Preparing for an Interview

Assess your strengths and weaknesses 

You will need to spend some time assessing your own strengths and weaknesses. For each area of strength you should be able to demonstrate (provide examples) of how it was developed and utilized. As for your areas of weakness, you have to know what you are doing to improve in that area. It is advisable to list on a sheet of paper all your skills, abilities, accomplishments and weaknesses and be able to provide examples from your past experience as to how you developed, utilized or improved these qualities. Relating your areas of strength to the required qualifications is a key factor in gaining the interviewers attention.

Study the position available

Review your understanding about the type of work/position you will be interviewed for. If you are interviewing for a marketing position, be aware of the typical job duties/responsibilities for that position as well as the required qualification to perform the job tasks. If you are not clear about the nature of the position you will be interviewed for, make sure to use your network of contacts to help you develop a better understanding
of the job.

Research the company

Find out as much as possible about the employer. Learn about the company from its website, annual reports, brochures, and other similar sources. You should be able to know the company’s exact name, history, purpose, services/products, major competitors, approximate number of employees, where its branches are located and its future prospects.

Know the dress code

Did you know that approximately 60% of job applicants are screened out because their appearance does not fit the organizational image? You should dress like other employees in the organization. If you are well-groomed and neatly dressed, your appearance will inspire a basic confidence in your work habits.

Bring appropriate materials

Take along additional copies of your resume, a list of questions to ask about the organization and position, a portfolio (if applicable), a pen and a pad of paper on which you can make a few notes to yourself. Make sure to note on a piece of paper the name of the interviewer, company address, and telephone number in case of emergency.

Find interview location ahead of appointment 

Be sure to get specific directions for getting there. Repeat the directions and make sure they are correct. It is even better if you can make a “dry run” to determine the exact location prior to the meeting. You need to find out the approximate travel time to the interview location, check out the best route and parking locations. Make sure that you arrive 5-10 minutes before the interview.

Dress for Success:

Men

• Traditional business attire, i.e. navy blue or gray suit or sports coat and nice slacks, and a long sleeved pressed dress shirt.
• Ties should be silk and coordinate well with the suit. Avoid any flashy or “theme” ties such as ties with cartoon characters or seasonal events.
• Jewelry should be limited to one ring per hand a dress watch. No earrings, and of course, no visible body piercings!
• Cover any obvious tattoos.
• Shoes should be polished and leather dress shoes in black, dark burgundy or brown are best. Socks should match suit color.
• Hair neatly combed and clean. Facial hair well groomed as well.
• Avoid wearing too much cologne or after-shave.
• Well manicured nails.

Women

• Conservative business suit, dress or pants suit. Most appropriate colors are blue, gray, black or tan. Blouse color should be white or any complimentary colors.
• Jewelry should be modest with one ring per finger, earrings no longer than ½ inch and necklace, and no visible body piercings!
• Cover any obvious tattoos.
• Avoid excessively long fingernails. Your nail polish should be a subtle color and applied neatly.
• Shoes should have no more than 2-inch heels and should complement your outfit.
• Your hair should be well groomed and clean.
• Avoid wearing too much cologne, perfume, or make-up.It is very common to worry about something unfavorable occurring at the interview, but don’t allow yourself to worry too much. When you find yourself having negative thoughts, visualize yourself having a highly successful interview. This would be an interview where you are in control and performing your best. If you would like to further your relaxation try a deep breathing exercise such as inhaling through your nose for 4 slow seconds, holding your breath for 4 slow seconds and exhaling through the mouth for 8 long seconds. Try doing this three times before the interview. (but not in the interview itself).

The Art of Positive Thinking

It is very common to worry about something unfavorable occurring at the interview, but don’t allow yourself to worry too much. When you find yourself having negative thoughts, visualize yourself having a highly successful interview. This would be an interview where you are in control and performing your best. If you would like to further your relaxation try a deep breathing exercise such as inhaling through your nose for 4 slow seconds, holding your breath for 4 slow seconds and exhaling through the mouth for 8 long seconds. Try doing this three times before the interview. (but not in the interview itself).

Approaching the interview

In approaching the interview, keep in mind that you are really approaching a potential “customer”. Think of yourself as your own sales representative. You will be presenting the benefits of what services you have to offer. The decision to work for a particular company should be based on a mutual benefit to both parties.

5 Best Things to Say in an Interview

5 Best Things to Say in an Interview

By Catherine Conlan
Monster Contributing Writer

The best things you can say in an interview won’t necessarily get you the job on their own, but they can certainly pave the way. Keep these five things in mind as you go through the interviewing process to give yourself the best chance at landing the job.

Ask Good Questions

According to Howard Pines, founder and CEO of BeamPines, “the best thing a candidate can do at an interview is ask good questions.”

