Inquery
- Thread starter fast130
- Start date
Be yourself.
Be natural - not stiff, stilted or nervous.
Research the company ahead of time and ask questions i.e. show interest. If they are doing something new or particularly interesting to you, ask for more information about it.
Dress up! Don't look tacky. I don't care what anyone says, First impressions ARE important especially when you are looking for a job. Maybe not a lasting impression but it is important.
Learn to spell 'inquiry' (and other words). If I interviewed a potential employee and they couldn't spell, they would go to the bottom of the stack. Makes a bad impression just like dressing tacky.
Don't ask about pay and benefits on first interview.
Don't be afraid to answer 'I don't know' to a question. You aren't expected to know everything. But don't use that answer for every question.
Smile and be pleasant.
Remember names of people you meet.
Be on time!
And many more.......
Be natural - not stiff, stilted or nervous.
Research the company ahead of time and ask questions i.e. show interest. If they are doing something new or particularly interesting to you, ask for more information about it.
Dress up! Don't look tacky. I don't care what anyone says, First impressions ARE important especially when you are looking for a job. Maybe not a lasting impression but it is important.
Learn to spell 'inquiry' (and other words). If I interviewed a potential employee and they couldn't spell, they would go to the bottom of the stack. Makes a bad impression just like dressing tacky.
Don't ask about pay and benefits on first interview.
Don't be afraid to answer 'I don't know' to a question. You aren't expected to know everything. But don't use that answer for every question.
Smile and be pleasant.
Remember names of people you meet.
Be on time!
And many more.......
nerdegutta
- Joined Dec 15, 2009
- 2,684
A firm grip when shaking hands. I don't like shaking hands with an empty glove or "boiled spaghetti"
Look them in the eyes when shaking.
You will never get a second chance to make a first impression...
Talk clear, don't mumble.
Fun story:
I had a boss once. The best ever, actually. He had lots of humor and could read most people like an open book. Once we were hiring, a young man came to interview.
My boss is a super-big Leeds United fan. So he sits down, placing he Leeds coffee cup right in from of the poor man, and asked:"Which football club do you support?" The young man was a little surprised by that question, but he answered Liverpool.
My boss, stood up, and left the room. Two minutes later he came in, sat down and asked the same question. Now the answer was Leeds United, and the interview continued.
The young man got the job.
Good luck on your interview!
Look them in the eyes when shaking.
You will never get a second chance to make a first impression...
Talk clear, don't mumble.
Fun story:
I had a boss once. The best ever, actually. He had lots of humor and could read most people like an open book. Once we were hiring, a young man came to interview.
My boss is a super-big Leeds United fan. So he sits down, placing he Leeds coffee cup right in from of the poor man, and asked:"Which football club do you support?" The young man was a little surprised by that question, but he answered Liverpool.
My boss, stood up, and left the room. Two minutes later he came in, sat down and asked the same question. Now the answer was Leeds United, and the interview continued.
The young man got the job.
Good luck on your interview!
Anyone who shows up for an interview with me in jeans or shorts *will not* get the job.
If you have tattoos, cover them.
If you have piercings, leave them home.
Try not to discuss personal issues. I had one guy come in and complain that he was 'unfairly' fired from his last job due to alcohol use. See ya.
Don't talk about your girlfriend (and how you need to make just enough money to buy her a ring). Don't tell me how tired you are because of the party you went to last night.
Don't lie. Don't make up experience. I will ask questions specifically to gauge whether or not your resume is accurate. I will know whether it is based on your answers.
Bring a 'portfolio' if you have one. Detailed knowledge of the particular job you are interviewing for is generally not necessary, but you need to demonstrate interest, a track record of having done similar work, and a willingness to learn new things.
Talk about problems you have solved in the past, and how they helped to increase efficiency, save money, improve quality, etc. Use numbers. Say, "I saved XYZ, Inc. $50,000 last year by identifying a problem and implementing this solution."
When asked how much salary you want, come prepared with a number! Do some advanced research, find out what the job pays, and ask for 5-10% more. You won't get it, but it looks better than saying, 'ummmm, i don't know'.
Don't make a big deal of how many vacation days, holidays, there are. Makes you look lazy. Let it be known that you can work extra hours as necessary during 'crunch time'.
I'm sure i can come up with *much* more!
If you have tattoos, cover them.
If you have piercings, leave them home.
