Best Job Interviewing Tips for Job-Seekers
1. Conduct Research on the Employer, Hiring Manager, Job
Opportunity. Success in a job interview starts with a solid foundation of knowledge
on the job-seeker’s part. You should understand the employer, the requirements of
the job, and the background of the person (or people) interviewing you. The more
research you conduct, the more you’ll understand the employer, and the better you’ll
be able to answer interview questions (as well as ask insightful questions — see #8).
Information sources include the organization’s Website and other published
materials, search engines, research tools, and your network of contacts.Learn more
about job-search job-interview researching here.
2. Review Common Interview Questions and Prepare Responses.
Another key to interview success is preparing responses to expected interview
questions. First, inquire as to the type of interview to expect (which you can do by
asking your contact person at the organization). Your goal is composing detailed yet
concise responses, focusing on specific examples and accomplishments. A good
tool for remembering your responses is to put them into story form that you can tell in
the interview. No need to memorize responses (in fact, it’s best not to), but at least
develop talking points. QuintCareers has a number of excellent tools to help you with
interview questions and responses. Consider using one or more of these tools:
Job Interview Questions Database
Sample Behavioral Interview Questions
Sample Traditional Interview Questions
STAR Interviewing Technique
Composing Written Responses to Interview Questions
3. Dress for Success.
Plan out a wardrobe that fits the organization and its culture, striving for the most
professional appearance you can accomplish. Remember that it’s always better to
be overdressed than under — and to wear clothing that fits and is clean and
pressed. Keep accessories and jewelry to a minimum. Try not to smoke or eat right
before the interview — and if possible, brush your teeth or use mouthwash. Find
more detailed advice — including specifics for men and women job-seekers — in our
article, When Job-Hunting, Dress for Success.
4. Arrive on Time for the Interview — and Prepared for Success.
There is no excuse for ever arriving late for an interview — other than some sort of
disaster. Strive to arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled interview to
complete additional paperwork and allow yourself time to get settled. Arriving a bit
early is also a chance to observe the dynamics of the workplace.
The day before the interview, pack up extra copies of your resume or CV and
reference list. If you have a portfolio or samples of your work, bring those along too.
Finally, remember to pack several pens and a pad of paper to jot notes. Finally, as
you get to the offices, shut off your cell phone. (And if you were chewing gum, get rid
of it.) For additional tips and advice, read our article, 24-Hour Countdown to the Job
Interview.
5. Make Good First Impressions — to Everyone You Encounter.
A cardinal rule of interviewing: Be polite and offer warm greetings to everyone you
meet — from parking attendant or receptionist to the hiring manager. Employers
often are curious how job applicants treat staff members — and your job offer could
easily be derailed if you’re rude or arrogant to any of the staff. When it’s time for the
interview, keep in mind that first impressions — the ones interviewers make in the
first few seconds of greeting you — can make or break an interview. Make a strong
first impression by dressing well (see #3), arriving early (see #4), and when greeting
your interviewer, stand, smile, make eye contact, and offer a firm (neither limp and
nor bone-crushing) handshake. Remember that having a positive attitude and
expressing enthusiasm for the job and employer are vital in the initial stages of the
interview; studies show that hiring managers make critical decisions about job
applicants in the first 20 minutes of the interview.
6. Be Authentic, Upbeat, Focused, Confident, Candid, and Concise.
Once the interview starts, the key to success is the quality and delivery of your
responses. Your goal should always be authenticity, responding truthfully to
interview questions. At the same time, your goal is to get to the next step, so you’ll
want to provide focused responses that showcase your skills, experience, and fit —
with the job and the employer. Provide solid examples of solutions and
accomplishments — but keep your responses short and to the point. By preparing
responses to common interview questions (see #2), you’ll ideally avoid long,
rambling responses that bore interviewers. Always attempt to keep your interview
responses short and to the point. Finally, no matter how much an interviewer might
bait you, never badmouth a previous employer, boss, or co-worker. The interview is
about you — and making your case that you are the ideal candidate for the job.
Read about more interview mistakes in our article, Avoid These 10 Interview
Bloopers — Critical Job-Seeker Mistakes.
7. Remember Body Language, Avoiding Bad Habits. While the content of your
interview responses is paramount, poor body language can be a distraction at best
— or a reason not to hire you at worst. Effective forms of body language: smiling,
eye contact, solid posture, active listening, nodding. Detrimental forms of body
language: slouching, looking off in the distance, playing with pen, fidgeting in chair,
brushing back hair, touching face, chewing gum, mumbling. Read more in our
article, The Unspoken Secrets of Job Interviewing: How Your Nonverbal
Presentation and Behaviors Impact the Impression You Make.
