Deliver a Knock-Out Interview

1. Confirm the interview appointment.

Do this one day before your interview. Know the date, time, and location of the interview. Try to find out how long you’ll be there. And make sure you have your contact’s phone numbers in case you have to call.

2. Clear your calendar.

If possible, keep your schedule free of any other commitments. The interview might run over or you could be asked to stay longer. Explaining that you have to be somewhere else could create an awkward situation.

3. Say their names correctly.

If you know the names of interviewers in advance, confirm the pronunciation and spelling.

4. Be on time.

Don’t arrive more than 10 minutes early and, most important, don’t be late. Arriving late not only labels you as rude, it also makes you seem unreliable. If unforeseen circumstances arise and you must be late, do everything you can to call ahead of time.

5. Dress to impress.

How embarrassing to come to an interview and discover you’re underdressed. If possible, find out in advance what attire works. If you’re still not sure, wear a suit. There’s no such thing as overkill when dressing for an interview.

6. Let them know you’ve arrived.

Walk up to the receptionist, smile, shake hands, introduce yourself, and state that you have an appointment. Offer your résumé or business card and wait.

7. Shut off the cell phone.

Unless there’s a bona fide crisis, turn off your cell phone or pager.

8. Use your mouth for talking only.

Unless the interview is scheduled with a meal, nothing should be in your mouth but words. Drinking, eating, smoking, and chewing gum don’t work during an interview.

9. Prepare a short information statement.

Be ready to answer the dreaded question, “Tell me about yourself and your background.” Your statement should include some information on the types of companies and industries you have worked for, your strengths, your transferable skills, and some of your personal traits. Practice saying this statement until it feels natural.

10. Be prepared to talk about your successes and experiences.

The employer will want to find out about your past experience—successes and failures, your work ethic, and your track record. Be able to amplify every item on your résumé.

11. Be nice.

Everyone you meet during your interview—from the receptionist to the interviewer—should be treated with respect and courtesy. The receptionist might not be conducting the interview, but his or her opinion of you might be solicited.

12. Follow up.

Send a thank you letter within a day of the interview. Provide any documents that might have been requested, such as references, an employment application, or samples of your work. A few days later, call to express your continued interest and to see if you could offer more information.

Joe Broghammer Professional Recruiter WSI

Be prepared and get organized.

1.  Get a professional resume together.

You can find examples of resumes and how to make a good resume online in numerous locations. A good site, thou there are many, is www.bestsampleresume.com.

2. A cover letter

A cover letter isn’t always needed but it’s good to have one just in case. List what you are applying for, why you feel you are the best for that job (give examples or skills or experiences that fit the job requirements). List salary and give clear information on how to get a hold of you day and night. The cover letter doesn’t need to be long, just straight to the point.

3. Resume

At the top of the resume in larger type then the resume, list your contact information. List both home phone and cell phone (Make sure they are active phone numbers and not disconnected). DO NOT HAVE A CUTE OR FUNNY EMAIL ADDRESS. Have a professional email address that has just your name with a yahoo, hotmail or Gmail account. That way only job possibilities will go to that one site and won’t be lost or spammed and you can send emails from there with a professional return address.

4. Stand out from the crowd.

Instead of just listing your job skills, describe the benefits and results of your performance. For each permanent job or staffing assignment, develop a list of major accomplishments, placing the most emphasis on your recent achievements. What problems or challenges have you faced? What actions did you take to overcome them? How did your actions benefit the company? Keep in mind that most companies value workers who enhance profits and save time and money.

If you are applying for an Engineer positions, for example, make sure you pay more attention to your job history that relate to that job and less on jobs that don’t. Do not leave holes in your job history. If you took time off to take care of a family member or did a contract job, list them as well. If you have left your last job and are doing part-time work now, list it as well. (Companies don’t like to be surprised hearing differences from a resume and an interview).

Make your resume no more then 2 to 3 pages. Long resumes are may not be helpful if they are full of unimportant information or filler information. You DO NOT need to list personal information like age or family or religious affiliation. You DO NOT need to list hobbies or associations that are non-work related.

5. Never list the reasons for termination or leaving a job on the resume.

The reader can find negative connotations for even the best reason. You’re far better off explaining employment lapses in person.

Have a generic resume and then specific resumes for specific fields you are applying for. No company likes to get a very generic resume that they have to hunt through to find the skills sets they are looking for.

6. Load the resume using Microsoft Word format.

It’s the most common format that companies use.

7. Be realistic!

Do not just apply to jobs that you are not qualified for. No company will hire you if you are not qualified or have skills to do their job. If a company says you need 5 years experience, they will not consider you if you only have 1. Spend that time applying to jobs that you have skills or experience for.

8. Spellcheck

Spellcheck EVERYTHING before you send ANYTHING out to any company. Check for grammar errors and punctuation.

Joe Broghammer Professional Recruiter WSI