- Be prepared
- Dress appropriately-- Select
clothing appropriate to the job for which you're interviewing.
- Note business address, telephone
number and name of your interviewer.
- Arrive on time for the interview. Plan
your schedule and route so you arrive 10 to 15 minutes prior to the
appointment time. You may also want to consider driving to the
address prior to the interview so you will know exactly where you
need to be.
- Fill out applications neatly,
completely and in black ink. Be sure to bring your personal data
sheet.
- Bring a notebook, black pen and extra copies of your resume.
- Bring letters of recommendation, your
reference list, copies of licenses, driving record (for those jobs
that require it) and social security or alien card.
- Also bring any other documentation
supporting your qualifications (portfolio, work samples).
- Review questions you can ask in the
interview.
- Review your resume and personal data
sheet for related skills.
- Review answers to why you're the best
person for the job.
Send Good Signals
- More than 50 percent of your
communication is nonverbal. Your posture, walk, dress, facial
movement, energy, gestures and eye contact are all nonverbal
signals.
- Use a natural greeting and shake hands
firmly, but only if a hand is offered to you first.
- Show reserved confidence. Let the
interviewer start the dialogue. Listen carefully. Have good
questions prepared before the interview.
- Ask thoughtful questions to find out
if the employer's philosophy is compatible with yours. Discover if
the job is right for you.
Communicate Attitudes
- You're willing to work. Give examples
of your productivity on past jobs.
- You're skilled. Tell the employer
about your skills. If you don't, no one else will! Don't make the
employer work harder than you during the interview.
- You expect to make a contribution.
Emphasize what you can do for the employer.
- You're flexible. Employers want
employees who can adjust, work well with others, and fit into a new
environment without complaints or special requests. Tell a story
from your experience that illustrates your flexibility.
- You're committed to learning.
Demonstrate this through examples of learning experiences
(independent study, professional development, education, workshops,
awards). Your plan for future development also communicates your
commitment to learning.
You may go through many
interviews before you connect with the right job!
It isn't what happened at the last
interview that's important, but what happens at this one!
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