by Rohail Tabraezi
You finally get the interview call. Congratulations! But it does’nt end there. There are a few things besides dressing up for the occasion and having all your related work papers in place in a nice looking work bag. It is the moment of the interview that will decide if the interviewer is going to like what he saw in you. So be prepared and avoid some very common mistakes. We, at MAG, prepared some interesting and applicable must-knows about the interview that will make or break you. Hopefully make you.
1. Handle yourself with care. It makes logical sense: if you look like you can handle yourself, you are also telling your employers you can handle their companies. That is why it is crucial to pay attention to the details on interview day. For starters, leave more than plenty of time to get everything organised and to get where you are going. It is amazing how much better things will go if you don't feel rushed or frazzled when you walk in the office door, and you can never predict a traffic jam, broken elevator, or overturned truck of wild midgets. Better to get there an hour early than even five minutes late.
Bring a well-stocked professional case
Don’t act cool by carrying your sports bag to the interview. Leave it home and opt instead for a professional-looking messenger bag, briefcase or portfolio folder. If you don't have one, borrow anyone’s. Within the carrying case, you should bring:
• Extra copies of your resume (printed on atleast 80gram white paper)
• Copies of your letters of reference if required
• Breath mints (for use before - not during - the interview)
A pad of paper and two pens to take notes.
Ten tested tricks to acing the interview and landing the job
In high-pressured situations, you can easily forget to do obvious things - like speak. So to really star an interview, remember these ten tips:
1. Offer up your firmest handshake. Dry off those palms and land a strong one right in your interviewer's hand. This shows confidence and grace under pressure. Don't try to crush the interviewer's hand, but no matter what, it's important to be FIRM.
2. Make eye contact. Looking your interviewer straight in the eye shows that you are confident and honest. This will impress them and make you appear capable. Continue making eye contact throughout the entire interview. An obvious addendum to this tip is to not let your eyes wander. When your interviewer looks down at your cover letter, he/she should not look up and find your eyes wandering around the room, out the window, or on the desk trying to read the latest company report. Wandering eyes indicate lack of interest, nosiness, or (even worse) that you are bored by the interviewer.
3. Smile. Shining your pearly whites show you are easygoing and relaxed. Smiles scream team player. And there is nothing interviewers want more than team players.
4. If they offer you a drink, take one. Everyone in an interview is so quick to say, "No thanks" when they are offered coffee, juice or water. Go ahead and take it. You can take sips while you think about your answers it will buy you time.
5. Sit up straight. It works every time.
6. Speak up - but never interrupt. There's nothing worse than an interviewee who doesn't speak unless spoken to, or, even worse, responds simply with a sedate "yes" or "no." Remember that you're selling yourself, so it's okay to appear enthusiastic. The key is to elaborate without being an ultra-chatty motor-mouth. If you interrupt your interviewer in mid-sentence, you may miss the point. Even if you think you have something genius to contribute, wait until he/she finishes.
7. Nod. A simple bob of the head demonstrates your interest in what your interviewers are saying, showing you are paying attention.
8. Shove in comments about the environment being nice. After all, the employer has gone to great lengths in making that office where you will work. This shows off your interpersonal skills (not to mention your punctuality). It also shows that you're not a whiner which you shouldn’t be in any case.
9. Laugh - if at all possible. Think about it: wouldn't you want to hire someone with an easygoing personality?
10. Breathe. Inhaling and exhaling will keep you calm and more prepared for whatever is thrown at you. Plus, if you don't breathe, you'll die-which means they'll have to give the job to someone else.
Don't freak out if you make a mistake
Especially at the beginning of the interview, you may feel a little nervous which might translate into you saying the wrong thing. The best way to handle any gaffe is to remain calm - what the interviewer will remember more is how you react to your mistake. If you stumble in answering a question, just say, "I'm sorry. I'm a little nervous. It never hurts to be honest and upfront with the employer. Lie and there you go back to your poster plastered room.
Deal questions with ease
The best thing you can do for your interviewers is make his/her job easier. If interviewers walk out after talking to you feeling like they carried the weight of the conversation that is a strike against you. But if your exchange leaves them with a feeling of, "Hey, I enjoyed that," that could move you that much closer to hearing that you got the job. We hope you do.
Be prepared for common questions
There is no way to predict every question your interviewers are going to deem worth asking, so don't worry if something comes at you that you didn't see coming. In fact, acknowledging that you aren't going to be ready for every little thing puts you ahead of the game.
Across every job type, you can expect a couple of typical questions to come up.
1. First is the trap question, which comes up in almost every interview. The trap question is some variation on "What is the area you need most improvement in?" or "What is your area of weakness?" The real answer may be that you are lousy to attention detail or that you are incredibly shy. But you don’t have to share this with anyone. Instead try and discuss a couple of your less than - perfect characteristics.
A) Be on the lookout for questions about why you left your old company and why you are interested in the new one. These questions (or their offspring) are designed to make sure your interest in the new company is sincere and not due to you being fired and/or having serious problems at your former place of employment. If the interviewer throws at you is "why were you fired?" keep the answer simple and brief and try telling the truth. In such situations truth is your best ally as it finishes the topic there and then. "It was a hostile environment in which many people were let go," is a good way to handle it. Quick, easy, to the point.
Have answers ready for these popular interview questions:
• Tell me a little about yourself.
• What interests you most about this position?
• Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years?
• What is your ultimate career goal?
• Tell me about a project that had a tough problem that you solved.
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What did you like about your last job?
• What separates you from other candidates?
• How does your previous experience/academic preparation/college activities relate to this work?
B) Most importantly, sell yourself as a problem-solver. Think about the work you have done, the job you had in college or any work you did. Then proceed to illustrate how you solved a particular problem by breaking that experience into three parts: 1) The problem you encountered, 2) How you analysed it, and 3) The solution you implemented.
If you prepare careful answers to these questions in advance, you'll be ahead of the game. In each of your answers, try to convey your enthusiasm and ability to be a team player. And remember to answer every question in a timely manner. Long answers make it seem like you are struggling to find something intelligent to say and trust me that intelligent answer wont come at that moment.
Have questions of your own
Toward the end of interview, the interviewer is going to lean towards you and say, "Do you have any questions for me?" You MUST have questions. First, don't rush into your answer. Look as if you are thinking about whether you have any questions and then ask an appropriate one from the list you've thought about beforehand.
Here's a handful of potential questions:
• How would you describe a typical workday?
• What is the best part of working at this company for you?
• Are there significant opportunities to take seminars, classes, etc. to learn more about the different facets of the company?
• Why did you join the company?
One last great tip about the actual interview: ALWAYS end the interview with, "I am very interested in the position. What are the next steps to take?" Boy, are you eager. They'd be lucky to have you! And trust me you’ll be lucky to get the job.
