Great, you got the call and a prospective company has set up an interview. Your cultured resume passed the electronic scanning process, human resource's scrutiny, and now they want to talk to you. Now is not the time to panic.
The Pre-interview Process
Your pre-interview process should include researching the company, interview preparation, and practice. Job-seekers can usually discover what kind of interview to expect by doing some basic research. Some, but certainly not all, companies post information relevant to their interview process on their corporate web sites. Learn all you can about the company. Larger organizations may interview you via a telephone screening process first. You'll talk to someone in human resources, not the actual hiring manager.
The human resource representative will pass your answers to their questions on to the hiring manager along with several other selected candidates' answers. The hiring manager will then let HR know which candidates to invite to the face-to-face interview.
Preparing for the Face-to-face Interview
Relax, take a deep breath, and look in the mirror. This is your private practice session. Make a list of prospective questions and prepare to answer them honestly and to the best of your ability. Anticipate questions covering the position itself in addition to how you handle certain situations that may be relevant to the job.
Practice giving your answers to the questions making your answers sound as though they are unprompted. Tips: dress to impress, don't touch your face, sit up straight, casually mimic their sitting position, and look the interviewing manager in the eye. Turn off your cell phone, don't just put it on vibrate - turn it completely off. Don't smoke or drink - even if offered.
Possible Interview Questions
The list of questions that may be asked is much too long to put in print here. Some of the classics, however, include: What is your management style? How would your boss describe you? How would your colleagues describe you? List your biggest accomplishments over the past five years. Describe a difficult situation and how you remedied it. What are your strong points? What are your weak points? Where do you expect to be in one year? Five years? What are your career expectations? Technical questions will follow if appropriate.
Team interviews are normal. The interviewers take turns asking you questions. Be sure to address each individually, remembering to look at the other interviewer occasionally. Chances are they'll both be taking notes, give them some time to complete them. If compensation is brought up, politely defer your answer for future conversations. If there is an interest in your candidacy, they will contact you for these discussions.
Remember, interviews are meant to establish rapport, elicit two or three-way conversation and learn about you, the candidate. They are behavioral based and meant to test your skills and knowledge. Don't forget that your non-verbal clues are being carefully watched, for they speak volumes about you.
Non-verbal clues include: smiling or frowning - ask yourself - who would you hire? Balance your eye-contact between interviewers; remember, too much eye contact might lead them to believe you may be too aggressive for their company. Don't cross your arms or legs, as the message sent indicates you are defensive or insecure. Keep your arms relaxed by placing them on the table or your lap. Ask if it's okay to take notes, but don't tap your pencil on anything or keep clicking your pen; you'll come across as a nervous candidate. Also, try to keep your facial expressions neutral.
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