Job interviews 101

Why are there job interviews?

Companies need to determine who is best suited for the job opening and who is most likely to fit in with the existing team. Your attitude may matter more than your credentials at this point.

TIP: Never be rude to anyone who makes the call to invite you to an interview. Sometimes bosses will make the call themselves, and anyone who is rude or unavailable can get dropped immediately.

What you should aim for are:

• To convince the interviewer you’re the right person for the job;
• To find out what will be expected of you in the job; and
• To impress the interviewers enough to call you back for another interview or better yet, to hire you!

What to expect:

• A conversation lasting from 15-30 minutes
• A single interviewer who may review your qualifications and ask clarificatory questions; for return interviews, there may be more than one person
• Questions ranging from basic (“Tell me about yourself.”) to the analytical (“Have you failed, professionally, in the past? Explain how you failed and what you learned from it.”) to the out of the box (“If you were a color, which one would you be and why?”)
• The aim of an interview is to assess how you think and to evaluate your personality

Preparing for the interview

Don’t neglect mental preparations. Compose yourself, because you have to show your interviewers that you are the one most suited for the job. Remember, your first impression often makes or breaks you.

Focus on this: The best strategy for a winning job interview is to have a clear picture of what kind of candidate you would want to project during your interview. You want to let the interviewer know that you are the one that would best fit in their organization.

Do research on the company; know where it’s located, what its mission/vision/values are, what its main products are, and so on.

Know the salary ranges for the position you want to apply for.

You can also formulate questions for the interviewer if you have enough knowledge of their company and this can be quite impressive, showing interviewers that you are genuinely interested in working for their company.

Checklist of things to get ready the night before your interview

• A copy of your resume, in a waterproof folder
• Your interview outfit
• Answers for common questions (see the list next Sunday, October 17, 2010)
• Good questions to ask during the interview (what will your duties be, who will you be working with, and so on)

Other kinds of interviews

Panel interviews: where a group of managers/supervisors conduct the interview. Often for higher positions.

Phone interviews: where you are interviewed over the phone. Often conducted by big companies for high-demand entry level positions where there is a need to quickly sort applicants.

Videoconferencing interviews: where you “meet” your interviewer via webcam. Has the same dynamic as a regular interview.

As you arrive

Shake your interviewer’s hand, introduce yourself, and be pleasant and polite.

Don’t sit down until you are invited to do so. And don’t pick the best seat or the head of the table!

Don’t fidget, crumple paper, toy with your clothing or jewelry, or otherwise betray your nervousness or restlessness.

-Manila Bulletin