I have my first professional job interview next week - need suggestions!?

Question

I will be graduating from college in August, and I have a job interview next week! I am pretty nervous and have a few questions. Since this is my first "professional" job interview - what type of things can I expect? What should I wear? Is there anything I can do to increase my chances, or is it ultimately up to them in the end?

Suggestions, ideas, and motivations appreciated! ^_^

Answer 1

Congratulations on graduating from college in August!!! That is such a huge accomplishment!!! yay!!

I'm going through the same process as you almost. I have just transitioned out of the military and never had really done an actual interview until a few weeks agobut here are some tips. well actually a lot of tips, its lengthy but this is what helped me. I got this info from the
www.dol.gov/elaws/evets.htm
the site was down when I just tried but I can take the time to tell you what the website told me.

For men you should have:

hair trimmed neat and clean, have a clean shave. if you have a beard or mustache be sure to trim neatly.
don't wear sunglasses,
cover your tatoos and remove body piercings

depending on the position you are applying for wear:
navy blue or gray suit, single breasted and a matching silk tie
or
navy blue or gray jacket; coordinated gray, tan or charcoal slacks; white or pinstripe dress shirt and coordinating silk tie
or
white, pastel or pinstripe dress shirt and conservative tie; coordinated navy blue, gray, charcoal, or brown dress pants; or
plain sports shirt; coordinated navy blue, gray, charcoal, or brown slacks;
or
clean sports shirt and clean casual pants

The interview is like an in-depth conversation, Count on discussing your skills, experience, training and how they all relate to the duties and opportunites of the job. You have to sell your, skills, enthusiasm, interst and understaning of the job.
Most interviews break into four stages,
1. Introductory stage, the interviewer forms an initial impression that can contribute to acceptence or rejection, remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression
2. questions , the interviewer tries to determine how well your attitude and skills fit with the company image and work culture. The interviewer is trying to match your skill and abilities to the job.
3. Applicant Questions, the interviewer is trying to deteerminte your level of interest in the job and your degree of knowledge about the company,
4. Closing stage, the interviewer will draw the interview to a close, this is the time to make your intentions clear.

Remember also the being assertive is the thing to do, just dont be agressive. some things to say when the interview is over:

"after meeting with you, I'm even more convinced that id be a good fit for the position"

"Interviewers name, when do you plan to fill this position"

the interviewer will usually tell you. If so, you can politely suggest you will call that day.

"If you dont' mind, I'd like to call you on that day to find out what my status is"

"Would it be ok if I called then to check the status of the position"

Also, it is absolutely important that you research the company that you are interviewing for. These questions do come up

Some other tips:

prepare questions to ask in the interview
do a dry run of the interview, maybe stand in front of the mirror why you do this
get a good nights sleep
know the names of the interviewer and pronounce them correctly
Arrive 15 minutes early
Turn off your cell phone
Carry a portfolio which includes:
pad and pen, calendar, several copies of your resume, letters of recommendation (if you have any) copy of the application if you have it, samples of work, your notes on the company, your questions to ask the interviewer, reference list/letters of reference.

offer a firm handshake
Use eye contact , but don't stare
Be enthusiastic have a positive attitude in the interview
Be friendly but not too casual
Be professional and courteous
Don't be negative about anything. If you have had previous jobs working anywhere, always speak about the previous employer in a good light.
Some tough questions that some run into are belive it or not,
"Tell me about yourself" When an interviewer ask this, be through but brief. Talk for no more than two minutes, be logical, be positive. Discuss your educational achievements and goals. Then briefly describe your qualifications for the job an contributions you could make to the organization.

this question can get you the job,
"what do you consider your most significant accomplishment?"
tell a brief story which includes details and your involvement. The problem, action, resolution organization works well here. Describe a situation that presented a problem, detail what actions you took to resolve it, and discuss what the resolution was. You could discuss hard work, deadlines, overcoming obstacles like dealing with difficult people. How the situation arose and how you dealt with it.
"How do you handle pressure, do you like or dislike these situations?"
High achievers perform well in high pressure situations. usually this question indicates that you will be running into these type of situations and the interviewer wants to know how you will deal. If you perform well, give examples of previous experiences with other employers or even college work if thats all you have. try to relay the situation as a challenge rather than focusing on your ability to handle pressure. The interviewer will see you trun a negative situation into a positive situation.

"what do you consider your most significant strength"
know your four or five key strengths and discuss each with an example. Examples include that you can lead/manage, good interpersonal skills. Make sure you have examples of each.

"what do you consider your most significant weakness"
Show a specific example of this one. I wouldnt say things like "i'm not punctual" or "I have bad mornings", but the interviewer wants to hear stuff that balances any negative with a positive. Example. " I tend to be a workaholic, but have learned to better manage my time" which is true for me.

