Basic Interviewing Tips

Prepare interesting questions.

2) Dress for success. Although, many companies are business casual these days, it’s still important to dress appropriately for an interview. For men, that means wearing a dark suit and a tie. For women, that means wearing a nice business dress or a business suit with a skirt.

3) If you have not interviewed in a while, buy a book on

interviewing. Go over sample questions and think about your

answers. You don’t want to sound overly rehearsed, but you

don’t want to be rusty either.

4) Make sure you know where the interview is. Practice driving to the facility, if necessary, so you know how much time it will take to get there. Arrive early. If you are late, make sure to apologize to the hiring manager, and explain why. It's almost guaranteed that you won't get a job offer if you arrive late, so do everything possible to be on time.

5) Make sure you make eye contact in the interview. Shake the interviewer’s hand. Sit up straight, and look interested during the discussion. Don’t fiddle or fidget. Do not use slang during the interview. Be professional, serious and polite.

6) It should go without saying that you should not bring friends or parents, and that iPods should be put safely away.

Cell phones should be put on silent.

7) Answer the interviewer’s questions with demonstrated accomplishments. Many employers train their managers in behavior based interviewing techniques. That means they want specifics on demonstrated accomplishments. Therefore, don’t answer questions with just a yes or no answer. Don’t dodge the question. However, don’t ramble on and on as well. For sales people, be prepared to discuss your quota and your attainment against your quotas. Speak in a clear voice.

8) Be truthful. Never mislead or lie about your credentials, but make sure you make the most of your background. You should not leave an interview without the potential employer knowing about an important accomplishment that you think relates to the position you’re discussing.

9) Answer salary questions directly. Too many candidates are vague about their salary and that is an immediate turn-off to potential employers. If you have flexibility in your salary requirements, state that. Don’t go in asking about benefits and stating what you need before you will accept a job.You’ll end up not getting an offer if you make demands right up front.

10) Tell the interviewer you would really like to have the job before you leave. Thank them for their time as well. Shake their hand and ask when you will hear from them next. Ask for their business card. Follow-up with a brief and polite thank you note either written by hand or via e-mail.

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Additional job hunting tips:

1) Just in case it's not obvious, you should remove any compromising photos or posts from the internet, MySpace, Facebook, etc. Employers are hiring investigators to see what potential employees have posted on their websites.

2) Make sure you have a professional sounding message on your voice mail. Take off any crazy lyrics or raunchy rap music from your cell phone answering system.

3) Use polite e-mail addresses. JakeTheDrunk@yahoo does not sound very professional, and yes real people have lost jobs because of it.

4) Take care of yourself. Make time for things you like to do. Stress can often make you eat more so exercise. Here is one excellent weight loss program we promote, if you're interested, but there are others too.