Advice for Job interviews.

[buco]

Hi all,

I'm currently unemployed and have a few interviews in the next few days. Job interviews are new to me, I worked at the same place for 19 yrs.

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks!

 

[theamcaddict]

What kind of employer are you dealing with?

 

[Duarte]

Do some homework on your potential employers. Learn as much as you can about their business, and use that info your advantage. It always impresses an interviewer if the candidate is knowledgeable about their company. Find out what they are looking for and sell yourself as the ideal person to meet those needs. Good luck!

 

[larry_g]

Always answer on a positive note.

What is your greatest failing? Worst failing I've had was sending out a rig that I forgot to torque the lugnuts on. I called the customer and went to his house to torque the lugs.

Ends on a good note.

Have a list of stock answers ready for vague questions like the above. Sit down now and make a list of all the good things that you bring to the company. Write down all the great things you have done to make you standout in your field. If you do this now then you will not have to fumble around trying to think these things up under pressure.

Don't over dress for the interview. If your a mechanic then don't show up looking like a banker. Give a good hand shake. I once wrote a guy off because his handshake was like being handed a dead fish.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[dieselgarage]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190840&highlight=interview

Few good ideas in this thread.

 

[jmack]

Hard to give specific help without knowing the industry and level of position - as previous poster noted regarding attire, interview advice will differ a bit if you are interviewing for a job as a mechanic vs as an analyst at a bank.

One bit of advice that is universal - the interview is about you as much as it is about them. Think of insightful questions, write them down and be ready to ask. There is nothing worse then when I'm interviewing someone, and ask them if they have questions and they say no, or ask something generic. For example, let's say you are interviewing for a job at a mechanic at a company that has recently expanded capacity. A good question to ask would be "What challenges has the recent growth created for you?" You'll likely get a response about how your potential boss has all kinds of extra work, etc., which then puts you in a position to offer your skills as a solution to some of those problems.

If you approach an interview with a mindset and attitude of "how can I help solve your problems?", you will be successful.

If you want additional info I'd recommend a book called "Acing the Interview". It was written by a long-time recruiter and has many sample questions with sample responses, but the basic formula boils down to:
-Make the other person like you (agreeable on a personal level) - people overlook how important this part is
-Demonstrate that you're able to do the job (skills/knowledge)
-Prove that you're not a risk for the hiring manager

 

[justanengineer]

Pretend youre sitting in front of your mother at a proper Sunday dinner. Be proper, polite, have good posture, be nicely dressed but not overdressed, shaved/trimmed, and clean. When theyre interviewing you, its not about "winning" or having the "correct" answer for everything, be honest if you have no experience in an area but express interest in learning about it. Also realize that its not entirely about the work, theyre trying to figure out if you will fit in with others there as well as your qualifications. If youre a family man and they ask you about your happiest moment or proudest accomplishment, talking about your kids and wife arent out of line and are very respectable reasons to get out of bed in the morning. Be real, be honest, be yourself, and good luck!

 

[Thumper68]

I'm sure that they will ask questions about both being a self starter being able to work alone and a team player, being able to work as part of a team on a project. These are always the hardest questions to answer because you want to come across as both equally.

When I asked these questions, what I was looking for was a good cross section of both.

An example would be

Q:"How do you feel working on a project with little to no supervision?"
A:"As long as I have the knowledge to do the work I have no issues at all."

Q:"we do a lot of team projects. How do you work with others as part of a team either working on a part of a larger project or with others on a larger system?"
A:"Working with others to complete a job is very satisfying."

As others have said you need to tailor your answers to fit the type of job you are interviewing for and dress to fit the type of atmosphere you will be working in. I always had an issue with someone who showed up for an tradesman job in a suit and tie and the reverse is also true if you showed up in jeans and a t-shirt for a office job.

Good luck!!

 

[Hyster Gareth]

Ask questions it shows you have thought about the job you are applying for.

Good luck and never hurts to be clean shaven.

 

[Chuck122]

Know your shortcomings well and be ready to talk about them. If they ask you about them, don't ********. They already know you are not perfect, no one is. What they want to know by asking questions about your shortcomings is wheter or not you are full of ****. Be ready to awnser questions about why you want that specific job.
One time I was asked that very question about a clerc job at a gas station. I ended up saying:
"Guess what, I don't really want that job" and leaving
Of course I didn't get the job but I later found a job that I like way better.
Try to awnser question in a straight forward manner so it does not look like you are misleading.

 

[MFolks]

Turn off the cell phone or pager, as it's a big distraction when in the interview process. Missed calls can be replied to after the interview is over.

 

[knobby]

always a safe bet to adjust your settings on any social media sites to private while job hunting
#1 pothead@ Hotmail wont impress too many employers ether paying attention to little details like this will help keep your resume on the table rather than the trash

 

[ZRX61]

Interviewer: What is your biggest weakness?

Applicant: Honesty

Interviewer: I don't think honesty is a weakness

Applicant: I don't give a **** what you think

 

[atwageman]

Interviewer: What is your biggest weakness?

Applicant: Honesty

Interviewer: I don't think honesty is a weakness

Applicant: I don't give a **** what you think

I love it!

