For a Job Seeker today that is trying to Find A Job,
Getting the job interview is almost like
“Winning The Lottery”.
The Interview is Your Lotto Ticket To Success
The problem with this analogy is that instead of getting the money and spending it, you still have to “Claim The Prize”. Of course the prize is the Job Offer.
With the job market being so crowded these days, it is important that a job applicant is extremely prepared before he steps into that room with the job interviewer. This involves practice and research. In any aspect of our lives today, the people we want to hire, are the people that are knowledgeable and confident in their answers. Consider the last decision you made to hire a plumber or a roofer, or even your doctor or real estate agent. The individual that made you feel comfortable in the fact that he or she could do the job, was the person you decided to use to “get the job” done.
Preparation Is Key To A Good Interview
We have information for you on our website to prepare for questions that you might be asked during the interview. We also suggest that you ask a family member or friend to do a “mock interview” with you to see how you answer questions and help you become more comfortable in the interview situation. If you can video the mock interview, you will find information about how you sit in the chair and body language that you may want to correct. This is very helpful and you will be very surprised about how you handle yourself during an interview situation. Click to download our checklist for the interview
REMEMBER: Whether you are interviewing with a Recruiter, Company Interviewer or Owner of a Company, the “bottom-line” question of the interviewer is whether you can actually do the job required and would you represent him or her in the manner they want to be seen. Keeping this one thing in mind, is critical.
Here are some questions that an interviewer might ask you and that you might want to prepare for before you go to that “Lucky Lotto Interview”:
- Tell me about yourself. (Answer this question relating to your career accomplishments and goals and not your family)
- Tell me about your previous job and your previous employer? (Always give positive information)
- What are you looking for in your next position?
- What have you done in the past that prepares you for my job opening?
- What can you bring to my company and Why should I hire you?
- What skills, abilities and knowledge do you have that you see fit in with my company environment?
- What are your negative attributes? (This is not a place to tell negative things about yourself- Answer with a positive spin – i.e. “I am very conscientious and enjoy getting the job done correctly the first time, so many times I will stay until I finish the project to my personal satisfaction.”)
- Tell me about your strengths and what you have done in your previous jobs that you are proud of. (Relate these to the job opening you are apply for.)
We have lots of information on our website to help you further. Be sure to visit our pages regarding interviews for more information. Click Here to visit our Interview Preparation and Free Interview Information.
Two very good videos from our website are included in this posts. The following video is from Pat Goodwin of PatGoodwinPersonnel.com, which explains more about interview questions:
Interview questions today have been even more involved than they were previous years. Just in the past couple of days, I have heard several unusual questions, such as “What is Your Favorite Color?” , “What would you request for your Last Meal?” and “Who is Your Favorite Cartoon Hero?” These questions can be very disconcerting and are not on the “general interviewing questions list”, that we are used to hearing. So, prepare yourself for anything and answer appropriately. These are not questions, that I or any interviewer can answer for you. However, keep the job opening requirements in mind when you are answering questions that don’t make sense to you. For A Position In Sales, a good answer to the Cartoon question might be: ‘Wonder Woman” or “Super Man” because I am a problem solver and enjoy meeting new people and helping them solve problems using the products that I have to sell. Sorry, can’t help with the ” last meal” or “color” questions, you might need to look around the office… 
The Salary Question: Do not bring up salary, benefits, or any of the questions relating to “What The Company Can Do For Me?”. This is the opportunity for you to gain the employer’s interest in you and want to pursue you. My feeling about initial interviews are: “This is when you challenge yourself, to make that employer want you in his company and develop the attitude that he or she wants to make you “The Job Offer“. Challenge yourself at each step in this process to “Get The Offer” and your approach will be more positive and more effective in your interview.
If the employer does ask you “The Money Question“, a good reply is: “What would you be willing to pay a person that brings the skills and talents that I possess?” Another response from you might be, “I know salaries in this economy are different today, and what salary are you considering for this position?”
Peggy’s video below gives you valuable information regarding how to deal with the subject of money in the interview. The ideas and information she provides will help you deal with this important part of the the interview process appropriately.
An important point for you to remember in any interview is that you are selling a product to this employer and your product is “you”
Research: Your Second Key Element Before The Interview:
Know the company,
Know their products,
Know what types of individuals they hire
Finding out information about companies today is as easy as looking on the internet. The more you understand what the company does, the products or services and the environment, the better you can do in an interview. The more you can find out about the employment process and/or the interviewer, the more prepared you can be for your meeting and understand how your skills and talents can work within the organization.
Research, Research, Reasearch
We have lots more information for you on our website regarding interviewing and information to help you find a job in today’s market. You can find information regarding “How To Close The Interview” and how to use social media to find job openings today. Be sure to visit our website: http://www.houstonjobopportunities.com.
