nature of that
business, and the kinds of things his company does. If he's like most people, his
conversation will be peppered with the jargon of his field.

Your Education

The interviewer will probably ask you a fair number of questions about your college years. His questions are likely to include the following:

Why did you go to the college or university you did?

You probably have good reasons of your own. If you'd like to add to them, here are some possibilities. Talk about the quality of the department in which you majored. If you went to a large school, talk about wanting to meet different kinds of people and wanting access to the many cultural events that a large university offers. If you went to a small school, talk about wanting to go to a school whose faculty was more concerned with teaching than research, at which classes were small, and at which no one got lost in the crowd. Don't give reasons that run counter to the image you want to convey: for example, your best friend went there so you did too, the school was close to home, or the academic program didn't seem too difficult to handle.

Did you transfer from one school to another? If so, why?

Stick to positive reasons for transferring. For example: you wanted a stronger department in your major field, you wanted to be part of a more diverse student body, or you wanted to be close to a major metropolitan area. Do not say things like, "I didn't like the people I met," "The academic standards were too high," or "I wanted to be close to home" (unless you were needed at home to care for someone or help support your family).

Which courses did you like best? Which did you like least? And why?

When you talk about courses you like, try to talk about ones that relate to the company's business and ones that deal with relevant skills: for example, a course in economics, a course that taught you to write, a public speaking course, courses that made you think both logically and creatively, and courses that challenged you. Spend little or no time talking about courses you disliked. Going into detail about these courses only conveys negatives. It may imply that you're weak in these areas, that you don't try very hard when you don't like something, and/or that you work only when understanding

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW

comes easily. If you do talk about courses you disliked, give the interviewer reasons that won't hurt you: for example, the instructor didn't know the field very well, was a poor teacher, or was absent a lot.

What were the high points of your college years?

These should include courses that fired your imagination, teachers that inspired you, and participation in groups, events, and/or sports that were particularly rewarding. Do not mention things like the food fight at the student union or the two-day beer blast in your junior year.

What was your grade point average?

If your grade point average is less than impressive, try to find acceptable reasons why. For example, it took you a year or two to find your way academically. Once you did, your grades soared. Or you focused attention on those subjects that you really cared about, then spent the rest of the time on activities that would broaden your experiences as a person, such as the college newspaper, a sport, a musical instrument, photography, books, and so on.

Did you do as well academically as you could have?

Since most people don't realize their potential, the answer to this question will normally be "no." But a "no" doesn't mean you can't turn this question to your advantage. For example, you might say that your primary objective during your college years was growth as a well-rounded person—intellectually, culturally, athletically and emotionally. Then expand a bit on this theme. If you worked to help pay for your education, say so, and make the point that although working kept you from spending as much time as you wanted to on coursework, it enabled you to earn your degree.

What did you do besides go to classes, write papers, and take exams?

Focus on things that you feel make you special, that are good indicators of traits or abilities that matter to you and will matter to the people you work for. Even if you haven't done much, find a couple of things that look good, then make them work for you.

Did it take you more than five years to graduate? If so, why?

Again, accentuate the positive. For example, "It took me a while to find a major I really cared about. When I did, I wanted to take all the courses I could. So I stayed in school an extra term." Or, "I transferred because I was looking for a better art department than the one I was in. When I found it, I stayed till I learned all they could teach me."

Career Power! Your Job History

If you have a job history, you're likely to be asked at least some of the following questions:

Why did you take the jobs you did? Why did you leave?

Reasons like "I took the job because I felt I'd learn at lot" and "I felt the company would be an exciting place to work" will take you a lot farther than reasons like "The money was good" and "It was the best I could do." Take the same approach to your reasons for leaving. For example, "There weren't any opportunities for growth" and "A chance to do something special came my way."

What did you spend most of your time doing?

Talk about concrete experiences that are most likely to be valued by the company that's interviewing you, experiences that demonstrate your ability to learn, to work well under pressure, to get things done, to work well with others, to do more than you're asked to do.

What did you like? What did you dislike?