8. Ask Insightful Questions.
Studies continually show that employers make a judgment about an applicant’s
interest in the job by whether or not the interviewee asks questions. Thus, even if the
hiring manager was thorough in his or her discussions about the job opening and
what is expected, you must ask a few questions. The smart job-seeker prepares
questions to ask days before the interview, adding any additional queries that might
arise from the interview. For an idea of questions you could ask at the interview, see
our Questions You Can Ask at the Job Interview, as well as our article, Make a
Lasting Impression at Job Interviews Using Questions.
9. Sell Yourself Throughout and then Close the Deal.
An adage in interviewing says the most qualified applicant is not always the one who
is hired — which means the hired candidate is often the job-seeker who does the
best job in responding to interview questions and showcasing his or her fit with the
job, department, and organization. Some liken the job interview to a sales call. You
are the salesperson — and the product you are selling to the employer is your ability
to fill the organization’s needs, solve its problems, propel its success.
Finally, as the interview winds down, ask about the next steps in the process and the
timetable the employer expects to use to make a decision about the position. If you
are applying for a sales job — or a position requiring equivalent aggressiveness —
consider asking for the job at the end of the interview. See our article, Closing the
Sale and Overcoming Objections in Job Interview.
10. Thank Interviewer(s) in Person, by Email, and Postal Mail.
As you have already seen from previous tips, common courtesy and politeness go
far in interviewing; thus, the importance of thanking each person who interviews you
should come as no surprise. Start the process while at the interview, thanking each
person who interviewed you. Writing thank-you emails and notes shortly after the
interview will not get you the job offer, but doing so will certainly give you an edge
over any of the other finalists who did not bother to send thank-you’s. For more tips
on writing thank-you notes, read this article: 10 Tips for Writing a Job-Search
Interview Thank-You Letter. You can also check out these job interview thank-you
letter samples.
Final Thoughts on Job Interview Success
Succeeding in job interviews takes research, practice, and persistence. The more
effort you put into your interview preparation, the more success you’ll see in
obtaining job offers — especially if you remember and follow these 10 job
interviewing tips. Finally, if you are still searching for even more information,
resources, tools, and samples related to interviewing, here are a few more key
Quintessential Careers tools:
Here is one list of sample behavioral-based job interview
questions:
Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully
convince someone to see things your way.
Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your
coping skills.
Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in
solving a problem.
Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve
it.
Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence
someone’s opinion.
Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which
you did not agree.
Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.
Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to
get a job done.
Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to
prioritize your tasks.
Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even
when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
Tell me about a difficult decision you’ve made in the last year.
Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.
Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or
co-worker.
Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a
problem.
Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive
measures.
Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.
Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).
Personal Opinion Interview Questions
Do People In Your Department Function Autonomously Or Do They Require
Supervision?
How Does A Person Progress In Your Field?
How Well Do You Work With People? Do You Prefer Working Alone Or In Teams?
If I Performed Well At This Company, Where Would I Expect To Be In Five Years?
If You Could Be Anywhere Right Now, Where Would You Be?
In What Ways Is Your Occupation Changing?
Tell Me About One Thing You're Proud of.
View All Personal Opinion Interview Questions
Are You A Leader Or A Follower?
Are You Seeking Employment In A Company Of A Certain Size? Why?
Situational Interview Questions
If I Were To Ask Your Last Supervisor To Provide You Additional Training Or
Exposure, What Would She Suggest?
Are There Other Things You Are Expected To Do Outside Of Work?
What Aspects Of My Background Do You Feel Would Be The Most Helpful In Making
The Transition To Your Career Field?
What Would Be The Best Kind Of Training To Get To Make The Transition From My
Current Career To Your Career?
Common Interview Questions
Are There Aspects To Your Job That Are Repetitious?
Are There Organizations You Are Expected To Join?
Are There Any Other Written Materials (Such As Company Brochures) That You
Suggest I Read?
Are You Good At Delegating Tasks?
Are You Good At Delegating Tasks? (Management)
Are You Not Overqualified For This Position?
Are You Willing To Relocate?
Job History Interview Questions
Are You Willing To Relocate for a Job?
Are You Willing To Relocate For The Job?
Are You Willing To Travel For The Job?
Can You Estimate Future Job Openings?
Describe Some Of The Toughest Situations You've Faced In This Job
Describe The Best Job You Have Ever Had
Describe The Best Job You've Ever Had.
