Following a few simple rules once you get to your interview will help considerably in convincing the interviewer that you are what they are looking for.

The first part of the interview can set the mood for the meeting on a positive or a negative. Follow the conversational tone of the interviewer and show enthusiasm about your background throughout. Be aware of your body language - smiling and making eye contact reassures the interviewer that you are interested. Ask well-informed questions based on research when given the opportunity to do so.

Types of face-to-face interviews

An understanding of the varying types of interview will help you to adapt successfully to each situation.

The screening interview ensures that candidates meet minimum qualification requirements, homing in on gaps in employment history or other inconsistencies. Highlight your accomplishments and qualifications, speaking directly and succinctly and give a range if asked for your salary requirements.

The directive interview is a rigid format used to ensure consistency between interviews. Directive interviewers use their questions to coax from you what they wish to know. Take your lead from their conversational tone.

A meandering interview style relies on you guiding the discussion and might begin with a statement like, “Tell me about yourself.” This allows you to tactfully answer questions in a way that can best serve you.

The behavioural interview uses previous behaviour to indicate future performance. You might be asked to describe a time when you used problem-solving skills, adaptability, leadership, conflict resolution, multi-tasking, initiative or stress management.

Group interviews provide a sense of your leadership potential, style and peer interaction. Try to understand the reasons for a specific task being set and anticipate outcomes. Avoid power conflicts with other candidates!

At a dinner interview, take cues from your interviewer – do not sit down until your host does, don’t order anything expensive and don’t drink if your interviewer is not. Only talk business when they do.

Follow-up interviews usually take place to confirm the decisions of the interviewer. They may be having difficulty deciding between a short-list of candidates or require the second opinion of a colleague before a hiring decision is made. Be confident throughout and have a prepared plan for negotiating your salary.

One major advantage of undertaking a phone interview is that you cannot be seen – exploit this benefit. Have all your materials organised in front of you and take the call in a comfortable room away from potential distractions.

What NOT to do in an interview

· Arrive late

· Mumble or talk too much

· Hide any aspect of your previous record or overstate qualifications

· Refer negatively to your current employer

· Show ignorance about the company

· Initiate salary discussions

To close

Shake hands with the interviewer, thank them for their time and follow up with a thank you note. Your recruitment consultant can then act as a mediator between you and the company, negotiating the best package should you be offered the post and gaining constructive feedback if you are unsuccessful. If you are turned down, don’t take it to heart. Look forward to the next opportunity and concentrate on improving each time.

www.nes.co.uk



By: NES Group

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Are you in search of a job? If you are, there is a good chance that you will enter a number of local establishments, retail or not, to submit a job application or your resume. Many professionals recommend submitting job applications and resumes in person whenever possible. In most instances, you will have your resume accepted and you will be told that you will be contacted for a job interview in the future. However, you may receive a spontaneous job interview in some instances. If and when that time comes, do you know what you should do?

Before focusing on what you should do or how you should handle spontaneous job interviews, it is first important that you familiarize yourself with them. Spontaneous job interviews come in a number of different formats. For instance, a manager may ask you to come in for a job interview that that day or the following day. Although you are given some notice, many are unable to prepare as much as they would have liked to for an interview that is scheduled right away. Speaking of right away, you may also find yourself having a job interview right on the spot. This is not uncommon, especially in retail. Essentially, a spontaneous job interview is one that is schedule at the last minute or without a large notice.

As nice as last minute or spontaneous job interviews are, they can be scary and overwhelming for many. With that mind, you should know that there are both a number of advantages and disadvantages to spontaneous or last minute job interviews. One of those benefits is the need. If an employer is looking to interview you right on the spot or if they are looking to set up a job interview as soon as possible, there is a good chance that they need to hire an employee right away. This vital need can significantly increase your chances of getting a job. With that in mind, the biggest con or downside to spontaneous interviews or last minute job interviews is the lack of preparation.

Although spontaneous or last minute job interviews do make preparation difficult, there are a number of steps that you can take to prepare for them, just in case. For starters, you may want to ensure that you are properly dressed. Even if you are just submitting your job application or your resume, you will want to make sure that your appearance is professional in nature, especially if you are submitting your resume or job application in person. A manager who decided to offer you a job interview right away should expect you to be a little bit unprepared, but why not take a few extra steps, like putting on a nice outfit, to show them that you can be prepared for just about anything.

