Any Advice Would Be Appreciated

[90'sCartoonMan]

Okay, so I've got a job interview on Tuesday, and I really want this job. I'm sure that given enough time to prepare, I can come up with the answers to all the questions that they ask, but I'm worried about making a good first impression, because even though I'm going to be dressed for the occation, I'm sure I'll still be nervous. So what advice do you guys have for me?

[solarflere]

One of the trick questions I have been fased with on job interviews is, they will ask you how much should you get paid? Answer with "Open". Because If you say too little, thats what you will get and if you say too much, you won't get the job. Be prepared to show what you can do.

[ToOn~g@l]

Probably one of the most important things that you should do during an interview is to remain calm. If you get too nervous during the interview you will loose your train of thought and mumble the whole time.

That happened to me during my disney interview and I felt like an idiot when I walked out of there.

So just stay calm and tell yourself not to panic and hopefully you will do good.

Also its alright if you ask them to repeat the question, they don't mind doing that.

Good Luck. :)

[solarflere]

Another thing, they will look how you are dressed, make sure you are dressed aproprietly. Be well groomed. Don't interupt them. Every detail counts, have a fansy looking pan with you, have a nice bag, not a plastic one.

[Artimus Gigan]

A few important things:

1) bathe

2) Brush your teeth

3) don't act meek

4) don't act cocky

5) know the average pay for the position and haggle

6) if asked a random question(i.e. Tell me a joke, what's a gazillion times a squadillion) think quickly and give an answer even though it may be wrong

7) Don't Panic, Douglas Adams knew this and thus everyone else should know this as well

8) refrain from sounding like a droid but then again don't sound over excited

9) when you haggle for pay, remember to use your poker face, never grin if you recive more than you expected....just say "yeah I could probably work with that"

10) don't look up the secratary's skirt

[Stewie]

Confidence is everything. Don't be cocky or arrogant. Be confident. Don't think this or that, know it. Go in there with the attitude that you deserve that job, because you are the best person for it, and they want you.

Show them that you are someone to keep around. Since you only have a few minutes to do it in, show it with your posture, your attitude, your voice (tone, rhythm, etc) and your eyes. Look them in the eye of course. But when they look into your eyes, they should see that you mean it.

[Son Gokuu]

I've been to a few interviews myself, and also had experience with Work Experience at School. Apart from your presentation (dressing smart, clean, well groomed etc.), when you are sat down at the interview, never ever slouch on the chair, sit-up straight, and don't fold your arms. If you slouch, they get the impression that you can't focus straight, and floding your arms creates a 'barrier' as if it were. Keep relaxed, and if possible answer the question thoroughly, if not, then ask to repeat it. Overall, everyone else who posted, gave some good advice.

[ZephyrSamba]

Not sure I can add a whole heck of a lot - everyone who's posted thus far has had some really good advice to offer. I will say that if you feel like you "goofed" on a question, don't dwell on it - move on and don't let yourself be shaken. And in addition to dressing professionally and making eye contact and all that good stuff, of course be mindful of your body language - be aware of any fidgety habits you have and don't let them happen (I, for instance, tend to spin my pen around my fingers when I get nervous so on an interview I keep my pen securely in my binder until I actually need it). Another odd piece of advice I once got from an "interviewing seminar" I attended was that employers will sometimes want to walk you to your car afterwards - so they can check out how neat/messy your car is. While I have never, EVER had that happen to me I find it doesn't hurt to shovel out my car before an interview just in case =)

In addition, don't forget to ask what questions -you- want to know about, too - this shouldn't be a one-way street; in a sense, you're interviewing them to determine if they're worthy of you! Find out what type of managerial style you can expect to be working under, what expectations they have with regards to travelling for work, what the typical "advancement path" looks like and how long it takes for someone to rise, etc.

Most importantly, though - to the extent that you can, try not to psych yourself out by constantly thinking of how badly you want this job - consider the worst-case scenario: if you don't get it, then what? The world won't come to an end and more likely than not you will ultimately get one that you want; that's all. Either way you'll come away with valuable interviewing experience so in a sense you can't lose, and keeping things in perspective like this might help you remain a bit more relaxed. Good luck!

[Son Gokuu]

Don't know if somebody has said this, but another bit of advice, is don't bite your nails, it is one of my well-established bad habits (I've been doing itsince I was about three, so thats about .......... 17 years!), so what I do is now have chewing-gum to try and stop it. But yeah, when I was at Work experience at school (I worked for my local bus operator - Harrogate & District Travel Ltd - for two weeks), and I was told by the boss, not to bite them, as it isn't clean, and it is also a way of figiting (or however the word is spelt).:sweat:

[Kryptonian]

Just be calm, collective, and yourself. I'm sure you'll do fine, judging from:


I really want this jobGood luck! Hope it plays out, the way you're hoping. =D

[solarflere]

Don't ask a lot of questions, they dont like that. They like to ask them, not answer them.

