JOB INTERVIEWING TIPS
1. DON'T THINK, "WILL THEY ACCEPT ME?" You're interviewing the employer too. It's a business meeting between equals, in which you and the interviewer are trying to answer the same question: "Are we a good match for each other?" Present yourself at your best, and try to get a job offer. But after the offer, you can take at least a day to think about it, and decide whether YOU accept. 2. REVIEW YOUR LIFE HISTORY AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS before the interview. Start from childhood. What skills have you used that this employer would find useful? That includes paid experience, volunteer work, work at home, for friends, for relatives, on behalf of your children, for a church or organization. 3. FIND OUT WHAT THE EMPLOYER DOES, what duties are probably involved in the job you're interviewing for, how many people work there, and anything else you want to know. To do this, you can phone the company and tell them you're interested in them and planning to apply. Also, you can view their Web site, or ask the reference librarian at the public library for help. Also, you can talk to someone working for a different department or a different company but who is familiar with the department where you are interviewing. 4. MAKE TWO LISTS before the interview: (1) Reasons why you are interested in this field of work and/or this employer. (2) Reasons why the employer should be interested in you. For number (2), list your "ESP"--experience, skills, and personality characteristics that could relate to this job. Experience includes jobs and training (including Berkeley Adult School). Skills include everything you know how to do--from your whole life history, above. Personality characteristics include what friends and employers like about you. 5. MAKE THE INTERVIEWER COMFORTABLE. The interviewer may be as nervous as you are! If you focus on helping her/him, you will be more comfortable also. Smile, make friendly eye contact, shake hands, use the interviewer's name. If appropriate, say something that connects you to the interviewer. ("I like that painting; I have one like it at home." "I understand the situation you're describing; we dealt with that at my last job.") 6. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER EXACTLY WHAT THE INTERVIEWER ASKS (just be sure to address his/her main concern--why you're a good match). A. If the interviewer asks you to make a choice, you may choose both. Some examples of answers: i. Do you work best independently or on a team? "I have worked well both ways; for example, I…" [Give examples of both.] ii. Do you plan to continue your education? (A yes/no choice.) "I'm concerned with establishing myself in a job right now, but later I'd like to take courses in my spare time to improve my skills." (OVER)
B. If the interviewer asks you to say something negative, choose something that was slightly negative but not too much. Then tell how you overcame that problem. For example, if the interviewer asks what your greatest weakness is, you might say something like, “In the past I felt unsure at times how to decide which tasks to do first at my job. I solved that problem by making a list of the tasks each day, and also by consulting my supervisor.” Another possible way to answer negative questions: "I can't think of any weaknesses now, but I'd like to answer your question. Is there a specific area you're concerned about? … Oh, that? Well, that won't be a problem with me, because…" C. If the interviewer asks what was the "best" or "most" something, don't worry about identifying the very best or the very most. Just say something positive. If the interviewer asks what was the "worst" something, tell how you overcame something in the past that was slightly negative. D. If asked what you would do in a certain hypothetical situation, you can discuss what you did do in a past situation that had some similarities. 7. YOU CAN PAUSE BEFORE ANSWERING. An occasional pause makes you seem thoughtful. If you need a longer pause, say, "That's a good question. Let me think about that a moment." GIVE ONE- TO SIX-SENTENCE ANSWERS. Not just one word, not too long. Back up your statements about yourself with a short example. IF ASKED WHAT SALARY YOU WANT, before you are offered the job, say, "Right now I'm interested in the job itself. If I'm offered the job, I'm sure we can work out an appropriate salary." If the interviewer insists, or after he/she offers you the job, mention a high figure that you "would like to make" but say that because you're quite interested in this job, you will consider any reasonable offer. STAY POSITIVE, ESPECIALLY ABOUT YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES. Stress the positive things you learned and enjoyed. If asked why you left a job, the best answers are that you were interested in more challenge, a different field, etc. Never say bad things about previous employers. If you must explain something negative, such as being fired: A. "At that time I had a problem with … but now that won't be a problem because…" B. "I get along very well, but just that one time the boss and I couldn't seem to agree. I can't explain it; it has never happened again." WHEN INVITED TO ASK QUESTIONS, or at the end of the interview, avoid asking about salary/benefits. Some good questions: what are the job duties, what are the hours, what would a typical workday be like.
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