Successful Job Interview How-To
A Successful Job Interview:
A Checklist for Interview Success
It can be the most exciting and excruciating meeting ever: the job interview. How do you prepare to dazzle and amaze a potential employer, or at least manage your nerves long enough to sell yourself? Here’s a checklist that will help you not only survive the interview, but rise to the top and leave a lasting impression.
•Expect to be nervous
It’s pointless to try to avoid the interview jitters. Accept that you’re going to be nervous and even jokingly acknowledge it with the interviewer if you feel that will help. Know that just about every job applicant has felt just like you at one point or another.
•Dress the part
Now maybe it’s okay to wear jeans and a Gap t-shirt to a Baskin Robbins interview, but you’ll want to dress the part for a more professional job. Shop around for tailored outfits that you would feel comfortable wearing to interviews, realizing you may not be expected to power-dress all the time after you’re hired.
•Bring copies of your resume
While your interviewer should have a copy of your resume on hand, it’s good to carry your own copy as a reference.
•Maintain cordial, not creepy, eye contact
Eye contact communicates confidence and ease. Smile and look your interviewer in the eye when appropriate.
•Don’t interrupt
Sometimes a bad case of nerves and the desire to impress can make applicants a little skittish and quick to answer interview questions. But be patient and wait for the interviewer to complete the question before you jump in. And there’s nothing wrong with waiting a second or two to compose your thoughts before answering. A pregnant pause or two is expected, and can even communicate thoughtfulness.
•Answer briefly
Job applicants are often so anxious to impress that they’ll go on and on about their achievements, hardly letting the interviewer get a word in edgewise. Keep your answers brief, and ask follow-up questions if necessary to ensure you’ve provided enough information. A good gauge is to talk 30% of the interview.
•Ask questions
Come prepared to ask 4 or 5 questions. A few are bound to be answered in the course of the interview, so that should leave you with one or two to ask at the end. A standard interview question is, ‘Do you have any questions about the company or the position?’ It’s always good to respond with at least one inquiry (and be sure to ask about more than just salary).
•Don’t be shy, sell yourself!
This is your chance to shine. Don’t be afraid to praise yourself when appropriate. A job interview is a good place for self-promotion, but be sure it’s directed at what your skill-set can contribute to their success.
•Know their business
Do your homework. Study their business and their competition. Know their objectives and what helps them be successful. This will not only impress your interviewer, but it also helps you better frame your responses to interview questions.
•Say ‘thank you’
Good manners never hurt. Thank your interviewer for the opportunity to talk about the position and their business. In fact, sending brief thank-you notes or email messages can be a polite gesture and a reminder of the time you spent with them.Universal Accounting’s Professional Designations Can Boost Any Applicant’s Sell-abilityIf you want to increase your skills and add a professional designation to your resume, UAC has two certifications for you: The Professional Bookkeeper, and the QuickBooks Specialist. Both programs will increase your confidence as they increase your abilities, and will act as good speaking points in any interview.