Doing so shows that you are thoughtful and interested in understanding the company. There’s usually a chance to ask questions at the end of your interview, so be ready with questions that show you’re engaged in the process.

Pines suggests several questions, including:

• What are the biggest short- and long-term issues I would need to focus on in this position?
• What would I need to focus on differently than the previous person in this position?
• What organizational issues should I be aware of?

“I’m flexible.”

Whether it’s about possible job duties, a potential start date or simply timing for the second interview, stressing your flexibility makes you easy to get along with.

Hiring managers don’t like complications, and having to coordinate complicated schedules or haggle over a job description eventually just makes you look difficult. While you certainly don’t want to be a pushover -- and “flexible” shouldn’t define your salary negotiation -- show your potential employer that you’re interested in results that work for everyone.

The Company’s Own Words

Before your interview, become familiar with the company’s website and literature. Pay attention to the words used -- what’s important to the organization?

“In your interview, hit key words that appeared on the company website or brochure,” says Olivia Ford ofAdeptio. “These key words might include team, leadership, simplistic, culture or growth.”

Mixing these keywords into your answers can provide a subtle hint that you are plugged in to what the organization is looking for.

“That’s a Good Question.”

Use this phrase instead of blurting out “I don’t know” if the interviewer stumps you with a surprise question. It can give you a few moments to come up with an answer and, in the meantime, strokes the interviewer's ego a little bit too.

Avoid the “I don’t know” answer when possible, but of course don’t lie about your experience or training.

Reasons You Want the Job.

Knowing a job prospect’s motivations is important for managers who are hiring.

During your interview, talk about how this position fits into your future plans and the ideas you have about your career, how it fits with your values, and what you would like to learn from it. Talk about how you see yourself in relation to the company and what you believe you can bring to the position.

These kinds of thoughts show who you are as a person, and go a long way toward giving the hiring manager an idea about how you might fit in the company’s culture and values.

Asking Questions During an Interview

"Wait... I have to ask THEM questions when they are interviewing ME?!"

Yes.  An interview should be a two-way conversation.  You shouldn't monopolize the conversation, but you shouldn't sit there seemingly disinterested either.

Imagine for a moment that you are introduced to someone new at a party.  You spend a while asking them questions about who they are, what interests them, what experiences they have had, and where they see themselves in the future.  You ask them, “Do you want to know anything about me?”  They reply, “Nope.”  What would you take from that meeting?  You would probably assume that they were not interested in you.

If an interviewer asks, "Do you have any questions for us?" and you reply, "No... I can't think of any."  They will get the impression that you are not serious about your application to their company.

Today we will discuss some of the questions you *might* ask during an interview -- obviously you won't ask ALL of them and you won't ask questions that aren't applicable.  We will also explain what benefits you get from asking these questions.

I am including the PowerPoint here: PowerPoint Presentation: Asking Questions During an Interview

10 Interview Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

I found another article (this one from MSN Money) discussing potential interview mistakes: (LINK)

Knowing what to do in an interview -- and what not to do -- can make or break your job hunt. Apart from the more obvious interview mistakes, such as a poor appearance, limp handshake or lack of eye content, some mistakes might not immediately come to mind. Kevin Robson, a London-based recruitment consultant with Capable Consultants Limited, said, "Candidate mistakes can reflect a lack of respect, a lack of desire or both."

Respect during an interview is paramount. "One of my personal favorites was when a candidate came into the office with 'Eye of the Tiger' playing on their smartphone," said Val Matta, vice president of business development at CareerShift. "I understand the intention -- to show excitement about the job ... however, it doesn't really say anything about what kind of employee the young man was going to be."

Here are 10 more interview mistakes you'll want to avoid at all costs.

Mistake No. 1: Arriving Late or Not at All

If you're running late, call and inform the company. If you will be more than 10 minutes late, call and ask if the interviewers would rather reschedule. Kevin Crane, a retired U.S. Special Agent and author of "Access Granted," told GOBankingRates, "The candidate should have called and explained that they were running late and ascertain if it was still OK to come in for the interview. There may have been other candidates lined up for timely interviews already."

According to Crane, never miss an interview and then attempt to call days later to reschedule. "The candidate should have canceled as soon as possible and then rescheduled at that time."

Mistake No. 2: Inadequate Research and Preparation

Adequate research should provide ideas for insightful questions. Common interview mistakes include uninspired questions or no questions at all, which can reflect a lack of interest or initiative.

According to Barry Maher, motivational speaker and author, "One applicant I know went far beyond checking out the company's website and online articles about the company and actually called a number of employees who held the type of position she was applying for as well as several of their managers."

Maher explains that in responding to the interviewer questions, "the candidate was able to show her understanding of the specific issues these employees faced and the ways the company wanted to deal with those issues." Now, that's going above and beyond and will surely help your chances when trying to secure a position.

