Preparing for the interview
- Know the exact place and time of the interview as well as the name of the person you will be interviewing with.
- Learn facts about the company you will be interviewing with (company web site or ask an Office Staffing consultant).
- Give yourself plenty of time to get there — do not be late.
- Bring two clean copies of your resume.
- DRESS PROFESSIONALLY. General guidelines are to be conservative and neat in what you wear:
Men — business suit / dress slacks, shirt and tie / dress slacks, shirt and sweater / dress slacks, dress shoes and socks.
Women — business suit / dress skirt and blazer or sweater / business dress / blouse or skirt combinations / tailored slacks only / dress shoes / nylons or socks should be worn / conservative accessories / skirts and dresses should be no shorter than 2 inches above the knee.
Interview Tips
- Prepare an outline of the duties and responsibilities of the job you will be interviewing for — List skills you have that will add value.
- Use the 2 second rule (pause for two seconds before you answer the questions asked).
- Follow the interviewers flow.
- It is OK to be nervous.
- Stating a weakness is okay but turn it into a positive (I am a perfectionist. I guess that is good too though because things are getting done in a timely and correct manner).
- Smile.
- No slang.
- Practice good eye contact.
- Sit straight in your chair.
- Give a firm handshake.
- Show confidence.
- Dress appropriate.
- Leave yourself open.
Negative Factors Evaluated by an Interviewer
- Poor personal appearance.
- Overbearing.
- Too much irrelevant information shared.
- Put too many restrictions on yourself.
- Lack of interest.
- Lack of confidence.
- Overemphasis on compensation.
- Lack of tact.
- Condemnation of past employers or managers.
- Inability to maintain conversation.
- Failure to ask questions about the position.
- Persistent attitude of "what can you do for me?"
- Lack of preparation.
Sample Interview Questions
- What is the most important thing to you in a new job.
- What types of working environments do you work best in?
- Why do you want to work for ____________________ ?
- Name 3 strengths.
- Name one weakness.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Why do you feel you should be hired over other candidates?
- How would you deal with a coworker who you had a personality conflict with?
- Tell me one thing you did not like about your past job?
- Tell me one thing you liked about your past job.
- Describe yourself in 3 words.
- Tell me about your greatest accomplishment.
- How would you describe your most recent job performance?
- What interests you in this company?
- What are your short-term/long-term goals?
- What motivates you?
- Why are you looking for a job?
- Why are you leaving your current position?
- Describe a time when you were faced with a challenging situation and how you handled it?
- Why do you feel you should be chosen over other candidates?
- What would your past co-workers say your strengths and weaknesses are?
- Describe a complex situation in which you had to learn a lot quickly. How did you go about learning, and how successful were the outcomes?
- How much supervision do you want or need?
- How would you describe your sense of humor?