Thank You Notes Get Jobs

A big step that most people miss in the interview process is the thank you note. Yes, I’m sorry to say that I am going to make you write a thank you note. It is important that an interviewer know that you appreciate the time that it took for them to interview you. Let me take a moment to show you an interview from the perspective of the interviewer. My job requires that I interview, among other things, and so I have the ability to see it from an employer’s perspective. I have interviews scheduled for the class I teach, … Continue reading →

Whatever Do I Wear – For Men

Now, on to the men. What should a man keep in mind when dressing for an interview? Just like with women, staying traditional and low-key is your best bet. You can’t go wrong with a dress shirt, tie and nice slacks. You don’t have to wear a suit jacket, but adding one definitely won’t hurt anything. Keep the following things in mind when you are dressing for an interview. Also, listen to your wife, girlfriend, mother or sister. Women will often be able to pinpoint a problem with your outfit that you might not notice. What can I say? It’s … Continue reading →

Do You Have Questions For Me?

I wish I could pound this into the head of every student who goes through our program. If the interviewer asks if you have questions, ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS! To you, it’s an innocent inquiry, but to the interviewer, whether or not you ask questions is an indication of your level of interest in the job. If you ask questions about the company, then you seem interested in the company and your possible place there. What should you ask? I’ll provide you a list of potential questions. My recommendation is that you memorize several of these and just ask the same … Continue reading →

Whatever Do I Wear – For Everyone

Interview dress is very important. The interviewer will judge your clothes as an indication of your personal character. If you are sloppily dressed, the interviewer will assume that you are a sloppy worker. If your shoes are not polished, then he may assume that you don’t pay attention to details. Since what you’re wearing plays such an important part in your interview, make sure that you get it right. Your clothes don’t have to have designer labels, but they do need to be appropriate and send the right message. I will write posts specifically pertaining to what men and women … Continue reading →

Answers to Interview Questions Part 1

I promised you help on how to answer specific interview questions. Here is a start to a series on common interview questions and the best way to respond to them. Tell me about yourself I’ve written an entire post on how to answer this question, but here are a few basics in case you haven’t read it. When someone asks this question, they really are asking for specific things. They want to know: What are your skills? What is your experience? Have you had any education? What makes you a good candidate? Focus on the answers to these questions as … Continue reading →

A Basic Guide to Interviewing – Part 4

How are you holding up so far? Did you realize that interviews could be broken down into steps like this? Interviews are never easy, but I really think that these different sections make them simpler to master. Here are my list two interviewing basics: Be prepared for the difficult questions Everyone has a question or two that they hope won’t be asked. Maybe you were fired from a job or you have a misdemeanor from when you were in college. You really hope that it won’t come up, but somehow they it always does. I hate to tell you this, … Continue reading →

A Basic Guide to Interviewing – Part 3

How are you feeling about interviews so far? I hope that the last two posts have helped you to realize that there really is a science to interviewing. I’d like to continue talking about basic interviewing skills with the following points: Be prepared for the questions I have talked in other posts about being prepared, but here are a few more things to think about. The following questions will always be asked in some form: What is your work experience? What skills do you have? What is your educational background? Why did you leave your last job? What are your … Continue reading →

A Basic Guide to Interviewing – Part 2

We have been talking about the vital interviewing skills that you need to develop. Here is the next part of that discussion: Master The Art of Eye Contact This is so important and most people who interview miss this. You probably feel a little awkward looking at the interviewer, but did you know that you look even more awkward if you don’t maintain good eye contact? This skill can make or break your interview. If you don’t maintain eye contact, you come across as unprofessional and lacking confidence. You also may appear shifty or unreliable to some interviewers. The greatest … Continue reading →

Interviewing – Be Prepared!

Here are a few quick tips to be sure that you are prepared for your interview. Look the part Be sure to dress professionally. Try on your outfit the night before so that if you encounter a stain or something that doesn’t seem to match, you can fix it then. Make sure that your clothes fit well and that they are conservative. An interview is not the time to express your style. Think of the typical business person and try to fit into that mold. You can show your clothing personality other places, but please don’t do it in an … Continue reading →

Keeping Interview Comments Relevant

I had a student once who was a sharp-shooter with a 357 Magnum pistol. That’s an admirable skill and I was certainly impressed. The problem is, she was practicing how to interview for a customer service position. Every time we did a mock interview, this student would try to include her handgun skills in her list of qualifications. It would go something like this: “I have experience in customer service and I enjoy working with people. I’m also a crack shot with a 357. I am reliable, dependable and hardworking . . .” Something’s just a little off with that … Continue reading →