[Beefy]

Make sure you get a business card or other means to contact the interviewer(s). Send him/her/them an e-mail or letter thanking them for their time.

This does two things: 1) shows you are polite 2) refreshes you in their mind. If they interview a lot of people, sending them a thank you helps ensure you won't be forgotten/overlooked.

[DisneyBoy]

This will sound silly, but it usually works for me: Try not to care.

I mean, it's obvious you'll still be caring about the job the whole time and your hands will likely be sweaty, but if you mentally remind yourself before you go in that there's more to life than "making a good first impression" and that you're definately more than capable of handling this, I think you'll calm down.

It's about attitude. Chances are that you'll be so nervous you won't come off sounding like a cocky person even if you mentally tell yourself you have a right to be. People hire people who look comfortable. If you want something too much, and they can see that the minute you walk in the door, they'll start to wonder why, and you're eagerness may work against you.

So try not to freak out about it. If you don't get the job, the sun will still rise the next day and you'll still be alive and capable of living a life you're pleased with. Don't put all your eggs in one basket is what I mean. Once you realize this isn't such a huge deal, you'll probably be in a better place to deal with whatever comes your way.

Of course, all this advice is coming from someone who routinely deals with an upset stomach, nightmare filled nights and emotional overdrive related to stress, so I can relate to what you're going through, trust me. But I've come to realize that the less important everything is to me, the more I'm capable of achieving. It's about tricking yourself into calming down and being who you really are when you're at home and relaxed rather than some shaky applicant for a position that in the end, still won't define who you are as a person.

Either way, you'll be fine.

And one last thing, don't worry about "asking too many questions". Ask them whatever you feel is safe to ask. Trust your gut. If it sounds wierd in your head, chances are it will sound wierd coming out of your mouth. People hire people who ask intelligent questions.

[cross blues]

they'll probably know in the first few minutes whether they want to hire you or not. so... what's most important?

1. appearance above all. get a hair cut, shave, new suit, whatever you gotta do.
2. confidence. the way you walk in the room, the way you introduce yourself, the way you shake hands.

after that, the first impression is formed. most likely doesn't matter how the rest of the interview goes. but saying that probably makes you more nervous...

well to get over that, just be as arrogant as possible. BELIEVE that you are the best guy for the job, and every other applicant is garbage compared to you. believe that you'll get a job somewhere better if that place turns you down. believe that your interviewer is a lowly human being that gets his/her kicks because he/she feels that being the interviewer is a position of power. believe that you are the greatest (insert job here) on the face of the earth. that's a bit extreme but I'm not expecting you to be able to do all of it. if you could get halfway there, that would be a step to overcoming timidness.

you want this job. you don't need it.

[90'sCartoonMan]

All good advice, thank you, thank you.

Hm, I'm hearing a lot about confidence and whatnot. I'm very confident in my abilities, and I know I'm qualified for the job, but I tend to be shy around people I first meet. Something I have to overcome, I guess. How do people who are less secure and more shy than I am (and I'm sure there are a ton) even get jobs in the first place?

[Stewie]

How do people who are less secure and more shy than I am (and I'm sure there are a ton) even get jobs in the first place?Nepotism.

[90'sCartoonMan]

::looks over list::

Okay, right, got it. Again, thanks for the advice everyone. My interview is tomorrow, so I'm going to go psyche myself up (by somehow convincing myself not to worry and to act cool).

[solarflere]

Just dont reply on how it went in order not to jinx your self. Reply only when you know a definate answer.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Okay solarflere, I know now. Unfortunately, the job went to someone else. I don't think anything was wrong with my interview, I just think this other person was more qualified.

Once again, I thank everyone for their advice. I was relaxed, for the most part, and I was able to answer all their questions. Well, practice for whenever my next interview is.

[EinBebop]

Don't ask a lot of questions, they dont like that. They like to ask them, not answer them.No offense to solarflere, but that's probably the worst interview advice I've ever heard.

Ask questions. Come up with some questions to ask before you get there. If the interviewer gives you information, listen carefully and think of more questions to ask. It shows you're interested, not to mention assertive. Granted, not all interviewers are the same, but you'll impress more than you offend this way.

I still remember the sting of knowing I blew an interview seven years ago when my interviewer told me, "You want to come work for us but you don't want to know anything about our company?" :o

And always bring a pen. I also bring to an interview a copy of the ad that I'm responding to, extra copies of my resume, a list of references (five personal, five business) in a nice little leather folder. I also keep a printed copy of my complete 15-year job history with contact numbers, my starting and ending pay, reason for leaving, etc. Makes filling out applications a whole lot faster.