How to Prepare for an Interview

The current job market is a difficult one with more job applicants than positions available. In times such as these is does take more interviews to get an offer than in times of full employment. But if you have been on a number of interviews and haven’t received a job offer, you must evaluate why this is so. Don’t take the easy way out and blame your lack of success on the economy or other factors. Somebody else received an offer, so why not you? You must evaluate your interview performance objectively in order to make improvements to insure future success. Poor performance in the following four areas are reasons that many candidates don’t measure up against the competition. A tip for job interview success is to improve in these areas and greatly enhance you job offer conversion ratio.

1. You are not relating your accomplishments to the company’s needs. This is critical, the hiring company wants to know how you will be able to contribute to their bottom line. The best way to demonstrate this is for you to relate success stories that highlight specific results that you have achieved. These success stories should have been prepared in advance and then used at the appropriate time during the interview. See How to Prepare for an Interview for more information.
2. You do not demonstrate any knowledge of the company. Many candidates do no research into the organization they are interviewing with. If you have prepared for the interview then you can ask questions that indicate your enthusiasm for the job and the company. You will leave a positive impression by doing your homework and you will stand out from the competition.




3. There is a disconnect between what you say and your resume. A red flag goes up when a candidate cannot adequately answer questions about their resume. You need to know your resume inside and out. You should have success stories planned to provide evidence to the accomplishments cited on your resume. By doing proper interview preparation you can anticipate questions and have a great response ready. Surprisingly, many candidates get tripped up by questions on their own resumes.
4. The image you convey does not match with that of the ideal candidate. Image is projected in many ways. Make sure you are projecting one that fits with the position and company you are interviewing with. You should not dress down, your attire should match that of the hiring manager at a minimum. If the position requires business casual dress but the supervisor wears a tie, then your interview attire should include a tie. Neatness matters, your shoes should be polished and your hair properly groomed. Your manners and way of speaking affect your image.

If you learn how to prepare for an interview you will excel in the above areas. Proper preparation will position you ahead of the competition and provide you with more job offers to choose from. So conduct an honest evaluation of your interview performance and make the necessary adjustments to stand out from the crowd.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Job Interview Questions to Ask, Tips for Job Interview Success

You have just completed an interview, one in which you feel you have done well in. Now is the time to take the follow up steps that will continue to set you apart from the competition. There are three action steps you need to complete after the interview. They are:

1. Send a thank you note
2. Send a follow up letter or email
3. Place a follow up phone call

A tip for job interview success is to immediately send an old fashioned thank you note. This is not an email, it is a personal hand-written note. When the hiring manager receives your note you will have accomplished a number of things:

1. You will have demonstrated that you are a gracious person, respectful of others time and attention.
2. You will now be foremost in that person’s mind. 
3. Your interest in the job will be reinforced.
4. This little kindness is so rare now, it really makes an impression. You will set yourself apart from other candidates.

I use the technique of sending thank you notes in all of my personal/business affairs. I know they work based on the positive comments I receive from those who get them. The notes open the doors when you call to schedule the next meeting.

How to write a thank you note

A thank you note should be between 3 – 5 lines, anything longer starts to become a letter. A good structure is to provide thanks for the interview, reference something positive that was discussed, and indicate a future interaction. Here is an example:

Notice that the thank you note is not a time to reinforce your skills and accomplishments. That can be done in a follow up letter or email.

Write your notes on quality cards, avoid preprinted cards as they often do not fit the situation. Write in black or blue ink, using bold strokes, to make a strong impact. Never use computer generated text. Hand address the envelopes and use real stamps.

Try this tip for job interview success and I guarantee you will improve your follow up success rate.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Tips for Job Interview Success