Top 5 things to remember when being interviewed for a new job
In the past few months, we have looked at some general advice for job hunting, covered the ever-changing landscape of networking, and in December we went through the basics of resume writing.
This month we look at the next logical step: The interview.
The interview can be the single most important part of the process as this is your only chance of making a first impression. It is very clear that skills, education and experience is what gets you the interview, however it is the 5 A’s that could land you the job.
Appearance
It might be perceived as obvious that dressing for the occasion is very important, but in my experience only about 40% of people do! There is no single rule on how to dress for an interview, though some simple guidelines should be followed.
Being neat and clean is the main thing. Even if you are just in jeans and a T-shirt (which I don’t recommend in most cases), make sure that your clothes are ironed and clean.
Dress in accordance with the job you have applied for, but possibly one level up. For example, office workers that expect to usually wear a shirt and plain trousers could put on suit for the interview.
Do notoverdress, as it could be perceived as pretension and stressful. If you feel you are overdressed, you probably are!
Avoid big overcoats, large briefcases or handbags and other accessories. It is painful to see people struggle where to put all these extra things away as the sit down for an interview.
It is worth being careful with strong smells as well. The strong smell of aftershave or perfume can make the interviewer doubt that they want to work in close proximity to such smells on regular basis.
Attitude
As with appearance, there can be different requirements for personal attitude based on the position being interviewed for. Anyone being interviewed for a high level of management will surely have to ooze confidence, while an intern might want to show a bit more laid back type of confidence.
But, there are things that apply to almost all interview scenarios:
To begin with, be present! This means having all your attention on the task at hand, having thatcell phone in your pocket and turned off, having no obligation to be somewhere else, and never looking at the clock. In essence, nothing is more important at this moment than the interview. You will also have shown this by being on time for the interview, and possibly, 5 to10 minutes early.
Having said that, be relaxed, without being docile. When you are offered a drink, accept and by doing so, show that you are there to stay for a while and that you are not shy. Don’t sit rigid (unless you are being interviewed by a Japanese company), but of course don’t slouch either.
One of the magic tricks during an interview (and in life in general) is to mirror the interviewer. If the person interviewing you speaks rapidly, try to match the speed, as it will help the flow of the conversation. This goes also for the way they sit and generally behave, though of course not too obviously. If done right, the result is that you will both enjoy the conversation, which will hopefully increase your chances of being offered the job.
Answer Sometimes answering a question has more to do with how you do it rather than what you say. The core of it is to think of the interview as a conversation, instead of an interrogation.
Stay away from very short answers, such as a simple Yes or No, while at the same time keeping your answers to the point. Make sure you understand the questions and don’t be unafraid to offer a bit more info than was asked for. This is your chance to provide insight into who you are, in a way that your resume can’t, so do not simply repeat what is stated there.
Be positive in all your answers, almost to a fault! There is nothing more discouraging than hearing someone in an interview who moans and complains about his or her previous job.
If possible have a few stories available of yourself, should the occasion arise to tell one of them. When I say stories, I do not mean a 5-minute speech, but a maximum 1-minute tale of something in your career. It should be a little bit humorous and a tad personal, while making a point about something you achieved previously. This makes the interview with you stand out, as people remember stories better than facts.
Be enthusiastic and excited in your answers. One of the questions I often put to the people I am interviewing is a simple “Why do you want to work here?” The sad truth is that very few have any answer at all. Employers want to hire people that show true interest in working for them, so make sure that you demonstrate that.
Ask
You should always feel in interviews like you are also interviewing your potential employer. In some ways, and especially when referring to larger companies, the decision of employment will affect you greater than the company. Therefore, you need to be sure that you want to work for the company and that you are likely to be happy or at least content. The only way to find that out is to ask questions!
There are other reasons why you should always be ready with a few questions, such as; it helps the flow of conversation, it shows that you have a genuine interest and it can also give you avenues to provide information you might not have been asked about but would like to share.
Like with everything else, this is a balancing act, and I have seen some ask themselves out of a job in the first few minutes.
Let me therefore give you a few things to avoid:
• Never ask questions in a way that compares this company to your previous employer: “I always got a bonus for good performance at my last job, will I get that here as well?” If the answer is no, you will already have made your potential employer look bad. Rather ask open ended “Is there any type of bonus system here?”
• Do not ask about training, as it will indicate that you are scared of taking on the job. Go by the assumption that they understand your skills and qualifications, and that if needed you will be trained.
• Stay mostly clear of salary and benefit related questions at this stage. That should be covered in a second interview, or simply asked for, if you receive an offer that does not include what you hoped for.
• Finally, remember to stick with questions that are relevant to your position. Do not venture into asking about the companies long-term plans, organization structures, future products etc., unless these directly relate to your position.
It is fine to have a few questions prepared on paper to ensure that you have covered all the main things you wanted to know. My recommendation though, is to throw in questions here and there during the interview as and when they are relevant to the topic. It makes for a more pleasant interview for both, rather than having them interrogate you, and you in turn ending the interview by interrogating them.
After
The end of the interview or as sales people would call it, the closing, is extremely important. At this stage, you need to make sure that there is an After!
Many interviewers complete interviews with such words as: “We’ll be in contact.” Instead of accepting that you need to understand what comes next, and one way to do that is to simply ask: “That is great, could you possibly tell me what the hiring process is from this point? Is there a second round of interviews and if so what sort of timing are we looking at?”
Be careful not to push too much, but the aim is to be clear on how they will proceed. If you know for example that they intend to call people in for second interview by next Friday, you have a reason to call them after that weekend if you haven’t heard from them.
This also demonstrates that you value your time and that you want to keep an eye on the progress of your application.
Finally, this will give you a good indication on how the interview went. If the person interviewing you has no further things to offer than ‘we’ll get back to you’ (even after you ask specifically) they are likely to have decided already not to hire you. On the other hand, if the interview was a great success, the interviewer will try to answer this question in order to keep your interest in the job. At this point they don’t want to lose you to someone else!
The 5 A’s are general guidelines for interviews that have proven successful for western companies. Some variation might apply depending on the company, the country and of course the position you are being interviewed for, but the core of it should always be relevant. Good luck!
In the past few months, we have looked at some general advice for job hunting, covered the ever-changing landscape of networking, and in December we went through the basics of resume writing. 
Sometimes answering a question has more to do with how you do it rather than what you say. The core of it is to think of the interview as a conversation, instead of an interrogation. 
