At my job, one of the fun tasks I get to do is look over resumes, select people for interviews, and interview them. I really enjoy this – the hiring process is absolutely fascinating!
It’s also taught me that many of us could use some helpful tips on resumes, cover letters, and interviews. So today I’m going to share with you some recommendations for giving good interview based on observations I’ve made on the other side of the table. These tips might just land you a job (or at least increase your chances):
- Don’t say that you “don’t really know what this organization is all about, and just looked at the website last night a bit.” Even if that’s the truth, it’s probably going to throw up red flags for the person doing the interview. After all, how bad can you want the job if you haven’t done your research on the organization?
- Look the interviewer in the eye and give them a firm handshake. I don’t know about you, but I cringe when I get a loosey goosey handshake. And even if you’re nervous, it’s best to look the interviewer in the eye. Remember, they want to hire someone. They called you in for an interview because they liked your resume. They want you to succeed! Look them in the eye while you’re speaking with them; it’ll help you both feel more comfortable with being in a room with a total stranger.
- Questions such as “give us an example of a time when you had to deal with a major obstacle,” and “what’s your biggest weakness” aren’t just random questions. They are strategic on the interviewer’s part, and they should be strategic on yours too. Give (true and honest) demonstrations of your skills and positive attributes in response to these questions. They are fairly common questions that are bound to come up in just about any interview, so be sure to prepare and plan to have a couple different answers ready.
- Don’t use profanity in an interview. Just don’t.
- Consider the job description and your past experience when going into an interview. Play up your strong points! This is not a time to be modest or self-deprecating. Talk about how your experience and history will contribute to this organization and the position. The point of an interview is to see if you’d be a good fit for the organization and the position – so if you have a background that could help you out, be sure to highlight it.
- Don’t just apply for a position because you’re interested in the organization. It’s important that you’re also excited about the specific position you’re applying for!
Remember that even though you might be amazingly qualified for the position and have a perfect personality match with the interviewer, you might still not get the job because someone else had just a smidgeon more qualifications than you, or any other reason. Don’t be disheartened! The best interview I ever gave, I didn’t end up getting the job. And the worst interview I ever gave, I ended up passing on to the next stage in the hiring process. So there are definitely times when what happens in the interview doesn’t seem to reflect the end result, but as a general rule, the interview is a very important first impression and it can make all the difference. Follow the above suggestions and you’ll give much better interview!