I was wondering if anyone knows any good videos/websites that help you prepare for job interviews. I'm looking for two things mainly. First, what kind of clothes to wear (obviously professional with tie), and what to bring with you (like any type of folder or anything?).
Second, I need help on learning how to talk during an interview. Is it okay to pause for about 3-5 seconds after they ask a question to think about how you are going to answer? Does everything have to be very quick, or is it good to take your time? Also, how to position your hands while sitting in the chair. Do you move hands around to make gestures, or do you just look into the person's eyes the whole time while answering questions.
Mostly, I'm worried about how I come off with first impression. *Calmly approach interviewer, shake hands firmly and smile while doing so, take a seat and sit with back straight* (Is it okay to look nervous/tense? Or should I try and relax, because last time I relaxed and it failed so hard) Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
Eye contact is good. Too much and you're staring them down, too little and you're skittish. Just act natural.. like everyday life, yeah?
Dress appropriately for the job... if you're unsure you can ask when they call you for interview what the dress code is there...
Waiting a full 5 seconds after they finish asking a question to respond might come off ... weird. It's just like everyday conversation, you know?
Some people do bring a pad and pen to interviews to take notes... I personally don't but some do.
I guess my suggestions would be to have some prior knowledge of the company(do some research beforehand) and to ask questions yourself. Usually when they finish with theirs they will ask you if you have any questions for them. This is a good chance to ask about the job itself, the company etc. This will show you have a real interest and could set you apart from other applicants.
Here's my advice based on my small amount of interview experience:
- Dress depends on what you're interviewing for, but default is what you stated. - I bring a nice leather folder to interviews with a copy of my resume and any documents that they may have requested or may find useful. - From experience, a short pause is fine (I sometimes even request time to think about my answer). It's usually better to give a thoughtful, quality response instead of a bad, hasty one. Unless a quick response is a characteristic they are looking for, I think this is fine. - I fold my hands on my lap. I'm not sure about you, but I have to consciously remind myself not to fidget, such as shaking my leg. - I will make gestures if my response calls for it. Eye contact during the question and response is good. People want to know that they have your attention and want confirmation (physical nods, or verbal confirmation). - Act with confidence! Why try to appear nervous if you're not actually nervous? I'm not sure how you tried to relax, how exactly did you bomb so hard?
EDIT: jungle_BRAT reminded me. Do research on the company! Think of questions they may ask you regarding the company, the job, or yourself (you can find these in various online articles, train yourself to answer questions like these), and have GOOD questions prepared for them that show insight and interest in the company.
My experience has been... dress above what the 'dress code' of the place is. For any white collar job you should wear a suit or something similar... for a job with a more relaxed 'day to day' dress code, shirt and tie will probably work. You are definitely better off being a little overdressed than a little under dressed.
On April 01 2010 01:37 GrayArea wrote: I was wondering if anyone knows any good videos/websites that help you prepare for job interviews. I'm looking for two things mainly. First, what kind of clothes to wear (obviously professional with tie), and what to bring with you (like any type of folder or anything?).
Second, I need help on learning how to talk during an interview. Is it okay to pause for about 3-5 seconds after they ask a question to think about how you are going to answer? Does everything have to be very quick, or is it good to take your time? Also, how to position your hands while sitting in the chair. Do you move hands around to make gestures, or do you just look into the person's eyes the whole time while answering questions.
Mostly, I'm worried about how I come off with first impression. *Calmly approach interviewer, shake hands firmly and smile while doing so, take a seat and sit with back straight* (Is it okay to look nervous/tense? Or should I try and relax, because last time I relaxed and it failed so hard) Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
The best way to prepare is through practice. I find some "sample" videos too awkward or too formal, and if it's not "me", then I'd feel uncomfortable. Clothes - blazer with tie, and bring a portfolio/clipboard with your resume/references/cover letter/anything else of interest.
