
The interview is your opportunity to sell yourself. The following
guidelines should help.
Before Well in advance of the
interview, read through the job description and consider where your experience
is relevant or otherwise. If you lack some of the required skills, this is
likely to be an area of focus during the interview.
Be prepared to discuss how your other experience compensates, or to say how
you intend to overcome any deficiencies. Do remember, though, that a job
description is written before suitable candidates are found and it's often the
case that the right candidate for the job will possess some of the required
experience but not all.
Anticipate and prepare answers to some of the standard interview questions
that often get asked. You know the ones.
Prepare some questions of your own. Visit the company's website and find
out as much as you can.
Make sure that you know how to get to the place where the interview will be
held. Take a copy of the address and contact details in case of location
confusion. Leave more time for the journey than you think you will need.
Allow plenty of time for the interview itself and remember that it might run
on longer than you expect. Don't be late - but if you are delayed en
route then call ahead, explain your situation and give a realistic revised
arrival time.
Switch off your mobile phone when you arrive.
Be nice to the receptionist - you might be working there soon!
During First impressions really
do count. Make sure your appearance is appropriately professional.
Don't wear 'comedy' ties or socks.
Give a handshake that is firm without crushing. Maintain frequent
eye contact but don't stare. Smile. Be yourself. Answer the
questions that are asked, and check that you are on the right lines if you sense
that you may be going off at a tangent.
Don't smoke. Avoid telling inappropriate or unfunny jokes.
Be aware of your body language; promote positive signals and limit negative
ones.
Don't undersell yourself - talk about your positive points, without being
arrogant.
Don't criticise your current or last employer too much.
If you don't know the answer to a question, say so. In technical
interviews, say how you would go about finding out. Ask any relevant
questions that haven't been answered already.
Don't talk about salary / rate unless the interviewer raises the
subject. Be honest and realistic about your earning expectations, and make
sure that what you say is consistent with what you said when first applying for
the job.
At the end of the interview, ask what the next stage will be. Ask the
interviewer if he / she thinks that you are the sort of person they are looking
to employ.
After Call us after the interview
with your feedback. We will then talk to the client to get their
impressions and contact you back to discuss the next step.
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