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Interview Survival Kit

Ultimate Interview Survival Kit

Surviving the interview process involves three steps.
  • Preparation; knowing yourself and the employer: the Do's and the Don'ts
  • Delivery - the actual interviewing process itself
  • Follow - up: what you do AFTER the interview

Preparation

Knowing yourself involves a slight refinement of the assessment process by preparing yourself to answer questions which are commonly asked during an interview. Being able to answer these questions honestly (and with a straight face) will go a long way in the interview process, and increase your chances of being successful in getting the position.

Tell me about yourself

Touch briefly on your experiences related to the job, and personal attributes, which are job-related. i.e.: being punctual, dedicated, ability to get along with others, etc.

Tell me about your experience with this type of work

If you have done this type of work before or have done related work, give examples of your experiences and transferable skills. If you haven't done it before, relate your interest in the type of work and your willingness to learn "on-the-job".

Why do you want to work here?

If possible, compliment them on something they do very well. Let them know how you would fit into their team based on your transferable skills.



What do you know about our company?

Mention your efforts in researching their company, and describe briefly what you know about them.

What are your strengths?

Mention that besides your skills, training and experience, you have personal qualities, which will be beneficial to the company, ie: efficiency, dependability, flexibility, etc.

What are your weaknesses?

The best way to handle this is to start with a positive, describe the weakness, and how you compensate for it. For Example: "I feel it is important to meet customer's deadlines, and I get frustrated when things don't fall within a prescribed timeline, so to compensate I tend to work at home after hours to make up for these deadlines. My spouse has called me a workaholic, especially when I don't put in for the overtime, but I like things to be on time and under budget."

What are your long-range goals

Keep your answer work related. Only mention this company, your commitment to the long-term growth of the company and your personal skills in this field of work.

Can you work under pressure or tight deadlines?

Give job related examples of completing projects on time (and under budget if possible). If you are new to the work force, relate a time in school where you had a tight deadline on an essay or other project, and how you were able to handle it.

What would you do in "this" situation?

Remember, most companies have written policies and procedures to handle most situations. You won't go too far wrong by mentioning that you would follow "company policy". Also, you will probably be working as a part of a team with a supervisor. Consultation with co-workers and supervisors is expected. Other than that, use common sense to answer the question. If you have been in the situation before, relate how it was successfully handled.



Other than preparing for the questions:

DO
  • Be well groomed: hair, nails, and clothes must be clean.
  • Dress conservatively for the job
  • Be on time or better yet, 10 minutes early
  • Always take an extra copy of your resume with you.
  • Take at least two copies of your references with you
  • Remember who you are supposed to meet with
  • Take a pen and something to write on (pad, book, etc.)
DON'T
  • Wear brightly coloured clothing
  • Wear too much make up
  • Wear too much perfume or after shave
  • Be late
  • SMOKE at least 1 hour prior to the interview
  • Chew gum in the interview
  • Bring your children, spouse, or parent / s
Interview Presentation

Once you have prepared yourself as above, the interview itself should be a lot easier. Take a deep breath, head held high, and go for it!

You'll find that facing a panel of interviewers is easier than a one-on-one type of interview. Typically, larger organizations such as investment banks will have a panelling process with as few as three and as many as seven people interviewing for the position. In a panel, you'll have to convince 50% + 1 of the panellists that you are the best person for the job. With a one-on-one interview, you'll have to convince 100% your audience. If he or she doesn't like you for personal reasons, really you don't stand a chance. Knowing this in advance may make it easier for you to survive the interview process.

Follow - up

Note that the employer normally does following up.

If they want you to come back for a second interview or want to hire you, you should get a call from them within a week. They will tell you when they want to see you next. If not, there is nothing wrong with calling them to find out when they will be making their decision on the position.