Nailing the Interview – 5 tips for Landing Your Next Great Job in a Tough Marketplace!
Nailing the Interview – 5 tips for Landing Your Next Great Job in a Tough Marketplace!
As a former senior-level professional and nationally certified professional resume writer with extensive experience working with l professionals and HR departments, I can help! I have literally worked with thousands of candidates vying for all different types of positions. As the market continues its downward spiral and the number of applicants grows for the limited number of available positions, your interviewing skills MUST be first rate. Whether you are entry-level, senior- level, seeking an internship or C-level position, graduated from top 50 school or no-named college, these following pointers will help.
1. Dress Well: Many people confuse this with wearing a $3000 suit – that is not what I mean. It is all about holding yourself up, and presenting yourself well. The suit should be pressed, and preferably grey, charcoal, or pinstripe. If you wear a black suit, you can come across as too morose, but if you wear a white suit, you may come across as too flashy. When it comes to appearance, it is impossible to tell what the interviewer's personal style and tastes are. Therefore, your best bet is to keep it professional and business acceptable.
2. Shine your shoes/Wear a Watch: Countless studies have shown that in general, people judge other people at first glance based upon, 1. The type of shoes they are wearing and 2. The type of watch they wear. This does not mean go out and spend $500 on shoes and $10,000 on a watch. It means make sure your shoes are shined, and that your watch looks professional.
3. Be Prepared: Executives have egos. Before you have your interview, usually you can find out who will be conducting the interview. Do your research, try to find something you have in common with the person interviewing, and practice in your head naturally bringing this up during the interview. Sure, if you're on a first date and you start spurting out information you "googled" about your date you will seem creepy, but the same does not hold for an interview. Do your research, find something you have in common with the interviewer and make a mental note of it.
4. Be Prepared with Questions: It is not just you, EVERYONE hates this part – including the interviewer, but it is essential. Look at the numbers: If you have 200 people applying for 1 position, you need to stand out from the pack. Wearing a loud tie does not work and neither does printing your resume on colored paper. By showing some interest, you will stand out from the pack. For example, if it is a litigation job, you may ask "Will I have the chance to conduct depositions or sit first chair for trial" (Shows drive and initiative).
5. Purchase a GREAT RESUME: Nobody wants to spend money on a resume, but in a tough environment, it is your best bet to pull ahead of the crowd of applicants. With so many shoddy resume companies, you should only trust your resume to a Certified Professional Resume Writer that is experienced!
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]-->
As a former senior-level professional and nationally certified professional resume writer with extensive experience working with l professionals and HR departments, I can help! I have literally worked with thousands of candidates vying for all different types of positions. As the market continues its downward spiral and the number of applicants grows for the limited number of available positions, your interviewing skills MUST be first rate. Whether you are entry-level, senior- level, seeking an internship or C-level position, graduated from top 50 school or no-named college, these following pointers will help.
1. Dress Well: Many people confuse this with wearing a $3000 suit – that is not what I mean. It is all about holding yourself up, and presenting yourself well. The suit should be pressed, and preferably grey, charcoal, or pinstripe. If you wear a black suit, you can come across as too morose, but if you wear a white suit, you may come across as too flashy. When it comes to appearance, it is impossible to tell what the interviewer's personal style and tastes are. Therefore, your best bet is to keep it professional and business acceptable.
2. Shine your shoes/Wear a Watch: Countless studies have shown that in general, people judge other people at first glance based upon, 1. The type of shoes they are wearing and 2. The type of watch they wear. This does not mean go out and spend $500 on shoes and $10,000 on a watch. It means make sure your shoes are shined, and that your watch looks professional.
3. Be Prepared: Executives have egos. Before you have your interview, usually you can find out who will be conducting the interview. Do your research, try to find something you have in common with the person interviewing, and practice in your head naturally bringing this up during the interview. Sure, if you're on a first date and you start spurting out information you "googled" about your date you will seem creepy, but the same does not hold for an interview. Do your research, find something you have in common with the interviewer and make a mental note of it.
4. Be Prepared with Questions: It is not just you, EVERYONE hates this part – including the interviewer, but it is essential. Look at the numbers: If you have 200 people applying for 1 position, you need to stand out from the pack. Wearing a loud tie does not work and neither does printing your resume on colored paper. By showing some interest, you will stand out from the pack. For example, if it is a litigation job, you may ask "Will I have the chance to conduct depositions or sit first chair for trial" (Shows drive and initiative).
5. Purchase a GREAT RESUME: Nobody wants to spend money on a resume, but in a tough environment, it is your best bet to pull ahead of the crowd of applicants. With so many shoddy resume companies, you should only trust your resume to a Certified Professional Resume Writer that is experienced!
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]-->
Source...