As previously stated, many job seekers prefer spontaneous or last minute job interviews, while others tend to fear them. To prepare for the possibility of a spontaneous or a last minute job interview, you will want to take the time to do a little bit of preparation. This preparation may involve having a mock interview with your friends or family members, using the internet to research common job interview questions and so forth. Taking a few minutes or a few hours, at the most, to prepare for a job interview, even if one has yet to be scheduled, will do no harm. In fact, it is likely that you would take these approaches later on, so why not get a little bit of a head start with doing so?

The above mentioned points are all points that you will want to take into consideration, when you decide to submit your resume or your job application in person. As nerve-wracking as last minute or spontaneous job interviews can be, you will want to refrain from turning any down, as they can, literally, be the opportunity of a lifetime.



By: Li Ming Wong

About the Author:

Telephone interview tips can help you land your dream job. How? The amount of telephone job interviews conducted by employers has dramatically risen over the past five years and the trend shows no signs of slowing. This is mainly due to the fact that employers are searching for ideal candidates who live out of town, not just those who live locally. Chances are that you may have to “attend” a telephone interview. When you do, these tips will help you out.

Keep in mind that an interview conducted over the phone is just as important as one conducted in an office. You need to prepare for your interview just as you would any other interview. Review questions and practice your answers in front of a mirror or with a friend. Make a list of questions you want to ask. You might also want to study up on the employer you are interviewing with.

Always keep your resume and the classified job ad in front of you during the interview. This will keep vital information within reach. Avoid preparing a pile of documents. If you have a stack of papers in front of you, you will be tempted to browse through papers which will create a noisy distraction during your interview. It will be very difficult extracting information from a huge pile anyway. The key is to keep it simple.

If at all possible, use a home phone line for the interview. Cell phones can be unreliable. A home phone is both more reliable and free of static. Set aside time for the interview. Make sure you are in a quiet place and that will allow you plenty of time to talk. Your interviewer may request to conduct the interview through a video conferencing system on the computer. This is fine, but there could be technical difficulties if you don’t make sure you are up and running ahead of time.

Make sure you set aside plenty of time for your interview. You never want to abruptly halt an interview or disrupt it in any way. One of the best telephone interview tips that you can follow involves getting into an ideal frame of mind before the interview. Schedule time before the interview to relax. Take steps to limit disruptions. Take the call in a private room located away from kids, animals and other potential distractions.

Try to speak up and pronounce your words clearly. Remember; the quality of your voice is your first and only impression. Speak passionately, but avoid becoming too animated or excited. This could make it difficult for the interviewer to understand you.

Another great tip is to dress for a telephone interview just as you would in an in-office interview. While no one will actually see you, you will feel more professional and your voice will convey this.

Telephone interview tips will only help you if you have time to prepare beforehand. If an employer cold calls you and asks to do an interview on the spot, politely ask if you can call back at a better time. Always give a time when you will call back.



By: CK Tan

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Whether you like it or not, you have to be careful of how you project yourself during those crucial job interviews. Irritating habits like twirling your mustache when you’re talking to friends should be dumped fast. Annoying habits distract tired interviewers and will cost job applicants their chances of being hired.

The Job Interview Booboos

During job interviews, job applicants commit deadly slip-ups. Some go to the job interview inappropriately garbed, chew gum to calm their nerves, and sometimes project that self-assurance verging on the brazen. Others are so petrified that they barely squeak out their replies and cannot make eye-contact.

Some interview snafus to avoid are not knowing the interviewer’s name, not knowing anything about the company, smoking, arriving late for the interview, answering the question before it is completed, sitting down before you are offered to take a seat, using too much hand gestures, bad mouthing previous employers - the list goes on and on.

The Job Interview

The interview is handled by the company’s Human Resource division. In small or medium-sized businesses, the business owner usually tackles the job. Whether you are applying for a job at McDonalds’ or at the neighborhood’s Mom ‘n Pop grocery, be prepared.

The job interview determines the applicant’s potential and ability to work well with a team, to cope under stress, and to understand written and oral instructions.

