Interview Tips and Tricks

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Interview Tips Tricks
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• You made it past the application process, you got
  the call, now its time. Youre going in for the
  interview. Whether youre interviewing with the
  hiring manager or multiple individuals throughout
  the course of the interview process, these tips
  will help you look like an expert (and remain
  poised and confident) during each interaction.
• Research the company- No matter where your
  interview is from a fast food restaurant to a
  fortune 500 global conglomerate, know your
  business. You will feel confident and
  knowledgeable if you know what youre talking
  about. Nothing is worse than being asked what you
  like about the company and not being able to give
  a confident, clear, direct response.
• Dress to Impress- If youve done your research on
  the organization youre interviewing with, you
  should have an idea of what the dress code is. A
  light, neutral fragrance is ok, but do not overdo
  it. Always dress one level higher than what
  you think the dress code is, and when in doubt,
  wear a suit! Please, do not wear jeans or casual
  attire to any interview, no matter the job. It is
  never appropriate. Dont forget the most
  important part of your attire, a smile.

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• Be Prepared- You know the company, youve got the
  position specifics nailed down and youre dressed
  like you own the place. Youve shaken the hand of
  the person(s) doing the interview and flashed a
  winning smile. What else should you have with
  you? Resumes! Multiple copies of your resume are
  critical, as well as a notebook (w/ writing
  utensil) for making notes. You never know how
  many people you might be interviewing with and
  you want to be able to hand them all a copy of
  your resume, you also want to write down the key
  points of the interaction-they may be helpful
  with the next person you talk to. Also, have an
  idea of key accomplishments that highlight your
  experience that you can reference during the
  interview. They want to know specific instances
  to back up the skills that you have. Dont feel
  bad about talking yourself up here, sell
  yourself, but be honest, you want to set yourself
  up for success.

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• Presentation- Smile, handshake, posture and body
  language are important. You want to give a good
  impression, and this one is critical! Sit up
  straight, always stand to shake hands with the
  person greeting you and make sure you smile.
  These go a long way and help to build rapport
  with the individual you are meeting with. Dont
  be afraid to engage in a little small talk, but
  dont lose focus and carry the conversation away
  from the interview.
• Be Confident- When youre asked a question you
  might feel unprepared for, it is ok to pause to
  gather your thoughts, rather than filling the air
  with ums and uhs. A well thought out answer
  will leave a much better impression than filler
  words. When it comes to answering the age old
  behavioral based questions, most recommended is
  the STAR method (be sure to use specifics, and it
  is advised that you think of a few different
  scenarios prior to the interview so youre ready
  to blow them away with your answer)

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• Situation Describe the situation that you were
  in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You
  must describe a specific event or situation, not
  a generalized description of what you have done
  in the past. Be sure to give enough detail for
  the interviewer to understand. This situation can
  be from a previous job, from a volunteer
  experience, or any relevant event.
• Task What goal were you working toward?
• Action Describe the actions you took to address
  the situation with an appropriate amount of
  detail and keep the focus on YOU. What specific
  steps did you take and what was your particular
  contribution? Be careful that you dont describe
  what the team or group did when talking about a
  project, but what you actually did. Use the word
  I, not we when describing actions.
• Result Describe the outcome of your actions and
  dont be shy about taking credit for your
  behavior. What happened? How did the event end?
  What did you accomplish? What did you learn? Make
  sure your answer contains multiple positive
  results.1

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• Ask questions- This is another area where your
  research will help. Prepare at least 3 questions
  related to the company and/or position that you
  really care about and remain engaged during the
  interaction. Take notes. This is a key time to
  also find out the timeline for filling the
  position and its never a bad idea to ask if
  there is any reason or hesitation they have based
  on your skills and qualifications, which will
  allow you to again reassure that youre the
  person for the job (but, odds are, youve already
  nailed the interview and theres no reason they
  wouldnt want you to join their team).
• Follow up- You aced the interview, you feel like
  it went really well and you want them to remember
  you. Send a follow up email within 24 hours
  saying Thank you and touching on 2 or 3 key
  points of interest that you discussed (look at
  those notes). Highlight how your skills are a
  good fit based on those 2 or 3 points and express
  your continued interest in the position.
• There are going to be nuances based on industry
  for every interview, but these 7 key points are
  standard across the board. If you follow this
  list of tips, youll nail your interview every
  time.

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