Talking during an interview: again, whatever you are most comfortable with. interviewers would have had experience with no pauses, long pauses, short pauses - my advice though, is if you take longer than 5-10 seconds or when you start getting nervous because of your long pause, ask them to repeat that question or make a comment on how challenging the question is that you have to formulate/gather your thoughts. Positioning hands: I like having my hands together, but that's most comfortable for me. Other people will do other things - do what feels right.
When I start an interview, I like to set the tone/pace of the conversation. I'll smile, introduce myself, tell them something interesting or talk about something you feel comfortable with but not something awkward ("I'd just like to start off by saying how nice your office is. It's really welcoming, especially that framed picture of blah blah at reception - very cool." or "traffic is terrible in this area, isn't it?").
When you're comfortable and not nervous, it is a breeze. So do whatever it takes to feel like that.
On April 01 2010 02:09 micronesia wrote: My experience has been... dress above what the 'dress code' of the place is. For any white collar job you should wear a suit or something similar... for a job with a more relaxed 'day to day' dress code, shirt and tie will probably work. You are definitely better off being a little overdressed than a little under dressed.
This is also what I heard from a class I had to take, and what was in the textbook.
Coming in with prior info on the company and perhaps what kind of projects/work they're doing that you might be working on is very important. It's good to ask questions about these things, as they tell the employer that you are interested and proactive, and they give you more information about the company that can help you decide if you really want the job or not.
I'm really good at interviews. I'm confident that I can get any job if it goes to the interview, even if I have no experience at all related to that position. Instead of giving you a list of general advice I'll give you one very important specific tip. Q statements. You know how people answer the interviewers questions with something like, "I'm very ambitious, I learn quickly."? Don't do that. Even super highly qualified people can fail in interviews because they don't know how to verbally express their experience/qualities. So you will have an edge over everyone if you follow this advice.
Instead always talk in "Q-statements". It's pretty much quantifying your credentials. Listing specific, relevant (to the position) prior achievements. Instead of saying "I'm good at sales". Say, "I'm a great salesperson, I sold over 100,000$ in services for Extreme Fitness". Instead of saying, "I'm good with people" say, "I'm amazing at building trust and relationships with people, I would speak with at least a dozen people EVERY single day at extreme fitness, and because I was so good at building rapport with them I sold over $100,000 in services." Alright? See where I'm headed with this? Make it specific. Highlight an ACHIEVEMENT you did (don't say WHAT you did on a regular basis), and throw in a number/something measurable and concrete.
I have a good book on interviewing and it goes over things like body language as well. I recommend "Fearless Interviewing" for this and future interviews:
It really depends on the job, but usually you should go in with suit and tie. An exception is development work for a hip startup/small tech company: in this case if you feel (based on the job description) that the place is pretty casual, you can probably just go in with collared shirt and decent pants. I've done interviews with banks wearing orange glasses and skinny ties.
Definitely read up on the company, so that if they ask you 'What do you know about our company?' you can give a 2 - 3 sentence description. Also, have an idea what the department/team you're applying for does if you have a general description (like Asset Liability Managment, for example).
If the job gets technical, don't be afraid to pause and be silent while you think. It's better not to drag out an 'ummmmm'. I did an interview with the Department of Defence where they pounded me with random/creative math problems, and I thought I did terribly, but afterwards the interviewer told me all the candidates stumbled. Don't be afraid to admit you don't know; often they can tell.
Be prepared to answer the following few which happen a lot; don't make huge answers, but rather something that's a few sentences long: - Tell me about yourself? - Give me an example where you had a conflict with someone and how you resolved it - What would you do if you're given more tasks than you can perform in the allotted time? - How do you prioritize tasks when you're working on multiple projects?
Don't brag, don't do anything weird. Interviewed a student who was studying his Masters of Economics and he was way too confident, way too insistent that I hire him. Just be yourself, be friendly, be casual.
