Job Interview Success: Job Interview Tips Roundup

I’ve recently attended a few events where I’ve met a number of folks who are “in transition”. Several of them have been looking for work for while and some of them have recently begun their search. It’s a tough market out there so in order to be successful, you need every tool and every advantage you can get. I’ve posted a number of tips on these topics but I felt this would be a good time to organize them in a way to help job seekers through out the process.

Make sure your experience and qualifications are strong:

Again, you want to be as strong a candidate as possible so it’s important to get your skills in order. Not sure how to get those skills, check out my post on how to get experience. These tips are especially helpful if you’re unemployed or under-employed and looking to make a switch.

Network your way into a job:

It really is who you know so you need to be out there meeting people as much as you possibly can. Look for networking events posted in the business section of local newspapers and web sites. Also, consider visiting clubs such as Rotary or Toastmasters each of which should have a number of business owners and employed people that can help you. Make sure that you’re prepared when you attend these events. That means that you should dress appropriately and bring enough resumes.

Getting your resume read:

Half of the battle is getting your resume looked at by the people who can actually call you in for an interview. Keep in mind that during tough times, some positions get close to 1000 applicants and many folks in staffing are often overwhelmed by responses when they post an opening. Take a look at my post on How to Get Your Resume Read for some good tips.

Preparing for an interview:

If you’re still in college, check out my post of interview tips for college students this information is especially important during tough times. Remember to actually prepare for interviews – winging it not a wise decision.

Answering questions:

In the United States, we have some questions that are off limits – they’re referred to as illegal questions. These questions include “Are you married?“, “Do you have children?” and “Are you a US citizen?” Make sure you look at these posts as there are tips there on how to answer these tricky questions.

A lot of interviewers as standard questions such as “What are your strengths and weaknesses?“, “Describe your ideal boss?” or “Where do you expect to be in five years?“.

Don’t forget to follow-up:

After the interview, make sure you follow up with a thank you note. This can be sent by postal mail or email, but these days people are trending towards the latter.

There are number of articles in the Job Interview and Career sections that might be able to help you with your particular situation.

It may be a tough market out there but people are hiring so keep a positive attitude and keep at it. Good luck with your search.

If you’ve found this article useful, you might want to check out my new CD on Job Interviewing. It’s packed with tips like these that you can listen to over and over again.

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