The interviewer has a set of questions, which are followed up with inquiries adapted to each interviewee’s unique circumstance. These may be innocuous, but these are actually probing queries designed to check out the applicants’ capabilities for the vacant slot in the company or establishment. Hence, you have to be ready for these questions, so do your homework before the big day.

Before the Interview

The first thing in your “to-do” list should be a review of your application letter and resume. For those in-between jobs and have worked for several companies, expect that the interviewer will ask why they have resigned from the other companies. New job entrants like you will be quizzed on their academic records and previous training for the post.

Whatever the questions, give honest answers. For each lie you give, you’ll be hard-put trying to remember the answers you gave and you’ll get caught in the web of your deceit. Job interviewers are masters at the game and know how to read your body language, so beware.

These are a few examples of questions that maybe asked from those in-between jobs:

* Why can’t you stay in a job for longer than two or three years?

* What makes you think the job is for you?

* What can you contribute if you are hired?

* How did you get along with your previous employers and co-workers?

For fresh college graduates or first time job seekers, these questions are likely to crop up:

* Why should we hire you?

* Why have you selected this company?

Another thing you should include in your to-do list is to know important facts about the company. Knowing some company processes and services, and even the name of the company’s proprietor, can give you a boost. Should the interviewer ask what you know about the company, you’re ready.

Choose a comfortable outfit and shoes. Don’t wear all your jewelry. Take a look at yourself in the mirror in your “professional outfit” and observe how you project yourself while walking, sitting down, and using your hand gestures. You can take along one of your leather business card cases in case the interviewer asks for your calling card. The best advice? Always build up your resume and match your answers with what you’ve stated on paper.



By: Bradlley Mckoy

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The entertainment interview may be done in many ways, but the most common is an interview over a meal (generally lunch or breakfast, but sometimes a dinner) and it can include a one-on-one, but more often than not includes several interviewers who have a stake in your hiring. Why would they want to interview over a meal? There is any number of reasons; but always chief among them is the opportunity to observe and seriously scrutinize you.

#1 Be fully prepared.

Do not mistake this sort of interview for a chance to get a free lunch or it is for your enjoyment and pleasure. It is not. In fact, you must look at every type of interview, no matter how casual or informal it may seem, as the most important one of your career and there is no room for error. Treat each and every one with the seriousness of any other one you have ever had.

#2 Be on your best behavior.

If the position you are applying for is a high profile one and requires entertaining clients regularly, then this is a perfect opportunity for the interview team to see how you behave. What sort of table manners do you have? Do you know your table etiquette? Do you possess social etiquette and manners? Do you drink too much? Are you a sloppy eater? Do you have the good sense to know how to act in such a situation? Do you know how to put others at ease? Can you carry a conversation? Are you interesting? Can you sell? At every step of the way do not hesitate to think for a moment that you are not being observed and judged on every word you utter and every move you make. Your behavior is under the spotlight and you had better know how to behave to the highest social and professional standards. That said, you also need to relax and help contribute to a comfortable engagement so the interview will go smoothly and work to your advantage.

#3 Mind your manners.

Remember to be polite; say please and thank you to your fellow diners and serving staff. Do you know what to do when first taking your seat? Immediately place your napkin on your lap when everyone is seated. Sit up straight, keep elbows off the table and avoid resting your arms on the table. Your salad fork is on the far left; your entrée fork will be next to it between the salad fork and your plate while your dessert spoon and fork will be placed on top, above your plate. Liquids are on the right; solids on the left. Thus, your water glass will be on the right and your bread plate will be to the left.

#4 Sharpen your social skills and etiquette.

If you are unsure of your knowledge and practice of social and professional etiquette and manners then ask a close friend, colleague or family member to give you their assessment of you in this regard. Check out a book on the subject as there are many excellent ones out there. Practice your social skills and make sure the right ones become a part of your everyday life. Many firms will remove you from further consideration because you do not have mastery of these skills in your life and these are considered fundamental, essential and critically important to firms that use entertaining as a crucial component to the success of their business.