Try not to discuss personal issues. I had one guy come in and complain that he was 'unfairly' fired from his last job due to alcohol use. See ya.
Don't talk about your girlfriend (and how you need to make just enough money to buy her a ring). Don't tell me how tired you are because of the party you went to last night.
Don't lie. Don't make up experience. I will ask questions specifically to gauge whether or not your resume is accurate. I will know whether it is based on your answers.
Bring a 'portfolio' if you have one. Detailed knowledge of the particular job you are interviewing for is generally not necessary, but you need to demonstrate interest, a track record of having done similar work, and a willingness to learn new things.
Talk about problems you have solved in the past, and how they helped to increase efficiency, save money, improve quality, etc. Use numbers. Say, "I saved XYZ, Inc. $50,000 last year by identifying a problem and implementing this solution."
When asked how much salary you want, come prepared with a number! Do some advanced research, find out what the job pays, and ask for 5-10% more. You won't get it, but it looks better than saying, 'ummmm, i don't know'.
Don't make a big deal of how many vacation days, holidays, there are. Makes you look lazy. Let it be known that you can work extra hours as necessary during 'crunch time'.
I'm sure i can come up with *much* more!
Use a belt to hold up your pants! A building contractor recently indicated that applicants must have two hands--using one to keep his pants from falling down does not qualify...
If the job description involves getting your hands dirty, do not overdress for the interview.
Cut your hair and nails!
Show interest by asking intelligent questions about the product, tools, equipment and other stuff you see on your tour.
I once got a job offer by admitting that I sometimes have difficulty following instructions exactly-- WOW! that really got his attention because I was admitting human imperfection --attempt to read between the lines when answering questions.
If the job description involves getting your hands dirty, do not overdress for the interview.
Cut your hair and nails!
Show interest by asking intelligent questions about the product, tools, equipment and other stuff you see on your tour.
I once got a job offer by admitting that I sometimes have difficulty following instructions exactly-- WOW! that really got his attention because I was admitting human imperfection --attempt to read between the lines when answering questions.
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Get business cards for each person you interview with. When you get home, write a thank you note to each one, with a brief summary of the interview. Indicate that you are interested in the position.
*Remember*, these guys want to interview just as badly as you want to job hunt. They will quickly choose the most qualified person and fill the position as rapidly as possible so that they can get back to doing what it is that they do.
Be that person.
*Remember*, these guys want to interview just as badly as you want to job hunt. They will quickly choose the most qualified person and fill the position as rapidly as possible so that they can get back to doing what it is that they do.
Be that person.
These suggestions seem contradictory, but what it boils down to is that you need to understand what norms apply to the organisation you are applying to, for the particular position you are interested in.
A mistake some people make is to think that whatever seems normal to them is universal. We don't know much about the job the OP wants, nor his culture, nor that of the interviewer, so s/he may be better placed to judge the appropriate dress code than we are.
Another point I would like to make is that it may be worth trying to improve your knowledge of the English language, if this is at all relevant to your work - particularly if the interview will be conducted in that language. This is not just a question of spelling - basic grammar counts too, including the use of articles.
My general rule is if the job is professional level (i.e. engineer, accountant, managerial, executive, etc.), or if the job involves dealing with customers or vendors, a suit and tie is an absolute necessity.
If the job is technical, khaki slacks, a Polo, and decent shoes should be OK.
Most times, it is OK to ask what to wear during a prior phone interview. I tell my candidates not to wear suits, only because I hate to wear them myself and I really am looking for good technical people and not fashion artists. But clean, respectable clothes and a shower are required, if only to show a little respect to the interviewer and his company. A hair cut and a shave doesn't hurt, either.
djsfantasi
- Joined Apr 11, 2010
- 9,163
I usually send a short email to a candidate before an interview, describing to whom he will be speaking, what our perspectives are AND the company's dress norm. The people who come in clean, pressed, business casual (matching my brief description) capture my attention more quickly than someone in a suit.
Also, many employers will do a background check on you prior to the interview. At a minimum, they will type your name in Google.
If you are active online (in an identifiable way), be prepared to answer questions about your online activities!
Its always a good idea to Google your name and see what comes up. Be prepared to defend possible mistaken identities!
If you are active online (in an identifiable way), be prepared to answer questions about your online activities!
Its always a good idea to Google your name and see what comes up. Be prepared to defend possible mistaken identities!
