What does it take to be successful at job interviews?

Question

From interview preparation to the actually interview. I always get nervous at job interviews and feel that this could affect my ability to get the job.

Answer 1

Lie through your teeth.

Answer 2

Pretend you're not nervous. Believe me, it's not that hard. Just tell yourself that you're not nervous and you won't be. Sometimes having an alcoholic drink before the interview can help, but you may not feel like this if your interview is early in the morning. Make sure they can't smell the alcohol on you, and have *one* drink, don't get drunk.

The other thing is that over-preparation will make you nervous. You obviously need to prepare - know what questions you will be asked and have answers ready, know lots about the company and the job, etc. But OVER-preparation = BAD. You will start to get muddled, you will sound like you have simply memorized everything and aren't actually speaking from the heart, and you will get upset with yourself if you answer a question differently than how you had rehearsed.

The trick that has always worked for me is to just be really casual. Not sloppy or rude; they are definite no-no's. But chat with the interviewer as you would if you were meeting someone in the pub for the first time, or as if you were on a date but without the flirting. Note that it is important to know when to turn this on and off - if the interviewer switched to a very professional tone or changes the subject to something serious, then know that it is important to follow suit.

Answer 3

PPP Preparation, Presentation, Practice. There are plenty of books writen on this subject but these three simple rules are all you need. Preparation, take the trouble to find out a bit about the company or the job you are applying for. Have a few questions that you can ask but try not to have them all on the subject of "what's in it for me". Keep it simple but try to get over what you can give to the Job. Presentation. Dress to suit the occasion & the job but above all be clean and always arrive a little early so that you can have a few minutes to compose yourself before hand. Practice, the more interviews you attend the more at ease you will become with doing it.
all the best & good luck

Answer 4

Nervousness can definitely affect you in your job search especially if confidence is a requirement for the position. If you will be interacting with strangers (customers, employees, etc) in the position you may want to put some substantial time into fixing this problem.

Most people I meet with as a recruiter become nervous because they're truly under prepared for the meeting or do not have the confidence required to function in this type of social setting.

Practice makes perfect- the more you interview the more comfortable you will become with it. Trust me sometimes the interviewer can be nervous too! (if he is new to field, etc)

I always recommend that College grads practice interviews and questions with family and friends. It has done wonders for the individuals I have worked with.

Practice, prepare, practice, prepare.... be confident in who you're.

Answer 5

Just be yourself. The truth is they already read your resume, they know what you can and cannot do base on that piece of paper. So the main reason for an interview is for them to know more about you as a person and employee. They want to know that you are friendly and can work with people. Make small talk to break the ice. Be confident about what you can do and who you are as a person. Be humble and respectful. Also do some research about the company you are interviewing with, let them know you did your homework. Be prepare to answer some basic interview 101 question such as:
What is your best quality?
What is your worst quality: (be careful with this one, don't tell them too much, use answer that can be seem as good quality such as: I'm too much of a perfectionist or I can be overly protective, etc... don't tell they you can be lazy or clueless at time, they don't need to know that)
Where do you see yourself in 5/ 10/ 15 years?
What make you the best person for this job?
But at the end, just Be Confident! You need to believe you can do the job before you can sale yourself to them. Good Luck!

Answer 6

The objective of an interview is to convince the employer that you will be able to fulfill the organizational needs and fit into the company culture. Certain steps taken by you will definitely help you create a better impression on your interviewer. Update your resume , prepare for the interview questions , research the company and dress appropriately for the job . More details and information at http://www.precv.com/

Answer 7

Confidence. Maybe give yourself a pep talk before an interview. Tell yourself how intelligent, calm, sincere, and all the good things. Really get into the feeling of being those good qualities and they'll shine through during the interview.

Best of luck.

Answer 8

You just need to be confident. Make a list of how your past work experience relates to this particular job and review your list a few times before the interview. I found that very helpful. Also let them know that you are very interested in the postion and that you are confident that you can do an excellent job. Good Luck!!!!!!

Answer 9

Dont be scared talk to them like you would a close buddy, Me i graduated from Florida state, when i interview for my job i had to compete with a Harvard graduate, the only reason i got the job is because they had confidence i was going to be a good leader, and tell them that bring up childhood stories of how your a good leader, make them feel like your brave and that your not scared to be trapped in a mess and that you will always find a way, i also make over 95,000 a year now.

Answer 10

My husband (who is absolutely brilliant) has always been so smart about this. He would apply for jobs and go on interview just for the practice. It's the only way to get better and he is great at interviews now. He sat on so mny panel interviews that he eventually got over the fear. i know this may seem drastic but if it's important to you it might be worth trying.

Answer 11

If you're bad throughout the interview you're probably not the right person for that particular job, I'd assume most interviewers allow for nerves in youngsters but they'd expect sense and calmness from an adult with work experience.