In fact, the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys organization takes their top cheerleader prospects out to a high end restaurant and orders an array of dishes simply to see how the women behave and eat. How do you eat king crab legs or lobster? What about BBQ ribs and corn on the cob? Can you eat spaghetti without slurping and making a mess? Do you use a spoon, fork, knife or combination thereof to eat your peas? Which is correct? Those who do not know what fork to use for which dish, or do not know when to use their hands rather than choosing a fork or knife, and vice versa, are simply eliminated. Part of organization’s try-out process includes the expectation that every candidate ought to know these fundamental social skills before trying out. After all, management reasons, they are the team’s ambassadors and all of the world’s eyes are watching their every move and listening to every word. It is not their role to teach their employees this proper behavior. You better know it and live it well. Consider your meal interview in the same way. Make sure you know what to do in every situation.

#5 Have a clue; follow the lead of your host.

As a general rule, follow the lead of the interviewer who is your host. Ask what they might recommend to eat. That will give you a clue as to what might be the most appropriate items to order, what they enjoy and can provide the opportunity to discuss a favorite dish to keep the conversation light. Most likely your host will defer to you to place the first order with your waiter. In any case, avoid ordering alcohol, even if your host insists because you want to remain as clear headed as possible throughout the interview process. Instead, order a soft drink or other non-alcoholic beverage as long as it is not a virgin-type non-alcoholic drink (i.e., virgin margarita, virgin bloody mary, etc.).

As for food, stay with simple foods that you know how to eat properly, are not messy and will not get your hands and face messy. Thus, avoid most foods you generally eat with your hands unless it is a very simple sandwich or hamburger. Best, order something simple you can eat with a knife and fork, and will not be messy or require you to eat it awkwardly. Soups are good choices (do not slurp). Eat your soup pushing the spoon away from you as this will lessen any chance of spilling it in your lap.

#6 Watch what you eat.

Opt for the lower to mid-level priced entrees. Be careful about ordering the special recommended by the server because more often than not, that is among the highest priced items on the menu. Keep in mind you are going to be talking throughout and will likely be talking considerably more than the others so you want to have a meal that is easy to cut into small bite size pieces you can easily and quickly chew and swallow before resuming your conversation. Break your dinner roll into small bite-size pieces.

#7 Mind your P’s and Q’s.

Do not talk with food in your mouth and use your napkin frequently to ensure your face remains clean. Your interviewers are watching you and you do not want sauce dripping down your chin unknowingly. If you leave the table, put your napkin on your chair, not on the table, and promptly place it back on your lap when you return. And when you are done, place your utensils at the three o’clock position on your plate so the server knows you are through. The person who invited you is your host for the meal and is expected to pay for it, so allow that person to pick up the tab. But most importantly, graciously say thank you and express how much you enjoyed your meal together.

#8 Remember this is an interview, not a free lunch.

Accept the notion you may not really eat at all, but instead be busy answering questions. Thus, it does not really matter if you eat, but you know how to eat properly. Save your appetite for an after interview meal if you need to. Keep in mind that the meal interview is designed to ascertain your habits, manners, conduct, protocol, proper social behavior and ability, and your customs.

#9 Be careful what you drink.

Included in the entertainment interview type is the cocktail interview, though this is seldom used and is highly unusual. However, if you are asked to meet for drinks, do not take this invitation lightly because you will be under the spotlight even if you think it is to just have a beer with the guys.

It makes good sense to try and avoid this by politely suggesting a meeting later over coffee or at the office. But, if you must accept such an invitation, follow the advice previously given and consider yourself to be the focus of attention. Again, avoid the alcohol and order a soft drink instead.

If your interview insists that you have a drink, and assuming you are not a teetotaler, it may be wiser to say yes as a diplomatic means of moving the interview forward on the proper note. This is a judgment call you can only make in the light of the moment. If you do have a drink, have no more than one. You must remain clearheaded at all times. Remember, this is really not the time to be socializing with the team because you are being interviewed for a job that affects your future, your life and your career. Save the social hour with the team after you have the job.

#10 Be sociable.

Keep in mind that no matter what sort of entertainment venue is chosen for your interview, it is a formal interview and you must be at the top of your game. You are being evaluated at every turn and you must be sure that you are not giving your interviewer any reason to drop you from further consideration. You are competing for a job you highly covet. Be serious and go after it with all of your highly learned skills and tact. That said, you must also have a relaxing social side to you and therefore, you want to be just as at ease as if you were sitting in the interviewer’s office.



By: Craig Travis

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