You should like things that challenged you, taught you, and helped you to grow: for example, challenging assignments; work that was different from what you had done; and working with people who were bright, committed, and resourceful. Limit your dislikes to things that won't suggest that you're hard to get along with, hard to please, not eager to extend yourself, or more interested in short hours and comfortable working conditions than opportunities for growth.

How did you feel about the person you reported to?

Telling the interviewer that you didn't like or didn't get along with a former boss won't do you any good at all. What it will do is suggest that you're hard to get along with. So focus on the positive aspects of your relationship with your former boss, and create the impression that the relationship was a good one.

If you haven't had any jobs—and that includes summer jobs such as a waiter, camp counselor, and lifeguard—be prepared to give the interviewer at least one good reason why. For example, "I knew that when I took a full time job, I'd make every effort to do as well as I could, which wouldn't leave me much free time. So while I had it, I used it to do some of the things that really interest me. I read widely, traveled the country, spent a fair amount of time in the theater—both on the stage and in the audience, and pursued an interest in landmark buildings." If you hit the right interviewer, this kind of response can turn a serious liability into an asset, set you apart, and put you a step closer to a job offer.

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW What You Want in a Job

If you're pretty ambitious, bright, and confident, you should want a job that will:

• Interest you.

• Challenge you, teach you, and enable you to grow.

• Offer you increasing amounts of independence and the chance to make decisions.

• Provide you with opportunities to contribute to the company's effort to excel.

• Enable you to work with and for talented people.

• Pay you fairly, and reward you for your contributions.

The first five items on this list will mark you as a person who has thought about what you want, is committed, is willing to work hard, and clearly has potential for growth. The last item on this list will tell the interviewer that you expect to be paid fairly for all this commitment, ability, and potential.

When you tell an interviewer what you want in a job, be prepared to elaborate. For example, if you say things like "I want a chance to grow," tell the interviewer how you want to grow. If you can't, it will have the ring of a false note, and the interviewer will probably feel that you're not the kind of person her company is looking for.

Why You Want to Leave Your Present Job

If you currently have a full time job, the interviewer will want to know why you want to leave it. Your answer should focus on things like wanting to learn more than your present job can teach you; wanting more responsibility than your present job provides; wanting to work in a more challenging, stimulating environment; and wanting a job that provides more opportunities for career growth. Do not cite as reasons things like having a boss you can't stand, not getting along with your co-workers, disliking an office without windows, or wanting better health and life insurance coverage. Interviewers are impressed by people who want greater opportunities to contribute and grow, not by people who list among their concerns nicer places to work and better benefits.

Why You Want this Job

Stress two things:

1. The outstanding fit between the requirements of the job and your ability to fulfill
them.

2. Your feeling that this company is an excellent place to work. Support this statement
with several things about the company that impress you: for example, the company's
reputation as a leader in its field, the company's track record for bringing innovative

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products to the marketplace, the opportunities for professional growth that it provides, and its reputation as a place that cares about its employees.

Your Long-Term Aspirations

If you know what your career objectives are and how you hope to achieve them, you won't have any trouble answering this question. However, if you're unsure of where you want to get to and what the road is going to look like, don't feel that you have to lay out a well articulated ten- or twenty-year plan. Rather, talk in generalities. For example:

• Talk about growing professionally by taking on a broad range of tasks.

• Talk about wanting to manage people and moving into increasingly responsible
managerial positions.

• Talk about wanting opportunities that will enable you to make increasingly valuable
contributions to the company.

How You Feel About People

To find this out, the interviewer may ask questions like these:

• Think about some of the people you really like, then tell me why you like them.

• Think about some people you don't like, then tell me why you feel that way.

• What qualities do you admire in others?

Try to focus on traits that companies value. For example, "The people I like are thinkers and doers. They're interesting to talk to and be with. They're also people I can count on, trust, and learn from." Stay away from statements like "I like him because he's wild, a lot of fun, and loves to go drinking."

