Why the First Few Seconds of a Job Interview can Make or Break You.

 

Making a great first impression in a job interview can be the difference between getting an offer and getting passed by. And according to research, you may only have a few moments. 

People make snap judgments about each other within one tenth of a second, a  Princeton University study shows. In a blink of an eye, hirers draw conclusions about your likability, trustworthiness, competence and aggressiveness.  

And, the study suggests, those first impressions stick: Hirers quickly begin to expect you to conform to the ideas they've just begun to form about you. If you seem familiar and friendly, you could get an offer. If you seem sloppy or overly aggressive, you could be overlooked.

To make those first few moments of your job interview count, follow these rules career experts say are crucial: 

1. Dress the part: "Your wardrobe should be clean, pressed and well-fitting," says Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume. "The goal is to look like you belong at the company."  

The career expert suggests job candidates do some investigating into the job's dress code by asking around within your professional network.  

"Do some reconnaissance online and with your professional network to determine the company's dress code," she says. "If the organization is laid-back, dress as you believe they would for an important meeting with a client." 

2. Arrive on time: Nobody wants to look or feel rushed at an interview. Being punctual will help you relax.

"I recommend arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled interview so you have time to register with reception, complete any paperwork, use the restroom to freshen up," Augustine says. "Get your bearings before the interview begins."

3. Pay attention to body language: The goal in a job interview is to appear "confident, professional, and friendly," Augustine says. A firm handshake, a smile and eye contact are crucial to that.

Not making eye contact makes you appear nervous, says career coach Becky Berry. "Keep your head up."

4. Sound professional: When people are nervous, they have a tendency to raise their voices a bit, studies have shown. Resist the urge, experts say.

"We tend to tighten the vocal chords when we are tense, and the high, sometimes screechy sound does not sound powerful," says Patti Wood, a body language expert and author. "Bring down your voice." 

Courtesy: CNBC.

Can’t Get a Job? 4 Mistakes That Can Get You on the ‘No Hire List’.

Finding a good job is tough. You have to send out dozens of resumes, connect with your network, say the right things, spin around three times, and then pray really hard that the interviewer likes you enough to score an interview. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, your interviews go nowhere. Weeks turn into months, and despite your best efforts, you’re still at square one. If your job hunt has been taking longer than usual and your search seems to be leading from one dead end to another, the sobering truth is you may be causing your own misfortune. Here are some the biggest mistakes that could result in you being placed on the “no hire list.”

1. Showing up in a bad mood: No matter what happened to you immediately before the interview, and no matter how tiring your job search has been, don’t come to the interview with a sour attitude. No one wants to work with someone who is always scowling and complaining. Your interviewer cares about your skills, but he or she also wants to work with someone who won’t negatively affect team morale.

Corporate trainer Chavaz Kingman said if you want the job, you’ll have to fix your attitude. “One thing people don’t often think of before a job interview is the mood they are in. If you have friends or relatives who are not your greatest cheerleaders, then don’t speak to them before the job interview. You want to be as uplifted and as focused as possible. Get rid of the negative voices before walking into the interview,” Kingman told The Cheat Sheet. 

 

2. Being unprepared: Before you go to your interview, make sure you take care of the basics. It’s not enough to wear a new suit and have perfect hair. At the very least, you should know some information about the company as well as a few things about your interviewer, such as his or her work experience. Life and career coach Maggie Reyes said preparation is as simple as doing an internet search. It only takes a few minutes to look this information up on the corporate web page. “Well-prepared candidates review the company website. If they know who they will be meeting, they look them up on LinkedIn or Google and learn about their interviewer. They prepare questions about the role and the company ahead of time and ask intelligent, relevant questions during the interview,” Reyes told The Cheat Sheet.

3. Disregarding the phone interview: Don’t take the phone interview lightly. Your success or failure could determine whether you are granted a face-to-face interview. Just because the interview is over the phone doesn’t mean you don’t have to prepare. Do your best to sound enthusiastic and do enough research so that you can ask and answer a variety of questions. “Candidates should never discount a phone interview as just a screening call. Today, many employers conduct a series of phone interviews before inviting candidates to meet in person. It’s important to prepare for a phone interview just as you would for an in-person meeting,” Annette Richmond, a former recruiter and founder of Career Intelligence Resume Writing and Career Services, told The Cheat Sheet. 

