Nothing beats it when one is prepared. These answers on job interviews will arm you of the confidence that every prospective employer looks for during that first impression.
New! JOB-SEEKERS: Be A Loan Officer in Arizona Top Lender Hiring No experience? You're hired!
Interview Preparation
Preparing for the interview is crucial, considering the competition against someone with the same or better credentials and qualifications, or the answers on job interviews might just slip out of your mind. A company won’t hire you unless it has a conversation with you to decide if you’re the best person for the job. Some strategies to best sell yourself are below before you meet with the prospective employer.
Don't forget to share this important interview information with your friends!
* Arm yourself with the knowledge of the company’s profile and background. Research about the company’s requirements and industry, and even the interviewer will give you an advantage.
* Set your mind clearly on the career goals of why you want the job or why you’re the best candidate. Be prepared to explain what you have to do the job.
* Prepare your questions. Participating actively in the answers on job interviews will give you an impression of interest in the job. On the other hand, learn how to listen when needed.
* Know your resumé thoroughly. If you have any weaknesses therein, be prepared to defend them.
* Be aware of your posture. Stand up straight and don’t slouch.
* Mentally prepare for the interview. Take deep breaths to relax. Don’t dwell on a negative result or if you’ll get stumped during the interview. Picture a smooth interview between you and the hiring manager. This procedure will help you focus, and will work for you.
* While waiting at the lobby, don’t kill time by munching on junk food. The interviewer won’t like greeting and shaking your hand with left-over crumbs.
* Don’t tilt your chair or raise your feet on top of a desk.
* If you’re wearing a clip-on tie, secure it properly so it won’t fall off when the interview livens up.
* Don’t bring a lunch bag with you.
* Practice, practice, practice your lines. Answers on job interviews really need practice to be perfect, boost your self confidence and poise.
* Lastly but most importantly, dress smart. It would be the first thing that the interviewer will see in you. Your professional impact could affect your over-all impression and determine if you’ll make it to the next level of interviews.
Don’t let this scare you. If you’ve prepared well for the small things, the quest for the best job has actually qualified you for an interview to compete for the best job with the best candidates. The better you prepare, the better your chances are. Your answers on job interviews are here.
Relax. This is your chance to shine. How do you start off with the right foot?
* Be courteous to the receptionist, or anyone who will greet you, as soon as you arrive at the company. You may not know it, but your evaluation starts there, as well as while in the waiting area. Believe me, they’re watching you.
* Turn off your cell phone.
* Give the power handshake. Start off with firm and full-handed handshake to people you meet.
* ”Tell me about yourself.” Get ready to give a great impression of your strengths that translate to your applied job.
* Don’t appear having memorized your lines. If you answer so fast that you didn’t seem to consider the question, the situation would be - you privately congratulating yourself in your mind, while your interviewer is left in disbelief at how you responded to the question.
* If you’re asked a question that you are not prepared for, like, why such is your biggest strength, recall your work challenges or scenarios and tie these with your response giving out the positive results in the end. Example – A challenge of a sales quota not met, and your answers on job interviews like these could be to observe the team and determine where the deficiency is, and decide whether there’s a need for additional staff or intense training. Results? Year-end productivity increase through problem-solving capabilities.
* Some good questions for the interviewer: What will be my job’s contribution to the company? How does your company differ from the rest? What is the company’s mission or culture? How would you illustrate the company’s most successful employees? What have been the company’s most significant changes recently?
* Know when to listen. Paying attention to the interviewer will tell you what they’re exactly looking for.
* Maintain eye contact.
* Don’t talk too fast. Pace your answers appropriately.
* Talk about how your job experience with other companies helped achieve their goals and objectives. It’s the result that matters to the interviewer, and not what you did.
* Develop good answers on job interviews when the interviewer asks you why you want a job with their company, and not another company.
* When asked, “Can you do the job?” The job seeker “promises to do his best, work hard, be a team player, and do whatever is asked of him.” You should keep more than 5 scenarios of your success stories and be ready to answer their question. Success stories with results, because employers are result-oriented.
* It’s okay to admit that you don’t know everything about the job, as long as you state that you are very much willing to learn it.