Mistake No. 3: Criticizing a Former Employer

Negativity of any form in an interview can be construed as bitterness, particularly when it is aimed at a former employer. If you must describe a negative experience such as a lay-off or a conflict, do so by stressing the positive.

Tim Toterhi is an executive coach and author of "The Introvert's Guide to Job Hunting." According to Toterhi, "Instead of venting, take the time to briefly note what you learned, what you accomplished and how this opportunity is the logical progression of your career. If pressed for why similar growth is not available in your current company, stay positive and offer a logical reason such as company size, newness of next level management or your desire to broaden your experience by switching industries."

Mistake No. 4: Stumbling Over Predictable Questions

Some questions are practically guaranteed to come up in an interview and not having a well-rehearsed, well thought-out answer will be disappointing to any interviewer. You need an answer that will either resonate with them or make them remember you.

For example, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" is not inviting the response, "To be married and living in a big house." When asked about your weaknesses, recount a previous experience and explain what you learned. For example, "It taught me that my reaction to a problem is more important than the problem itself."

According to Toterhi, "Sometimes you simply don't have the required experience or a specific skill spelled out in the job description or sought by the interviewer. Instead, demonstrate your integrity by acknowledging the gap ... then note a relevant trait you have that has yet to be explored. For example, maybe your volunteer experience can make up for a shortfall in formal education ... In the end, you both want the role to work."

Mistake No. 5: Using "I" Rather Than "We"

When describing your achievements, it's natural to use the first person "I." However, using "we" or referring to "the team" can show an interviewer that you encourage growth from other employees and appreciate the contributions of others.

"In a world of self-promoters, it's refreshing to find a candidate who acknowledges the efforts of others," said Toterhi. "That said, it's important not to inadvertently dilute your contributions. Be specific about your role in the accomplishment and detail exactly how you achieved it by noting the situation you faced, the action you took and the results you achieved."

Robson suggests including words such as "colleagues," "support" and "advice" in your responses as well. These keywords can help relay that you're a real team player and respect the support and hard work of those around you.

Mistake No. 6: Failing to Interview the Interviewers

An employer wants to feel certain that you will stay in the job for the long haul. One way to assure the employer that you are the right person is to collect as much information from the interviewers as they do from you so that you can make an informed decision if you receive an offer.

According to Monique Honaman, CEO of ISHR Group, "Candidates make a big mistake when they spend the entire interview selling themselves and no time interviewing the prospective employer. This should be a two-way discussion. We have coached many clients who jumped at a new role only to realize that they did not do their due diligence on the company and found out they didn't 'fit' with the culture."

So, always ask questions and interview your interviewer. This can also extend your interview, which can be helpful for you. Robson suggests that the length of your interview is a good indicator of your success.

"If you're in for a minimum of 45 minutes, you're 75 percent of the way there," he said. "Every additional minute implies another 1 percent certainty of good performance, so 46 minutes equals 76 percent and 47 minutes equals 77 percent. The way to extend the interview is to ask questions and build on interview minutes."

Mistake No. 7: Asking About Vacation or Daily Hours

Inquiring about a typical day is acceptable interview etiquette, but asking about typical hours is not. Although a practical question, it can show more of a concern for what the company can do for you rather than what you can offer the company.

"I was involved in an interview recently where the first three questions from the applicant were, in order, 'How much vacation time do I get?', 'How long do I have to be here before I'm eligible for a vacation?' and 'How long before I start to accrue additional weeks of vacation?'" said Maher. "What had looked like a great applicant, now looked like someone who couldn't wait to get out of work."

Maher continued, "The best questions show not just an interest in the job, but an interest in helping the company accomplish its goals. 'What would the perfect employee for this job look like for you?', 'In the best of all possible worlds, what would you like me to accomplish for you in three months? In a year? In five years?" Keep these positive questions in mind for your next interview, and skip asking about hours and vacation time.

Mistake No. 8: Disclosing Your Current Salary

Mark Grimm, a speaker and communications coach, said, "Telling the prospective employer what you make is a mistake for so many reasons. It gives them leverage when you get to salary. It may lead to them thinking less about your skills in circumstances where you were underpaid. It can create an artificial starting point that otherwise would have been higher. Just say, 'That's proprietary information,' if asked."

Some employers insist that you provide a ballpark figure for your desired salary. This gives you the opportunity to avoid a disappointing offer that you would be inclined to refuse by never disclosing your current salary. Give them the salary range you're expecting, not the salary you're making at your current job.

Mistake No. 9: Making Assumptions on Gender

Don't assume an interviewer's gender based on their name. Elle Kaplan is the CEO of LexION Capital Management, one of the only women-owned and run wealth management firms in the nation.

