Interview tips.

[monty0703]

Does anyone have any interview tips? I realise there are loads of sites devoted to career advice but I'd like to get folks personal insight. I know all about giving a firm handshake, being smart etc. but perhaps there are other, less well known secrets of success..?

[happysax]

Look your interviewers in the face with a slight smile but a sincere look in your eyes, like Robin Williams or Alan Alda. It shows trustworthiness and an interest in people. Give reasons why you want to work for that particular firm and in that particular place. If you have a portfolio, talk them through it confidently and get their feedback. Good luck.

[sft42]

Never fold your arms.......When talking lean forward slightly...when listening lean back slightly and and hold eye contact but not for too long. Ask questions about the firm and why someone would want to work there. Hide tattoo's, piercings and other similar stuff. Match your level of chat to the interviewer...if (s)he is strictly formal, then be the same...if the person is more chatty and drops the odd joke in, do so as well.

[andy hughes]

Make sure you know as much as you can about the company - and try to bring the information into your answers. When they ask you if you have an questions, always ask about the job for which you have applied - do they see it expanding in the future, how does it fit into the company, that sort of line - it shows you are keen and have thought about what you will be doing - if you are successful.

[Quizmonster]

Click http://www.manpower.co.uk/jobseekers/career_advice
/main_interview.asp for a web-page with helpful ideas.

[happysax]

Oh Quizmonster, you and your boring links! Why can't you just be human and answer a question from personal experience?

[kags]

I think that's a bit unfair happysax - quizzie gives plenty of full answers to questions, the link is a good one and 3 excellent answers had already been given.

[sft42]

Happysax I have been quite happy to let your style slide before (even when it involved me personally) but this is a step to far.....In my humble opinion Quizzy is one of the most important uses on this site and you have a long, long way to go before you can earn the kind of respect that this man has around here. You have no right to have a go at him at all....his website links are always of the highest order and are usually more informative and factually correct than most peoples opinions.....While it's hardly the most scathing of attacks I still think you owe the man a full apology for this unjustified rant.

[andy hughes]

I'd like to be assocaited with the remarks of the ast speaker. Regular visiters to the AB have been amazed and informed in equal measure by QM's breadth of knowledge, and usually a link to go with it. The AB is a democratic place - we welcome all opinions (and facts!) equally, and we try not to be insulting to our fellow visitors - we just like to be nice. Thank you.

[Quizmonster]

Thanks for the support, folks. I can only assume Happy hasn't been around here for long and so hasn't seen some of my lengthy - and very personal - responses. Of course, I'm sorry that he/she finds the links I provide boring. To balance that view, I've actually been complimented in the past on how interesting they generally are. (Indeed, one AnswerBanker even said that my links were the only things worth a damn in my answers!) I never offer them unless I think they'll be genuinely helpful for the questioner.

But you can't please all of the people all of the time, I'm well aware of that. Regardless, I shall continue to tackle the questions here in precisely the manner I think best. Cheers

[apricot]

Do your homework, don't lie and be genuinely interested in taking the post. If there is a person specification make sure you go through it and prepare EVIDENCE that you can fulfill the criteria. This will give you confidence. If you don't understand a question say so, don't just answer what you think the interviewer may want to hear. This is more practical advice than the other answers but I hope it will be helpful monty

[kags]

I'm with apricot on the honesty front - I have done loads of interviews and bulls**t stands out a mile. I would always prefer someone who was honest if they didn't understand a question, or didn't know the answer. This can be turned round very positively too, for example "that area isn't one I have had much experience in, but I am very keen to learn more/improve my skills - what training opportunites are there within the firm?" etc etc. Most employers do not want staff who are unwilling to ask for help - this type of employee can be dangerous. And don't worry too much if you are nervous, interviewers understand that, and all the other candidates will be nervous too. Good luck, with all these tips you'll be unstoppable!

[melandraf]

When the interviewer asks you if YOU have any questions - say " When can i start??".

[Dave Potts]

I echo the comments of kags, sft42 and andy ' quizmonster's link are usually very useful, this one being no exception. One section of the manpower link dealt with being prepared for commonly asked questions, and this is something I'd like to expand on, in fact it deserves repetition - be prepared for commonly asked (often awkward) questions! Many interviewers like to throw you a 'curve-ball' to see how you behave in awkward situations, how articulate you are, and also to see if you can think on your feet. It's useful to be prepared for this and even have something thought out to cover the more commonly asked questions. Below are some typical 'broadsides', but try and be prepared for anything (the most bizarre thing I was asked to do at interview was describing how I might cut a sponge cake using just a bit of string and a table!) Interviewers are a strange, sadistic breed, and need to get out more.

Tell me about yourself/What have you been up to?
What is your biggest strength/weakness?
What do you like about yourself/what do other people like about you?
What has been your biggest success/failure in life?
What is the best/worst decision you've ever made?
Describe a typical weekend.
What makes you think you'd make a good (e.g.) manager?
What do you see yourself doing in 5/10 years?
Why do you want this job?
Why should we give you this job?
Who do you respect (e.g. historical figure) and why?
How do you like to socialise? What do you do in your spare time?
How did you get on with other people in your last job (careful!)?
What kind of things motivate you//what do you not like doing?
What's the worst job you've ever had and why? and finally
Would you take the job if we offered it to you?

Other than having a think about the above, wear a brand new tie, and the very best of luck!

[Dave Potts]

Hmmm...just read the thread and although sft42 touched upon it it's also worth mentioning about body language. There are a host of websites dedicated to this if you do a quick 'Google' but in my (antedeluvian) day I was always very much aware of the importance of this important aspect of our communication whilst being interviewed. A large part of human interaction is non-verbal and even though you're probably subconsciously aware of a lot of physical 'tells' (like crossed arms indicating someone has reservations about something that is being said, et cetera) I'd recommend doing a bit of research into this. I concentrated so much on this during interviews that I still find myself automatically checking out other people's (and my) body language whenever I'm with new people. Maybe that makes me strange. An interview tip I would give is trying to 'mirror' the body language of the interviewer - if they lean back, cross their legs or steeple their fingers, do likewise, subtly. Try and make your (obviously very deliberate movements!) as natural and fluid as possible so it's not like a game of 'Simon Says'! In my experience people (even interviewers!) tend to like people who are similar to themselves. I'm not a behavioural expert, but I've always done well at interviews, this at least in part due (or in spite of) my little games of 'Monkey See, Monkey Do'!

[apricot]

Oo er I didn't like Dave Potts list of 'nasty questions', maybe they were a little close to home. I did once interview for a senior post and ask the candidates for 3 adjectives to describe themselves, just as an icebreaker, not to be scored. One candidtae didn't know what an adjective was despite having a 'strong command of written and oral english', another talked for 20 minutes when I only wanted 3 words! Nobody said they were intelligent though. As for the body language, I would be careful about trying it for the first time during an interview. Possibly there would be too much to remember. Good Luck

[monty0703]

Thanks everyone for all your replies. I'm as prepared as I'll ever be!!!

[ilovetohelp13]

Try these interview tips from Payscale.com. See http://bitly.com/Zh2jdR