* Enumerate your other skills. Sometimes this question arouses the interviewers interest. For example, if you’re bilingual or you possess IT or managerial skills. Or if you’re a good public speaker. Not many people can do that. Maybe not even your interviewer!
* One skill to get you the job and keep the job is getting along with others. You should be a team player. Conflicts arise, but handling them is what matters.
* Avoid distracting mannerisms such as foot tapping or touching your hair. The interviewer should focus on what you’re saying and not what you’re doing.
* Your honesty and integrity are most important. Hiring mnagers don't just base it on answers on job interviews, but thirty-two percent is given weight to character.
* Know if the position is right for you. Your passion and verbal enthusiasm will light up. Your interviewer will see if you’re right for the job.
Closing The Interview
Just like selling, closing establishes a deal after the marketing pitch. After a good impression, you’ll want to leave with a good note.
* If you want the job, clearly express it.
* Say thank you for taking time to meet you. Give the power handshake.
* Regardless of the outcome of the interview, stay professional and courteous. Ask when the evaluation will be made. If you have job applications from other companies, knowing the decision time will keep you moving on.
* Ask what the next procedure is.
* When you get to your car, write down what transpired in the interview. Take note of the details of the interview and the interviewer. Review your answers on job interviews. This will be your basis for a thank-you and follow-up letter.
* Send a thank-you card or note right after the meeting. Briefly re-state your interest for the position and best qualifications for the job.
* Send a follow-up letter if you’ve not heard from the prospective employer for a while. Don’t let the employer get away with ‘We’ll call you”. And don’t apologize for your action.
* And oops, don’t forget to always smile!
Interviewing is like being in a competition. Being in one is a step ahead among your contenders. Following the key strategies above will allow you to cross the finish line, be a great candidate, because the champion brings home the bacon.
How To Handle Illegal Questions
Your interview has been going on well, and you’re the perfect match for the position, when the hiring manager pops a question, “Are you religious?” And if you answer, “It’s none of your business!”. Whoa! You knew it is an illegal question, but the very promising interview could be in jeopardy if you don’t know how to handle them.
In the United States, employers may not legally ask applicants several questions. The law ensures that the candidates are hired based on job qualifications and not based on prejudice. Questions related to race, gender, age, marital status, religion, physical and/or mental status, ethnic background, country of origin, and other discriminatory issues are illegal grounds for employment evaluations. Generally, they don’t contribute to your job performance, and if they do, the employer must substantiate the direct relationship.
Most of the illegal questions though are asked out of innocence or when the interview goes friendly. Some may seek the information indirectly, and your answers on job interviews such as these can be a tricky basis to test your character. In any case, here’s how to deal with them:
* Respond politely and honestly if your answer will not hurt you.
* Remind the interviewer that the question is illegal.
* Relate your answers to the job requirements and your capabilities to perform it.
Samples of Illegal Questions and Answers
*Q: Would you mind the job relocation from New York to Florida? A: I am used to doing business travel and comfortable on the road. In fact, my experience is backed by a responsible track record under such conditions. Besides, my family would support my career move.
*Q: Are you religious? Because if we have big projects, will that prevent you from working extra hours? A: I believe everyone is religious in their own right, but I don’t think it would get in the way of my job commitment.
*Q: What is the origin of your last name? A: Unusual, don’t you think? But I prefer using my first name especially in my email correspondence because it’s easier to remember.
*Q: Do you plan to have a family soon? A: Focusing on career is my priority now.
*Q: When do you see yourself retiring? A: Most people don’t retire like they used to because of the need to earn an income. Likewise, I do not anticipate retirement in the near future.
How you handle the illegal questions depends on the intention of the interviewer and how much you want the job. Regardless though, if the hiring manager asks illegal questions, there is a good chance for discrimination after you are hired.
If you can’t perceive why such questions are being asked, put your best foot forward and focus on your qualifications when you respond.
If and when you feel you are indeed discriminated, don’t be silent about it. You have the right to end the interview immediately. Heck, you never wanted to work there in the first place!
Feel more secure now? We hope that the answers on job interviews we pulled up here for you is the first step to your dream job.