Kaplan said, "I see many make the mistake of assuming I'm a man during phone interviews. Nothing can ruin an interview quicker than hearing someone request 'Mr. Kaplan' or being asked to be transferred to the CEO. Not only does this show a lack of research, but also makes a rude assumption about gender in the industry."

Remember: Do your research, and know your interviewer. "I'd highly recommend all potential employees do their due diligence and avoid assuming anything before stepping into an interview or picking up the phone," is Kaplan's sage advice.

Mistake No. 10: Giving Up

John Hersin is a former Google executive and CEO of the technology recruiting software company Connectifier. He sees candidates who try to redirect questions and seem to give up too easily.

Hersin's advice is: "Don't ever give up. It's becoming more common for candidates to face questions about hypothetical situations or questions that require some analysis to come to an answer. Many people are so fearful of struggling with such questions that they try to redirect the conversation, or they just give up in hopes of moving on to something they are better about."

"If the interviewer asks you something, they often care as much about how you approach the question and that you keep pushing yourself in the face of a challenge," Hersin said. "No employer wants you to give up when things get hard on the job, so don't do that in an interview either."

25 Most Common Interview Questions

A job interview involves a lot of questions because the interviewer is trying to find out as much information [about the interviewee] as they possibly can in a limited amount of time.  While you may get asked some very specific questions (i.e. "Have you ever worked a cash register before?"), it is likely that you will also be asked a lot of standard interview questions (i.e. "Tell me about yourself.").  Today we will be discussing the 25 most common interview questions (according to the Human Resources departments of several corporations).  I am including the PowerPoint slide show titled, "25 Most Common Interview Questions" here if you would like to review this in the future.

25 Most Common Interview Mistakes

Today we will be working on the 25 Most Common Interview Mistakes.  I will be going over a PowerPoint presentation (view it here) and you will be typing them in Microsoft Word as a bulleted (or numbered) list for inclusion in your portfolio.  At the end of class, please print and turn in your copy.  After I grade these, you will get them back to put in the "Interview Prep" section of your portfolio.

To see an example of an interview mistake...

Homework: Making a Difference in Your Community

HOMEWORK [70 points]

Decide the location of your community -- Jellico, LaFollette, Elk Valley, Rocky Top, Clairfield, Stinking Creek, Caryville, White Oak, etc.  If your local community doesn't fit with this project, use Jellico since it's where you spend your days, do your shopping, go to restaurants, etc.

• List 10 specific things that are positive about your community.  What are some things that you would tell someone about if you wanted them to visit?  If some jerk that you couldn't stand came here saying your community was horrible, what sorts of things would you counter with?  List WHY your community is good.  (At least 10 *real* things)
• List 10 specific things about your community that one person could do to make a difference.
  These could be simple things like picking up trash in the park, clearing weeds along ABC Road, painting over graffiti behind the gas station, etc.  (At least 10 *real*, specific things)
• List 10 specific things that a small group of people could do to make a difference.
  Things like cleaning up the abandoned cemetery on XYZ Street, planting a community garden in the abandoned lot on the corner of Main Street and 1st Avenue, cleaning out destroyed/abandoned buildings or lots along the railroad tracks, etc.    (At least 10 *real*, specific things)
• List 10 specific things about Jellico High School that are positive. 
  How are we better than other schools in the country or in the world?  What are some good things that we have at our school that you wish more people knew about?
• List 10 things that you [or a group of students, parents and teachers] could start doing to make JHS a better place to go to school.  Be honest but respectful.  Try to think of things that could help the school in a variety of ways -- academic, aesthetics, attitude, etc.
• List 10 specific things that students can do to become better students.  This one is a bit different than "making a difference in your community" because it focuses on making yourselves better, but what could you [and others] do to be better students, people, friends, etc.

Now that you have your lists:

1. Look at your lists of projects and put a star next to the items that could be done without money.
2. What are some local resources that might be used to get some of the projects on your lists done?  (i.e. Boy Scouts, church groups, philanthropists, etc.)
3. In what ways could getting some of these changes made help your community [and school] now and in the future?
4. What is one easy task that you would be willing to take on to make a difference?  What if everybody worked on one simple thing?  
5. There's a rule in hiking, hunting, camping, etc. that recommends leaving your site better than you found it.  What would happen if we did that everywhere?
6. How does examining your community (where you live and go to school) help students understand history, geography, and economics?
7. Interview an adult in your community and ask them about the positive things and the things they would like to see changed.  (4 pts.)

Resources:

• Tennessee Property Map: http://tnmap.tn.gov
• Yelp! Reviews: http://www.yelp.com
• Google Images (Jellico): https://www.google.com/
• 
  

Jellico City Council
Meets the 3rd Thursday each month at City Hall

(423) 784-6351