You’ve got your resume ready. You’re wearing your best suit or skirt and have your hair prepared. You’ve practiced all night, now it’s time for the big finale, also known as the job interview. The interview will help a potential employer see if you are right for the job. Read the following article for job interview tips.
Know how you will explain gaps in your work history. There are reasons anyone may have work gaps, and that is understandable. However, be ready to be asked about them during an interview and have an answer ready. That way, you look calm and prepared, as well as giving an answer you aren’t flustered about.
Regardless of the company’s dress code, you should always dress professionally. No matter if you’re applying for a place that gives you the freedom of casual dress or not, dress to impress.
Instead of accepting that you do not have what it takes to land a specific job, ask yourself what you can do to become a better candidate. For example, if you lack experience with a certain software program commonly used in your chosen field, look for online tutorials and how-to books. MIT and other prestigious universities offer a variety of free, non-credit online courses. Topics range from marketing research to XHTML, and completing the programs demonstrates your willingness to go the extra mile.
Most initial applications are currently done online, so present yourself in the best light with an impressive resume and cover letter. When you are contacted for a personal interview, make sure you dress appropriately and present yourself as a professional. Try to appear confident and hide any nervousness you might feel.
When hiring employees try to strike a balance between skill sets. For example, don’t hire everyone who is a fast typist, and no one who is slower but more organized. Those organizational skills may save you at some point. If you have a plethora of different skills available, your business will be more capable of handling a larger variety of situations.
Try organizing your resume by priorities. You should list your most important and most relevant information first on your resume. You should also list any key accomplishments near the top of every position that you have held. This will help your prospective employer see the most important details first when they begin reading your resume.
If you are currently unemployed, making finding a job your new “job.” Essentially, that means you should spend the same number of hours in a day looking for a new position as you did at your previous job. This is often hard to do, but if you establish a routine for yourself early on, you will be able to succeed.
If you have a tough interview coming up, engage in at least one practice interview with someone who you respect. This can be with a teacher or a member of your family, so that you can prepare for the pressure of the actual interview. This will help to alleviate stress on the big day.
When negotiating salary, never sell yourself short. Prepare yourself for this step by conducting extensive research on the job title, regional salary and other details of benefits before you enter into negotiations. If you are unaware of your worth relative to other candidates and workers, your salary may not reflect your true worth — possible to the tune of thousands of dollars per year!
If you’re nervous about an interview, think about it differently. Think of it as a “test” interview. Imagine that you’ve already got the job, or that you’re not interested in the job at all. This instantly relaxes you, and you can stop being nervous and just have a conversation. A lot of the time, that will get you hired.
Have a mock interview. Enlist a friend to help ask you questions an interviewer would ask. That way, you can get a critique on your answers and your body language. This is a great way to make you feel comfortable during the real interview, because you can fix any flaws you have.
One of the most important factors of your interview is the vibe that you give. Keep a positive attitude and smile at the interviewer. Your interviewer must see you in a positive light, so exude positivity.
Older job seekers may benefit by using the functional resume form rather than the chronological resume form. The functional resume lists major experiences and accomplishments right at the top rather than listing all experiences and accomplishments in chronological order. You could create several functional resumes to target different types of jobs.
Get to the interview 10 minutes before the appointed time. This will help you center yourself before the interview and show you’re serious about the position. There is absolutely no reason for you to be even 5 minutes late. If you are late, have a really good explanation ready before you let the interview continue.
While Linkedin and Facebook are both social networking sites, you need to keep in mind that Linkedin is more of a professional site. This means that you should have a clear, polished picture that can be used for your profile. A picture of you making silly faces would definitely not be appropriate.
The job interview is the final thing standing in the way of you being employed. There is a lot riding on the interview, but don’t let the pressure get to you. You have everything needed to conquer your job interview. Use the tips and be prepared to get the job.