The Kind of Person You Are

All the observations of you that the interviewer makes and all the answers you give to his questions help the interviewer to get a sense of the kind of person you are. To find out even more, the interviewer is likely to ask you a number of additional questions. Here are some examples:

Describe yourself.

Stress traits that are consistent with the image you've been creating. For example, "I'm inquisitive, I like to learn. I'm a hard worker. Whatever I do I want to do well. I like to think there's a solution to every problem, and I usually keep looking till I find it. I like people. I like sports, good books, and good music. I like to stretch, to see just how much I can do." Do not choose this time to bare your soul and say things like, "I sometimes

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW

get down on myself," "I question the value of this kind of work," or "The day I win the lottery is the day I retire." Remember, the interviewer is listening for reasons to reject you as well as reasons to hire you.

What are some of the things that motivate you?

Include the desire to learn, grow as a person and as a professional, achieve, test your limits, and be the best that you can be.

How do you spend your free time?

Focus on things that foster personal growth and help make you well rounded: for example, books, sports, cinema, music, hobbies like photography, and involvement in your community.

What are your weaknesses?

Everyone has weaknesses. If you claim that you don't, you invite the conclusion that you're defensive. So own up, but do it in a way that's not likely to hurt you, and if you can, do it in a way that'll make you look good. How? By mentioning a couple of weaknesses that are likely to be viewed as assets. For example, "I set very high standards for myself, and sometimes they get in the way—like when I work with someone who doesn't care about the quality of his work." Never reveal unquestionable weaknesses like, "I get bored easily," "Sometimes I get lazy, " or "I don't like to be told what to do." And never give an interviewer a sob story. Interviewers want examples of determination and fortitude, not failure in the face of misfortune.

Why Should We Hire You?

This can be an intimidating question if you let it. Don't! Instead, make a brief, forceful case for your candidacy. Summarize the key requirements of the job, then make it clear that you have the ability, training, and personality to more than satisfy these requirements. For example, "Because I'm the right person for this job. You want someone who can work well as part of a team, who can analyze information and draw implications that make a difference, who can take the initiative when it needs to be taken, and who can earn the trust and confidence of your clients. I can do all these things and do them well. What I want is the chance to do them for (company name)." If you can, add briefly to this statement by citing some of the things you've done that suggest that you could indeed "do all these things and do them well."

FINDING OUT ABOUT THE JOB, THE COMPANY, AND THE COMMUNITY

At some point, the interviewer will normally ask you if you have any questions. Unless she's made an unusually thorough presentation, your answer should be "yes." There are two things you should find out as much as you can about: the job and the company. If the

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company is located in a place that you're not familiar with and will have to move to if you take the job, you also want to find out about the community. Within reason, find out as much as you can about the job, the company and, if need be, the community before you go on the interview. Find out the rest when you're there by listening to the interviewer and asking questions.

The Job

Questions about the job that you should try to get answers to are as follows:

1. How does the company describe the job? What skills and abilities does it seem to
require? What kinds of things will they want you to do?

2. If the job is part of a group or department, how is the group or department structured,
and what place in this structure does the job occupy?

3. What are the opportunities for growth?

4. What does the job pay? It's the interviewer's responsibility to bring up the issue of
salary. There are two ways he do that. He can tell you what the job pays, or he can
ask you what your salary requirements are. If he does neither, you've got a decision
to make: to ask or to remain silent. If your overriding goal is to get a job, don't ask. If
the company wants to hire you, they'll raise the issue of salary at some point. It could
be during your first interview, it could be during your third. However, if you feel
you're in demand and you've decided on the lowest salary you'll accept, and if this
company has a reputation for interviewing a candidate several times before
discussing salary, take the bull by the horns and ask. Unfortunately, the interviewer
will probably put the ball back in your court by asking you what you want. You can
answer with a figure you think is fair, or you can answer by saying that you're not
sure what a fair salary for this type of job is and that you'd like to know what the
company is offering. Given a choice, you're better off finding out, before the
interview, what salary range the kind of position you're applying for normally pays.
Armed with this information:

• You know what you can ask for and what you can expect to get.

