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Interview Tips
Submitted by staff at the Niagara Employment Help Centre
So you finally got the call you were waiting for, the date and time has been set for you to attend an interview…now what? Here are a few tips and suggestions you should know which will help prepare you for the interview.
Researching a Company before an Interview
- What is the company’s name, do their initials stand for anything?
- Who is interviewing you? Get the right pronunciation and spelling.
- What does the company do, what products do they make, and what services do they provide?
- What is this company known for? Do they have an interesting history or anything special about them?
- Be sure to get proper directions to the place of the interview if you are unsure of the correct address and location.
- Drive to the location a day or two ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going the day of the interview and how long it will take you to get there.
The Day of the Interview
Preparing:
- Have an outfit chosen, make sure it is clean and ironed (if necessary)
- Take time to “groom” yourself (shower, style hair, brush teeth, make up, shave, etc)
- Leave with enough time to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the interview
- R-E-L-A-X!!
- Do not smoke before the interview
- Remember that your first impression will last.
Arriving:
- Introduce yourself and state your business
- R-E-L-A-X!!!
- Shake hands with your interviewer, smile, state your name and that you are glad to meet them.
- Follow the interviewer to the room and wait to be seated
- Sit with a straight, “open” posture.
- Do not chew gum, eat or drink or have candies in your mouth.
What will happen?
- Be prepared for questions about your skills, experience, education and characteristics.
- Listen carefully and answer accordingly
- Make eye contact, following gestures, allow time to think about your answer (up to 20 seconds if a difficult question)
- Expect questions that sound like questions they have already asked
- Be honest ALWAYS
- Leave grievances with past employers behind
- Do not be “too personal” with your interviewer, this is a business meeting
Common Interview Questions & Sample Answers that may be used
Tell me about yourself: (Focus on your academics and experience) I completed high school in 1992 and since then have been employed as a cashier, which has enabled me to communicate and deal with the public on a daily basis. This has provided me with the ability to be a confident, conscientious and productive member of a team of 15 employees.
Why do you want to work here? I want this job (indicate what the position is) because I feel I would do very well at it. I'm good at speaking to people and handling cash. I would like a job with regular hours and I'm always on time.
What do you know about our company? I know that your company has been in business for 10 years and that it is family owned. You have won 2 readers choice awards for exceptional customer service.
What do you consider your greatest strengths? I feel that my greatest strength is my customer service skills and the ability to work with a wide variety of people
What are your weaknesses? You could say, ‘I’m not the most organized of individuals, so I always prepare my work area and get situated right away. I’m aware of the problem and I have strategies to deal with it.”
Why should we hire you? I am a reliable and dependable employee; I have a great deal of experience in customer service and work effectively dealing with the public
Why did you leave your last position or why are you seeking other employment?
- I found myself looking for more challenges with my work. I am an excellent employee and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer.
- This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience and I am not able to fully utilize them in my present job.
What are you career goals? Or where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself as a top performing employee in a well-established organization, like this one. I plan on enhancing my skills and continuing my involvement in the customer service industry
Do you have any questions? Refer to the list below for some sample questions that you may consider asking the interviewer. If there is something that was not discussed and you wanted information on, feel free to ask the question at this point in the interview
Questions you could ask the Interviewer
- How long has the position been open for?
- Does the company have an orientation program for new employees?
- What are the duties and responsibilities for this position?
- When will you be making a decision regarding the successful candidate?
Types of Interviews
- Screening Interview ~ The screener does not have the power to hire you, but does have the power to reject you
- Unstructured Interview ~ Allows the interviewer to take control
- Semi-Structured Interview ~ Specific questions are asked of each applicant
- Panel Interview ~ Generally there are 3 or more interviewers in the room, if you are uneasy, the best way to handle it is to pretend you are talking to only one person; the person who is questioning you