Try to be calm, breathe deeply if you get nervous while waiting for the interview. Remember to smile and make eye contact when entering the room. Halo effect is very powerful. If your hands sweat, try to dry and warm them before the handshake. Very important is your mindset, dont be like OMG I am never gona get this job. Be positive. Hands should be on the table if you are sitting behind one, unless you are very nervous and your hands are shaking. About gestures - dont cross your arms or legs, its a negative sign, defensive, also dont play with your hair or a pen or anything. Dont point anything on anyone (finger or pen). Prepare your questions about the job, they should ask you to ask them about what do you want to know about the job. These are some basics, web is probably full of more specific informations. GL
With regards to what to bring with yourself, bring some copies of your resume. Not all places are organized about having recruiting pass the resume along to your interviewer, and it helps a lot to have a copy with you.
What sort of job are you applying for? In general you shouldn't just give big pauses (i.e., when you're trying to work through a problem you should be describing the steps you're thinking about and the possibilities), but a couple of seconds pause after they finish asking a question isn't a terrible thing. Even if you don't know the optimal solution, if you know a suboptimal solution you should describe that while mentioning that you're sure there's a better solution but this is a starting solution that you can build upon (blah blah blah).
Interviews are a test of your communication skills, so make sure that you communicate.
Personally I never wore a tie when going to interviews for CS jobs, but there's nothing wrong with doing so I suppose.
make a comment on how challenging the question is that you have to formulate/gather your thoughts
I think that makes people sound dumb Better to formulate/gather your thoughts outloud and be more specific than "gosh, this problem is hard lol"
On April 01 2010 01:37 GrayArea wrote: I was wondering if anyone knows any good videos/websites that help you prepare for job interviews. I'm looking for two things mainly. First, what kind of clothes to wear (obviously professional with tie), and what to bring with you (like any type of folder or anything?).
Second, I need help on learning how to talk during an interview. Is it okay to pause for about 3-5 seconds after they ask a question to think about how you are going to answer? Does everything have to be very quick, or is it good to take your time? Also, how to position your hands while sitting in the chair. Do you move hands around to make gestures, or do you just look into the person's eyes the whole time while answering questions.
Mostly, I'm worried about how I come off with first impression. *Calmly approach interviewer, shake hands firmly and smile while doing so, take a seat and sit with back straight* (Is it okay to look nervous/tense? Or should I try and relax, because last time I relaxed and it failed so hard) Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
Clothing: as others have suggested, is best to overdress Bring some type of folder with a copy of your resume (2 if you don't have your resume more or less memorized) as well as something to write with.
Just be yourself. If you need to think about a question then take the time and think about it. Don't feel obligated to answer the question right away. I almost always take up to 15 seconds to think about a question if it's challenging. Wouldn't it be creepy to have someone keep their hands still and stare you down while they talk at you? Keep it natural -- your hands moving freely, joke around, moderate eye contact, etc.
On April 01 2010 01:37 GrayArea wrote: I was wondering if anyone knows any good videos/websites that help you prepare for job interviews. I'm looking for two things mainly. First, what kind of clothes to wear (obviously professional with tie), and what to bring with you (like any type of folder or anything?).
Second, I need help on learning how to talk during an interview. Is it okay to pause for about 3-5 seconds after they ask a question to think about how you are going to answer? Does everything have to be very quick, or is it good to take your time? Also, how to position your hands while sitting in the chair. Do you move hands around to make gestures, or do you just look into the person's eyes the whole time while answering questions.
Mostly, I'm worried about how I come off with first impression. *Calmly approach interviewer, shake hands firmly and smile while doing so, take a seat and sit with back straight* (Is it okay to look nervous/tense? Or should I try and relax, because last time I relaxed and it failed so hard) Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
You should over dress, but be reasonble. If the typical company dress code is jeans, then khaki's and a dress shirt will do. Anything above that and dress pants/tie are mandatory, while I'd highly encourage a suit. Appearance isn't super important, but hygiene is. Make sure you brush your teeth, and are clean shaven etc. If you smoke, take the effort to not smoke in the clothes you are going to wear to the interview. Cologne/perfume should be kept to 1 spray minimum, preferably choosing a fresh, clean scent that is not overpowering.
