Maintain professional speech whenever you are talking about anything personal. Don’t go into too much detail if talking about yourself, spending only around one minute doing so.
You could talk about how you taught yourself a language or instrument to illustrate that you can learn new skills and techniques. Discussing how you helped organize a community event can exemplify your leadership skills.
Make sure you are dressed appropriately for your interview. Ask your contact at the company what the dress code is like where you are interviewing. Men should wear a collared shirt and slacks. Women can wear a dress shirt or blouse with a skirt at least knee length. Don’t use any slang or colloquialisms. Speaking like you would with friends or family is too casual for a job interview. Avoid using any filler words like “um” or “uh”. It’s acceptable to leave pauses in your speech.
Possession of communication skills. This can be demonstrated during the course of the interview itself. Being knowledgeable about the company. Research the company and think of some talking points or questions you can bring up. Skilled and competent with technology. Don’t be afraid to discuss your abilities with standard technology skills, such as word processors or any specialized programs. Able to manage resources. Find a time in your career that will illustrate your ability to work with a budget. Adaptable to new situations. Discuss a time in your professional life when you were able to find success even during a time of change. Capable of leadership. Illustrate a time in your last position when you were a leader, focusing on what you learned from it.
Appear confident and calm. Avoid yawning or appearing distracted. Make eye contact and smile occasionally to show a positive attitude. Don’t forget to breathe. Holding your breath or breathing too much can appear as a lack of confidence.
If a negative question or detail comes up, talk about the positive aspects of it. Framing a failure as a learning experience can be a good way to stay positive. Instead of complaining about a difficult time, describe how it made you a more capable person. Even if an original goal didn’t work out, you can illustrate your adaptability and how you were able to work with change.
Avoid thinking about your response as the interviewer is speaking. Wait until they are done speaking before thinking about your reply. Listening carefully will let you hear details that may have been missed otherwise.
”Tell me about yourself. ” ”What are some of your strengths?” ”What would you say is your greatest weakness?” ”What do you like most about our company?”
It is likely that a large amount of information about your potential employer can be found on-line. Try to come up with some questions for your interviewer about the company. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You are also interviewing the company.
If you are using public transport, learn the schedules and which service will work best for your appointment. Account for traffic. Both the route and time of day can be factors in how busy traffic might be. Try practicing your route before your interview. Look for the best parking spaces to avoid searching for one right before your interview.
Try to arrive no earlier than 5 to 10 minutes. Leaving early will help you avoid being late, should you encounter any traffic issues or other problems. Arriving early can also give you a few moments to collect your thoughts and prepare for the interview.
