10 Basic Principles for a job interview

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. This common sense wisdom will serve you well during your job interview. Here are ten important tips to remember when interviewing.

Be on time

Don’t arrive late or too early. Ideally you should arrive between 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled interview is scheduled. While waiting for the interview to begin, get ready physically and mentally. Turn off your cellular phone or pager as this will prevent any distractions during the interview.

Appearance

Dress for the occasion. The dress code is dictated by the position and in the industry in which you are applying. If you’re not sure what to wear remember that it’s tough to go wrong with conservative attire. In any case, your appearance should be groomed, clean and tidy. Appearance includes white teeth and fresh breath. Wearing perfume or cologne to an interview can do more harm than good so remember to leave the potions and lotions at home.

Introduction

Beginning with the receptionist and ending with the last person you meet, always introduce yourself to everyone you meet with your first and last name. A handshake is a sign of respect and appreciation, a firm shake and a look into the eyes of the person you are meeting is always appreciated. You should sit when invited to do so. If you can choose a sitting location such as a meeting or conference room, chose a seat that will enable you to see the interviewer and anyone who may enter the room during the interview.

Body language

Do not fidget as this is very distracting to the interviewer. Mirror the body language of the interviewer. If they are sitting back in their chair, you should do the same. If they are sitting upright and towards the front of the chair, do the same. Feel comfortable in your chair and if you don't, adjust it so you will feel comfortable, allowing you to move your hands and feet. Try to avoid placing your hands on the desk of the interviewed as this is often interpreted as an invasion of personal space.

Tone of voice

Adapt the tone of your voice to your interviewer's. Listen carefully to make sure you understand what is being asked. Get clarification on questions before you answer if you are unsure. Taking your time to answer questions are always a sign of a seasoned professional so do not answer quickly and without thinking your answer through. Make your answers concrete, relevant but not too long.

Honesty

Honesty and candor is refreshing to most recruiters and hiring managers. Don’t invent or inflate facts, events or details. White lies and untruths can easily be uncovered by a competent interviewer and will likely result in your not being considered for the job. Coming across as a credible and trustworthy person is probably the most important challenge you face.

Know your professional story

Whether you just got out of high school or college or are a seasoned pro, you should understand what you bring to the table. Whether you have brains, brawn, energy or experience, you should understand what it is that you bring to the table. If you are motivated to learn the business tell them why. If you already know the business, tell them how you learned it. Do not expect your interviewer to remember your resume details. Don’t expect them to automatically have an opinion about who you are other then what you told them on the phone, in an email or during the interview. The interviewer will have read dozens of resumes and spoken to many prospective employees other than you. Even the most well written resumes are far from being able to tell your professional story so understand what your professional story and prepared to tell it.

Be Prepared

Prior to arriving for the interview learn about the company and its products, customers and competition. Bring extra copies of your resume, a copy of your references and some paper to take notes. Ask questions in the end to let the interviewer know you already know about their business, industry and the trends affecting both.

Loaded questions

Prepare to answers typical interview questions. Here are a few common questions which most of us have had to answer: “Why do you think you are the right person for this job?” - Discuss the advantages you have which are relevant to the position, to the organization and to the industry as a whole. Provide relevant details and experiences to illustrate your main points. “What are your salary expectations?” - Let the interviewer know that you are considering several opportunities and that each opportunity comes with different salaries and benefits. Ask if there is a salary range they are offering and if the interviewer insists on hearing your range first, reply that your salary's range is between X and Y. Be sure that this range seems reasonable enough for the respective job. Be realistic about your starting salary expectations especially in times of higher unemployment. “What do you think so far?” – Mention what you find interesting about the job or organization first and then if you need to, ask for clarification on areas of responsibility that were unclear or which made you think twice.

Closing the Interview

There comes a point in nearly every interview when the interviewer needs to step up and tell the hiring manager or recruiter that they are interested in the job. Letting the interviewer know you are interested is a natural next step after everyone’s questions have been answered. If you are not interested in the job, do not try to close. Closing is simply a natural next step which might sound like this, “This sounds like a unique organization and opportunity which I am interested in pursuing. If you think I’d be a good fit, I’d like you to consider me.”

Follow-up

It usually takes time for the employer to get back to you with indications of their interest in hiring you. Do not pester your interviewer on how the interview went. End the interview positively with a handshake and farewell greeting such as "thank you for the opportunity to discuss the position with you. It was very nice to meet you and I hope to hear from you soon. " Remember that the interview process is the opportunity for you and the employer to get to know each other before deciding to join forces. Be honest, ask the important questions, and be polite. Like dating, make sure the interest is mutually genuine.

Unemployment as an opportunity for success

Sometimes it just happens, often without warning and you get fired as your company hands out layoffs. You feel that your place in the world is no longer secured. Your salary is no longer guaranteed. You will have to find a new job and face lots of difficulties along the arduous process of finding a new job. You may not like changes but welcome to your new reality.

To handle this situation constructively you must treat it as a challenge. This is the next step in your new career progression and self fulfillment. This is the opportunity for redeployment of your skills and the opportunity to use creativity that can result in personal growth. The right question you should ask is, "How can I make the best out of this situation?" How can you take these lemons and make lemonade?

The very first step is identifying your strengths and advantages in relationship to what the market needs. If you were working for a company that manufactured square tires, you should already know there is no future is the creation, distribution or sales of square tires. Understand your fields of interest and the type of jobs that would appeal to you. As soon as you have a clear idea about what you are looking for, you should prepare a portfolio consisting of your resume, examples of your work, copies of any certificates, letters of recommendation or other relevant documents. Now you are ready to find your next job so here are some useful guidelines:

Knowledge base network Use the web, newspapers, and contacts. Talk to the people you know: relatives, friends, professors and former co-workers. Let them know that you are looking for work and ask for their advice. Seek to be introduced to people in the field or at the companies you believe hold opportunities for you.

Track your job seeking. Prepare a list which will assist you in organizing your job prospects and stay focused on your goal and schedule. Follow up on all leads as soon as possible.

Be prepared This is the key to a successful interview. Know your skills and your strengths and be ready to effectively present how they relate to the job. Research the company and ask questions which let the interviewer know you understand the business. Stay updated on industry trends and events within your fields of interest. Knowing the latest trends and mergers will help set you apart from other candidates in an interview.

Interview preparation Practice with a friend to get comfortable with your responses and to formulate strong answers to questions you might not anticipate.
Learn the 10 basic principles for job interview.

Be strong Looking for a job can be frustrating but you are talented and have value. It usually takes a lot of patience and a lot of work. Getting a job is job so spend 7-10 hours a day doing the job of finding a job. Do not limit your prospects to organizations you know. Break out of your comfort zone.

Hard work and patience will pay off. Stay positive and know that you make your own success!