 

[kf4zht]

Always dress 1 level above what you are interviewing for. i.e.
If your normal attire will be a T-shirt and jeans, wear a polo and khakis
If normal is a polo and khakis, wear black pants and a collared shirt (no tie)
Then a suit, then a tux, and so on

Drive by the place beforehand so you know how to get there and can gather some info about the place. Pee before you get there. They will offer a restroom (typ) but don't need it.

Know about what the company does, but don't get too specific. I work for a managed service provider (MSP), candidates that know what MSPs do look good. Those that bring up the "well what do you mean by this sentence on your website" don't.

As stated above make sure that you are a team player than can also grab the ball and run (or at least fake it).

Keep your eyes open. An interview goes both ways, take the time to learn. Find out if it is a new position due to growth, a replacement or a new position with a new role to the company (#3 be prepared to hit the ground running solo or being gone in 6 months). Do the other employees look happy? If you see a bunch of people that look grumpy or beat down then finish the interview but decline. If everyone hates their lives you will to.

I have tons of more but it starts getting IT/Tech field specific.

 

[atwageman]

To the OP.......

Be careful not to fall into traps with certain questions from the person giving the interview.

If family comes up, be careful how you answer. Not saying this is your situation, but don't clue them into any health issues your spouse or kids may have. They are looking for an employee, not somebody who's gonna **** up the corporate health care plan.

If they sense any kind of issues in your personal life......they may question your ability to be a focused employee.

When I interview people, there are a lot of questions I can't legally ask, but yet I need to know the answers to. I have a knack for getting people to volunteer the answers I need.

**** in life happens. It happens to all of us. But I have a business to run.

 

[HAP]

Walk smartly and with purpose to the building and while traversing inside...

 

[Revere Cycles]

My approach to an interview is one of total honesty, and knowing how to "pass the ball" back and forth. I always like to ask the interviewer lots of specific questions about their business, even if my questions seem bizarre or insignificant. "How did you find this place? What's your favorite tool? How do you approach this?"

When I am unfamiliar with a role or responsibility, or lack a skill, I am honest and indicate a willingness to learn. My resume is also neatly laid out, with good descriptions of my experience and a unique layout that fits my personal aesthetic (Color, personal logo or graphic, nice paper, etc).

With this approach, I have worked in several different fields; including woodworking, masonry, art conservation, antique restoration, real estate development, and presently architectural and interior design. My formal education was in traditional silversmithing and metal sculpture. I feel fortunate to have relative success with my job search, but I don't think anything I have done is particularly extraordinary. It's all about relating to someone and showing a vested interest.


Good luck with your job search!

 

[zkling]

The little advice I could give would be to research the company you are interviewing for. Know what they do, why they do it, and who their customers are. Know the ins and outs of their product or service, try to find a way to let the company know that you can help them, not them you. For in the end, all the company really cares about is themselves and what benefit it would gain them to hire you. Good luck on the interview

Don't forget, you are in "interview mode" the second you walk out your door. Cussing someone out in the parking lot or lack of manners to the front door person all can and will go against you.

To all those hiring people out there, can you please explain my most feared interview question "Why should we hire you?" What are you really trying to find out when you ask this?

 

[98ramtough]

Write down 10 questions you would ask your self and in light gray type the answers. Do this is small don't so only you can see it. Being pictures or examples of your work. Have a copy of your resume for each person you see. Be friendly and confident but not cocky or arigent. Ask questions about their biggest pains. Ask how the company is doing financially. Make it as much of an interview for you questioning the company than vise versa. Don't come across desperate.

After the interview follow up each person with a thank you email. This can go a long way. If you have any other questions or more info bring that up in the thank you email. This leaves a positive thought for the person regarding you on their mind. I've only interviewed 4 times in my life but got offered jobs each time.

As far as the feared question? I like seeing how confident people are and what they think the strongest trait is. I also love to throw a strange odd ball question in there just to see how the person handles surprises.

Good luck!

 

[efb16acrx]

Well, here's what I learned from the last set of interviews I had to sit on the panel of (also my first, filling my old position), speak fluent english, show up less than 30 minutes late, keep cursing and racist comments to every 4 words or less, take a shower at least 3 days before the interview, and you'll be in the top 2! And that isn't even getting into actually knowing anything about the job.

 

[atwageman]

Well, here's what I learned from the last set of interviews I had to sit on the panel of (also my first, filling my old position), speak fluent english, show up less than 30 minutes late, keep cursing and racist comments to every 4 words or less, take a shower at least 3 days before the interview, and you'll be in the top 2! And that isn't even getting into actually knowing anything about the job.

I feel your pain.

 

[zkling]

Well, here's what I learned from the last set of interviews I had to sit on the panel of (also my first, filling my old position), speak fluent english, show up less than 30 minutes late, keep cursing and racist comments to every 4 words or less, take a shower at least 3 days before the interview, and you'll be in the top 2! And that isn't even getting into actually knowing anything about the job.

Wow, what type of job were you interviewing candidates for?

 

[atwageman]

Had a prospect once ask me what the company did to promote equality for gay people in the work place.

 

[jd_1138]

One of my favorite writers had 3 or 4 different careers before becoming a famous writer. He said that he approached every job interview with the assumption that he wouldn't get the job, and that if he did in fact get the job, that it wouldn't last long. This took the pressure off of him and made him seem really relaxed and confident. So, he actually ended up getting hired 90% of the time right on the spot. And because of his free and easy style at work, people liked him and he moved up the ladder quickly. They mistook his relaxed serene attitude for "in command" competence.