Feel free to bring a folder with you. I have a nice leather bound one I actually got during my university orientation. You should bring AT LEAST 2 copies of your resume, if you know there will be multiple people interviewing you, you should bring one per person, and one for yourself. Make sure you have something to write with. Make sure your phone is off.
When you enter the room, calmly but confidently approach the desk/table. The employer will more than likely say something first. Shake his/her hand appropriately, and wait until asked before seating yourself.
Interview conversation and flow is another interesting point. You should absolutely think for a few seconds before answering any non-trivial question. In fact, you will come off much better if you take your time to think of each answer before starting to talk. There's nothing worse than starting to give an answer, then realizing its not really what you wanted to say.
In a good interview, expect to do about 50% of the conversation. The other half will come from across the table. Remember, you're trying to see if this company is a match for you just as much as they want to see if you are a match for them. Don't worry too much about things like hand gestures, sit in a comfortable manner. For me, I relax my arms/hands and fold them in my lap or just hold onto my folder.
If you are well prepared, there shouldn't be many suprise questions. I'm sure if you google "[your field here] interview questions" you will find some good resources. Know what kind of questions to expect, and how you plan to answer them, but don't give too much of a rehearsed response. If you can give the correct answer, and maybe an example of the concept in use, you can really show the interviewer you know what you're doing.
When you say your last interview failed hard(while you were trying to relax), can you go more into that? Unless you were overly casual or something, I doubt thats the reason it didn't go well.
The most important thing is to learn from each interview. Were you asked questions you didn't know, or did he use terms you had to ask him to explain? A lot of times you can tell an interview isn't going well, and they may possible end it early. This is ok, but take the last opportunity to ask the interviewer how you could have been more prepared if you are unsure. If you're not gonna get the job anyways, you may as well get some advice.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
Source: Me. I'm really good at interviewing haha :p
make a comment on how challenging the question is that you have to formulate/gather your thoughts
I think that makes people sound dumb Better to formulate/gather your thoughts outloud and be more specific than "gosh, this problem is hard lol"
It's definitely varies based on the type of question asked. If it's a technical question it's absolutely ok to verbally go over the CORRECT method of solving the problem. If a question that more deals with your previous experiences, it's still always ok to pause and give it some thought, but I wouldnt acknowledge that the interviewer asked a "hard question" or anything like that.
On April 01 2010 02:37 Warrior Madness wrote: I'm really good at interviews. I'm confident that I can get any job if it goes to the interview, even if I have no experience at all related to that position. Instead of giving you a list of general advice I'll give you one very important specific tip. Q statements. You know how people answer the interviewers questions with something like, "I'm very ambitious, I learn quickly."? Don't do that. Even super highly qualified people can fail in interviews because they don't know how to verbally express their experience/qualities. So you will have an edge over everyone if you follow this advice.
Instead always talk in "Q-statements". It's pretty much quantifying your credentials. Listing specific, relevant (to the position) prior achievements. Instead of saying "I'm good at sales". Say, "I'm a great salesperson, I sold over 100,000$ in services for Extreme Fitness". Instead of saying, "I'm good with people" say, "I'm amazing at building trust and relationships with people, I would speak with at least a dozen people EVERY single day at extreme fitness, and because I was so good at building rapport with them I sold over $100,000 in services." Alright? See where I'm headed with this? Make it specific. Highlight an ACHIEVEMENT you did (don't say WHAT you did on a regular basis), and throw in a number/something measurable and concrete.
I have a good book on interviewing and it goes over things like body language as well. I recommend "Fearless Interviewing" for this and future interviews:
If anyone is interested in that book but doesn't feel like going through the hassle of obtaining it, you CAN locate it in .pdf form. Whether or not you pay for it is up to you. =P
EPT
