Preparing for the Job Interview Before the interview

Preparing for the Job Interview

Before the interview

Research the company

Overview of the company business
Information on the company’s products and services
Recent events and news about the company
Learn about the people you will be meeting.

o Prepare questions that will help you understand what the responsibilities
and expectations of the position.
o Prepare questions that will help you understand what the future growth,
learning, and advancement opportunities that might be with the company
if you do a great job for them.
o Be prepared to respond to the question: Why do you want to know these
things? If you can’t answer this, don’t ask the question.
o Examples: I want to make a long term career decision for me an my
family. May I ask you …
What about the company convinced you to join it and stay
throughout the years?
How would you define the management philosophy of the
company?
How would you define the work culture?

Reasons for looking for a new position

o Avoid any negative talk about your employer, manager or supervisor.
o Explain why it makes sense for you to move to a new company/position in
terms of why this will help you advance your skills and career and
contribute more to your new employer.
o Be prepared to answer questions about why you left your previous
positions, and why you accepted your previous positions.

Prepare to be on-time

o If possible, the night before the interview or a few days before, drive the
route to the location of the company. Know how the traffic will be.


Leave early enough so that you can have a flat, fix it and still be early to
the interview. (Do not completely trust MapQuest and Google Maps)

o Wear a suite! No matter what the dress code for the company. I say again,
wear a suit! If you don’t own one, borrow one, buy one, or rent one.

What to bring?

o Multiple good copies of your latest resume. Some recruiters edit down
and fax your resume, and the interviewer my have a poor copy.
o A sheet listing your professional references. Prepare a list of professional
references that you can give them and that they can contact, just in case
they ask you for references. Make sure the people you use as references
know that you are looking for a new position and that they might be
contacted.

The Interview

Selling your skills

o You must communicate your most relevant skills and experiences. To do
this, you must first understand what the interviewer believes are the most
important and relevant technical skills, personal skills and
accomplishments for him to consider you a strong candidate. If you don’t
understand this first, you’re making an assumption about what is most
important/relevant for the interviewer, to know about you, which might be
wrong.
o Don’t be too aggressive and jump right into the interview trying to get the
interviewer to share/reveal this information. You are the interviewee not
the interviewer, let him set the pace of the interview. Relax and answer his
questions . Always use examples to support your answers/response.
o When you know the time is right for you to ask questions, you should
concentrate getting the following questions answered. This will help you
gain a clearer understanding of what the interviewer believes are most
relevant/critical/important skills and accomplishments to possess.
What must the candidate hired for this position jump-in and
accomplish immediately in this position (i.e. the first 3 to 6 or 9
months?) What will the candidate hired for the position most likely
need to accomplish beyond these immediate needs?
What do you believe are the most important skills, work
experience and accomplishments a candidate must posses to be
successful in this position? Why?


What do you believe are the most important personal skills and
characteristics for a candidate to possess to be successful in this
position, and to be a fit for your company’s environment/culture?
Why?
What other criteria do you consider very important when you’re
evaluating a candidate for this position? Why?

Explain and Sell Your Relevant skills

o Prepare specific examples of your experiences, accomplishment and
personal skills, which will help to explain and support what you have to
say and what you posses in each of these areas. Remember, it’s more
important and powerful to prove what you’ve done and are capable of
doing through real world examples.
o Write down examples that clearly explain and support everything you’ve
written on your resume, it’s easier for people to understand and relate to
examples. Describe your employer(s) business, where your area fits into
the company, what area and who you report to, what your area does,
specifically what you do now and what you’ve done in the past.
o Write down what you believe are your best relevant technical and personal
skills. Write down examples that you can use to support and prove these
examples.
o Write down the accomplishments that you are most proud of in the
positions you have held, and be ready to explain in detail how you
achieved these accomplishments.
o If you don’t have the skills, or the skills you possess are weaker/lighter in
the area most important to the interviewer, be prepared to discuss actual
work situations where you didn’t have the required skills/experiences
desired by your employer and how you successfully completed these new
responsibilities by using your intelligence, determination and work ethic.
This is how you communicate how you accomplished tasks assigned to
you even though you didn’t have the ideal requirements.

Things to remember

o When you walk into the office, wait to be asked to take a seat before you
sit down.
o Body language – Sit squarely facing the interviewer, maintain good eye
contact, don’t distract the interviewer by taking too many notes during the
interview.
o Ask for a business card from each person that you interview with.
o If you are meeting with multiple people, treat each new person as the first
interview of the day.
o Maintain a high energy level. If they offer you a restroom break or a cup
of water, TAKE IT, even if you don’t need it.
o Speak with passion and enthusiasm.



After the Interview

Thank You Note

o You must PROMPTLY send a thank you note to each person you
interviewed with. (That is why you asked for their business card. You
have the correct spelling of their name, their title and email addresses.)
o Hand write the envelope. Snail mail the thank you note ASAP.
o Have someone review your thank you notes before sending them to ensure
there are no spelling or grammatical errors.