• You won't sell yourself at less than market value and regret it later.

• You won't price yourself out of the market by asking for a salary that's beyond
the range that the job pays.

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW

To find out how much the kind of job you're applying for normally pays:

• Get information from your school's Career Services Center.

• Talk to friends who've applied for or gotten jobs that are like the one you're
interested in.

• Talk to people you know who work in this field.

• Look at the classified section in the Sunday edition of the leading regional
newspaper. It should contain numerous job listings and salaries.

5. Are there other sources of income, such as bonuses, profit sharing, a savings plan,
and a pension plan?

6. What about vacation? Two weeks with pay is customary.

7. Different forms of insurance are also customary, such as medical and disability.
However, you may have to share the cost.

The Company

Questions about the company that you should try to get answers to are as follows:

1. Is it a large, medium-sized, or small firm?

2. What kind of reputation does the company have? For example, do they market
quality products? Are they astute marketers? Do they treat their employees well?

3. What kind of training, if any, do they offer?

4. Who are their major competitors?

5. Are they growing? Are they profitable? What's their outlook?

One way to find out about a company is to call their public relations department and ask them to send you information. Most companies will be happy to do so. Another way is to visit your local library and get information from references like Moody's Industrial Manual. A third way is to read about the company in business publications, trade papers, and periodicals: for example, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, and Publishers Weekly. A fourth way is to talk to people who work in the industry and who know something about the company. A fifth way, and usually the best, is to talk to people who actually work for the company or who have worked there.

Career Power! The Community

Questions about the community that you should try to get answers to are as follows:

1. How acceptable is the cost of living?

2. Can you find housing that you like?

3. Is the climate to your liking?

4. What about social, cultural, and recreational opportunities?

5. If you have children or plan to, how good are the schools?

6. How much time will you have to spend commuting? How comfortable and reliable
are the available forms of public transportation?

7. If you want to pursue an advanced degree, is there a university nearby?

There are several ways to get information about an area with which you're not familiar, short of visiting:

1. Read the Places Rated Almanac, by Richard Boyer and David Savageau. It looks at
the climates, housing, education, recreation, arts, crime rates, economic conditions,
and transportation systems in about 300 metropolitan areas.

2. Write to the Chamber of Commerce.

3. Send for some copies of the local paper.

4 Write to local realtors for housing information.

5. Get on the Internet or go to a library and do some research.

REHEARSING

One last thing to do when you're preparing for job interviews is rehearse. Think about the questions you're likely to be asked, think about the answers you want to give, and think about the questions you want to ask. Then practice, and remember, a rehearsal shouldn't be an attempt to duplicate an actual interview. There's no way you can do that. Rather, rehearsals are designed to make you think through and work out the kinds of answers you'll

HOW TO GET READY FOR AN INTERVIEW

want to give when you're interviewed. Rehearsing should also make you more comfortable with being asked questions about yourself and your feelings, and with answering them.

There are several ways to rehearse:

1. With someone else. Make a list of the questions that an interviewer might ask, then
do mock interviews with a family member or friend acting as the interviewer.

2. By yourself. Read each question, then answer it. Use a tape recorder if you can.

3. In your head. Rehearse mentally, silently reviewing questions and answers.

4. Seated in front of a full-length mirror. You can learn a lot about your body language
using this technique.

One important "don't": don't try to memorize your answers. Don't lock yourself into one set of words, one way of telling someone about yourself. Because if you do, you'll come to depend on those words. And if you tighten up during an interview and your mind goes blank for a moment, or if the interviewer asks a question that calls for an answer that's a bit different from the one you memorized, you may panic.

One last point. You can rehearse all you want, and it'll help, but there's no substitute for the real thing. The best way to learn how to interview is to actually do it, to put yourself on the firing line, to be interviewed. With that in mind, try not to take your maiden voyage when the "job of a lifetime" is at stake. Instead, get your feet wet interviewing for jobs that you could take or leave. All it takes is a few interviews to get the kinks out and get a feel for what works and what doesn't.

Date: 2015-02-16; view: 1134