Does anyone have any good interviewing tips?

Question

I have been out of the workforce for several years while raising a family. I'm finally looking to go back to work, and I am hopeful that I will get an interview with the most recent place that I applied. It is a social service agency serving developmentally disabled adults. This is right up my alley - while I didn't get a degree in social work, I was a senior when I dropped out of school. I have experience working in another social service agency, as well.

If you have any good tips at all about interviewing, I would greatly appreciate hearing them!

Thanks.

Ok, first step complete! I got a call for an interview!

:)

Thanks for all of the great answers so far!

Answer 1

Hello,

There are a lot of things that needs to be considered.

1. First 10 seconds count a lot. Be prepared with an outfit that can cause a positive image. (navy blue = respect, white = purity green = peace and tranquility and red = agresiveness. I pressume you are a woman. Wear a blue skirt, white blouse and if you have a sport coat try to make it also blue. Wear a pin on your blouse in color red or green depending in the place you will be working.
Salute the interviewers while watching directly in the eye.
Shake hands when saluting and make sure that you do not sit until offer to do so.

2. Take with you an updated resume. Since it looks that you do not have any late work experience, make sure that you mention that you highlight your previous agency.

3. Every job is intended to do 2 things. Save money or perform a job that is going to generate wealth to the employer. (both cases is related to money). Make sure that you mention activities and success stories in your previous job.

4. Very likely the employer is going to ask several questions like:
Why do you feel you are the best candidate for this position?
Do you work well in a team?
What is your biggest deffect?
What are your very next goals in your career?
Do you plan on continuing education?
(some employeers perceive the lack of continuing education as a lack of discipline) try to make sure that you state your reasons if they are valid.

5. VERY IMPORTANT ..... Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse....
practice these questions and their answers. Some times we really want a job, and after several years of not working the interview process might look an awfaul experience. Apply for jobs that will get you an interview but YOU DO NOT WANT TO WORK. Practice the interview process with these jobs. It will get you confidence and might led to other opportunities if you do not get the job you want.

6. Finally, make sure that you ask this questions during the process:
a) What are the resposibilities of this position.
b) To whom I will be reporting?
c) Is there a structure to measure employee success?
d) How long does this institution/company has been in business?

7. DO NOT DISCUSS SALARY IN YOUR INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!
It might look weird, but try to avoid this arena. If you get asked about it, answer something like this.....
I am more concerned right now on being able to be a contribuitor to this position. Economic matter will be conmesurate to my contribution.

8. Finally, be punctual, ask the names of the persons that will be interviewing you and memorize their names and positions. (you will positively impact your interviewers if you know their names before hand).

Good luck and do not be afraid, it is only a job.

Regards,

Alan Avila

Answer 2

In the time you have been out of the workforce, perhaps you may have raised children or cared for elderly relatives. These things are a skill set that will serve you well in this job. If you did some volunteer work or were deeply involved in some sort of medical care, ask people who were aware of the work you were doing to serve as references.
Working in the PTA? Taking a relative to therapy several times a week and managing medical and financial arrangements? These are skills a brand new graduate may not have. Emphasize you assets, but don't sugar coat them or embellish. Any good social service agency will check your references and resume, and if you pad your resume anywhere you will lose your credibility completely.
(My feeling as an employer is that if a candidate would lie about a degree, he or she would lie about other things while on the job. I need to be able to trust them for the good and the bad. Projects go bad, clients leave, things break, and I as the employer need to know the truth as soon as possible to help keep the damage to a minimum. I would always trust an employee more that brought me bad news quickly and some ideas about how to fix it more than one who would hope I wouldn't notice a problem and hope that maybe it would get better.)
Inquire at your former school or one that is now nearby and see what it would take to finish your degree. If you can show your future employer that you have a plan to complete your degree they will see that you want to improve yourself and do the best job possible.
Talk about your enthusiasm for this sort of work and what you can do for these clients. Passion counts for a lot. If you can let your potential employer know that you can hit the ground running, you can be resourceful and flexible, you will look good to them.

Answer 3

Be prepared for this questions: Tell me about yourself, What do you know about our organization?, Why do you want to work for us?, What can you do for us that someone else can't?, What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?, Why should we hire you?, What do you look for in a job?, Please give me your definition of [the position for which you are being interviewed]., How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?, How long would you stay with us?, Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What's Your opinion?

Answer 4

read up:
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/interview?ref=ssp

did you stay at a holiday inn express?