Also, you want to be able to let the interviewer know that you work well under pressure maybe by staying calm. Diplomacy, perservance and common sense can often prevail even in difficult circumstances. You must be able to deal with these things on a regular basis. If you're not sure just remember to stay calm when things go array. I always used to panic, and then I wouldn't be able to think clearly. The best thing to do in a stressful situation is to remain calm. works everytime!

I know this is a ton of information, just remember the key things, be punctual, honest, and stay calm. And if anything else at least do the research of the company. I hear this is the number one reason people don't get hired, because they don't know what the company offers. Good luck and I hope you get the job!!!

Answer 2

Hello Haylie: Deciding what to wear is the least of your worries. As a legal professional, I have to wonder why a judge is trying to hire a secretary with only fast food experience, unless I've missed something about your background. Being a judge's secretary requires a strong clerical background of several years, usually expertise in Word, Excel, some kind of legal software and a track record that reflects your ability to keep accurate files and data. Knowledge of court filings, document processes and the judicial system is also a requirement. Working in a judge's office requires high attention to detail and confidentiality, and failure to do so can cost someone their livelihood and even their life. Most of these positions are posted to candidates within the court system first, and people interviewed from outside the system are brought in to balance the candidate pool. Because courts receive public money for their operations, the recruitment process has to adhere to those rules, and the hiring of an outsider is allowed only after all internal candidates are disqualified. I find it hard to believe that there are no internal candidates that can fill this position. As a court clerk applicant, I was given a written test, did 2 interviews, then an oral exam, then met with the judge and court administrator. Then I had to do a bilingual tape of my voice for review as well. The process took 3 months, and I was assigned to the Traffic Ticket division during that time. Something doesn't seem right about this recruitment process. Make sure that this position is actually open and someone is not just fishing for unsuspecting naive college students.

Answer 3

Congratulations. Here are some suggestions.

Prepare for the interview by reviewing your resume. Look for questions that someone might ask such as why you left previous jobs, what you liked/disliked about jobs, etc. Remember you are a salesman and you are selling yourself.

Get as much information about the company that you can. Look on their website. Google them. Know their business.

Dress professionally. Usually that means a business suit.

Be on time but not too early. Show up around 5-10 minutes in advance but expect to wait. Remember your on their time.

Show confidence with your answers. Keep good eye contact. Don't try to hide things from the interviewer. (Even if they don't know what it is your hiding, it will be obvious that your not telling the whole story.)

Good Luck.

Answer 4

Re-read your resume to anticipate questions.

Research company before interview (web, facts, stock, technology, product) If asked about what you know about the company, you will WOW them with your research information.

Print out four clear, crisp, and clean copies of your resume for the interview. One for you and the other for the interviewer, keep the both of you on the same page. (This will show interviewer that you anticipate issues and prepare solutions)

Personal grooming, Be aware of Facial Hair, Nails, Nose, Teeth, Breath etc.

Make sure that you made a bathroom stop before heading to interview. Do not eat 1 hour before your face to face interview.

Always dress for success, Business Attire is the norm, unless otherwise stated as business casual. Check shoes, pockets, collars, and ties (men) before entering building.

Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early (No Earlier) for the interview at the reception area. Keep in mind that the receptionist is also the gatekeeper and may be asked later on, how you conducted yourself while waiting.

5 minutes before walking into an interview, close your eyes for a few minutes and visualize a successful conversation with interviewer.

As you greet the interviewer, wait for him/her to offer their hand first. Then shake hands with a firm but non aggressive handshake.

Offer the clean copy of your resume to the interviewer (“I took the liberty of bringing a clean copy of my resume for you to use”) Keep your copy in front of you.

Never let your guard down, this is an interview, not a social visit. It is designed to see how you handle stress as well. If you get too comfortable, you may lose your opportunity.

Smile (when you can), and keep your eyes focused on different areas of the interviewers face, when shifting from time to time from the eyes of the interviewer.

Never give just “Yes” or “No” answers. Elaborate (The manager wants to visualize what you have done in relation to the question/job/skill)

If asked about a weakness in skills, turn it into a strength by emphasizing other strengths that support or make up for the specific weakness (using a “like” product or methodology)

If asked a personal question, shortly elaborate and get back to the business at hand.


good luck!

Answer 5

Good luck!! Look professional and try to suit the culture of the business you're interviewing with. I would normally advise to wear a suit, but that rule would depend on the vibe of the potential employer. Ask relevant questions about your day to day responsiblities and give some good examples of your previous work experience. Be enthusiastic and excited during your interview - everyone loves to see someone who can take initiative.

Don't be nervous, don't fidget around - you'll be great!