Job Tip #4: Interview Do's and Don'ts
True or false: You don’t need to delve into your past experiences on a job interview because it’s all written down right there on your resume.
False. Your resume may be near and dear to your own heart, but consider that your interviewer probably glanced over it in just a few minutes. How many times have you hurriedly read something and only absorbed about one-quarter of it? In fact, you shouldn’t assume your interviewer read your resume at all, according to Michael Rosenblatt, president of Quest Organization. Instead, be prepared to discuss each previous position in detail during a job interview, including your reasons for leaving, and highlight skills and experience relevant to the job you are applying for. Rosenblatt and other presenters shared this and other job tips during a recent Banking Committee event, "Accounting Opportunities in Financial Services: Outlook and Strategies for the New Year." You can view the webcast below.
Other job interview do’s and don’ts:
DO…
- Stay on message: Communicate your skill level and enthusiasm for the position.
- Talk about your skills and experience relating to the position.
- Speak positively about former companies and associates, even if you're tempted not to!
- Describe strengths and accomplishments with specific instances when they were called into play.
- Speak about how you can benefit the company. Focus on what you can do for them, not vice versa. Sell your strengths.
- Keep your answers concise and on-point.
- Arrive 10 minutes early.
- Bring a copy of your resume.
- Be friendly and positive.
- Shake hands firmly in and out.
DON'T…
- Speak in generalities. Instead, cite specific examples.
- Talk about your personal life.
- Discuss salary, upward mobility, growth or promotion. These conversations may be more appropriate during negotiations, after you have an offer.
- Slouch.
View the webcast of the Banking Committee event below for additional job tips. You can also check out the Trusted Professional coverage and review jobs tips #1, #2, and #3.
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interviewing
A resume is the first and the most important step in the process of job seeking.
There are certain factors you must keep in mind while formulating your resume. The resume should not ideally go beyond more than 2 pages. Try to keep the information as precise as possible. If you have some 30 years of experience, it is not necessary to list all of it. The details of the last 10 years of your career will suffice and the rest of the information should be provided in a very concise manner. Use an Arial or Times New Roman font; do not go for very decorative fonts. Do write about the skills pertinent to the job, making you fit the brief perfectly. List out five or six key attributes the employers are looking for and prepare your resume accordingly.
Nearly all job seekers are well aware of the importance of a resume when applying for a professional opinion, but few realize the vital role that an accompanying cover letter plays in the selection process. In fact, your cover letter is just as important to your job search as is your resume.
Some additional tips:
1. Dress professionally. If you’re trying to get a job in a conservative office such as an accounting firm, don’t dress as if you were going to a concert.
2. Make sure you are well-groomed. Don’t look as though you just rolled out of bed and couldn’t bother to take care of basic personal hygiene. Nothing will make the HR Manager bring the interview to a close faster than unwashed hair, dirty fingernails or body odor. As an employee, you will be a reflection of the company and no customer wants to do business with an unkempt person.
3. Be aware of your body language. A firm handshake at the start of the interview shows you are self-confident. Maintain eye contact, stay relaxed and be attentive to the interviewer. Ask questions and listen thoughtfully to the answers. Think before you answer questions from the interviewer- don’t ramble and keep the conversation on the topic.
4. Be prepared for the interview. Research the company beforehand. This shows the interviewer you are interested in the job and took the initiative to find out all you could about the company.
5. Be present in the interview. I’ve interviewed candidates who acted as if they were waiting for a bus. They didn’t ask questions, but instead just listened to me, and I wasn’t really sure if they were paying attention. Be enthusiastic, ask questions and participate in the interview.
Here’s a phone interview tip worth considering: smile. A smile is a magic thing, and in addition to being seen in person it can be felt from a distance. When doing a phone interview, don’t think that because the person on the other end of the phone can’t see you that smiling and other positive body gestures are not important. The best interview tip that anyone was ever given was to smile and make positive gestures. In fact, many people talk with their hands. If you do, consider a telephone head set to free your hands up.
Another tip that will be worth its weight in gold is to have a good quality telephone. It may seem silly to even mention it, but the better quality phone you use, the better your voice will sound. Dead batteries, crackling sounds, bad cell sites, and weather interference can make you sound bad at the other end, and you may not even know it. When doing your phone interview you want to be clear and make a good impression.