4. Not reading the job description: Applying blindly to every job you see won’t get you very far. Take time to thoroughly review the job description and think about how your skills match what the employer is requesting from candidates. Reyes said analyzing the description and reviewing how you can deliver on the employer’s request may help you not only sell yourself but also answer tough questions during the interview. “Prepared candidates review the job description and make notes about what portions of their experience are transferable to the role they are applying for. Those notes may or may not come up in the interview, but it helps to be prepared. If there is any part of your experience that isn’t immediately obvious in the resume, but is highly relevant, make a note of that so you can bring it up organically during the conversation,” advised Reyes.

Courtesy: The Cheat Sheet.



Four Toughest Questions That Can be Asked at a Job Interview.

You’ve toiled for months, sending dozens of resumes and cover letters, and your hard work has finally paid off. You got the job interview and now it’s time to prepare for your big day. You have a killer suit picked out, your hair is perfect, and you know everything there is to know about the company. There’s some good news and bad news. The good news: you’re going to look really good and sound knowledgeable. The bad news: it’s not enough to look good and be able to recite company facts. Your interviewer is likely preparing some difficult interview questions in an effort to weed out the best from the worst. 

1. What is your greatest weakness: This is an interviewer favorite because your answer can help uncover flaws that may help the interviewer come to the conclusion you’re not the right person for the job. Career coach Mike Simpson refers to this as an “onion question” partly due to the question’s layers of complexity and the variety of ways it can be answered. “An onion question is a question with multiple layers…just like, well…an onion! And like an onion it can make you cry, but only if you tackle it unprepared. First off, this isn’t a simple question you can rattle off a quick answer to or parrot back some easy-to-memorize statistics or facts and move on. It’s a question meant to make you think, and think hard,” said Simpson. 

Simpson advises resisting the urge to deny you have any weaknesses. He says this is a slick way to avoid answering the question, and interviewers will see right through this tactic. Instead, Simpson recommends mentioning a real weakness that you’ve learned to overcome and are working toward overcoming. However, make sure the weakness is minor enough not to raise red flags and that it’s a problem that actually has a solution.



 

2. Why should we hire you: This question will likely catch you off guard. The key is to know exactly why you’re the best pick. Answering this question will require a delicate balance. The goal is to communicate confidence without sounding conceited. You also don’t want to appear to be begging for the job. “Every organization has a specific set of qualities that the potential hire needs to have in order to be successful in the position.  It’s up to you to demonstrate that you have these qualities, and the most important place to do this is in your answers to the interview questions,” said Simpson.

 

“Chances are you are going up against a group of candidates that all have very similar skills and experience.  The trick is to set yourself apart, and you can do this by highlighting a unique trait that you have that will contribute positively to the position. For example, everyone who is competing for an administrative assistant role will have experience with answering phones, word processing and filing. But let’s say you also had some project management experience. You could really emphasize your elevated skill at maintaining schedules and calendars, delegating tasks, and making deadlines. This little emphasis could really set you apart from the other candidates and leave you as a front-runner for the position,” Simpson said.

3. Tell me about yourself: Interviewing expert Laura DeCarlo said this question might also be phrased as “What should I know about you?” or “What would you like me to know about you?” This question gives you an opportunity to explain why you are the most qualified candidate. It will be important for you to take a close look at the job description so you can make sure you’re clearly demonstrating how your skills align with what the employer seeks. Review your resume and speak about past experiences that show you have the skills necessary for the position. “This is an opportunity to market yourself, presenting yourself as the solution (right candidate) for their problem (a job to fill),” said DeCarlo. “In the interview, tell them the things that emphasize how your accomplishments and experience make you an ideal candidate for the job you are seeking,” DeCarlo continued.

4. Where do you see yourself in five years: Never say you don’t know where you see yourself in the future. This shows lack of planning and a general attitude of not caring about your career. Not having an answer also suggests you don’t plan to stay with the company very long if you’re hired. You should be able to communicate your career goals and how you plan to reach those goals. An employer wants to see how passionate you are not only about the job but also your chosen career.

“Such a question measures your commitment to your future career. When you are hired, companies want to keep you as long as they can. It’s expensive to search for new talent…I know a newspaper editor who asks this question of every young journalist he interviews. If interviewees indicate they hope to go to law school or move into public relations or advertising/marketing in a few years, which a number of journalists do, he won’t hire them for a job—or an internship. He doesn’t want to waste his time training someone who doesn’t plan to stay in journalism—his chosen profession…Whoever is doing the hiring wants people who are committed to a lifelong career in their area of specialization,” said Ball State University professor and internship coordinator Sheryl Swingley.

Courtesy: Cheat Sheet.