netpolarity interview tips

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Are you ready for your interview?

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Post on 22-Jan-2015

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Many interview blunders can be avoided simply by taking the time to prepare. How prepared are you for your job interview?

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  • 1. Are you ready for your interview?

2. Common interview mistakes Source: 2014 CareerBuilder survey of 2,201 hiring managers. Appearing disinterested 50% Dressing inappropriately 50% Appearing arrogant 53% Talking negatively about current or former employers 50% Answering a cell phone or texting during the interview 49% Appearing uninformed about the role 39% Not providing specific examples 33% Not asking good questions 32% Providing too much personal information. 20% Asking the hiring manager personal questions. 17% 3. Body language miscommunication Source: 2014 CareerBuilder survey of 2,201 hiring managers. Failure to make eye contact 70% Failure to smile. 44% Bad posture 35% Fidgeting too much in ones seat 35% Playing with something on the table 29% Handshake that is too weak 27% Crossing ones arms over ones chest 24% Playing with ones hair or touching ones face 24% Using too many hand gestures 10% Handshake that is too strong 5% 4. How prepared are you for your interview? Most of the blunders listed can be easily avoided simply by taking the time to prepare for the interview. 5. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! To prepare for this interview, I have (25 POINTS) visited the company website. (25 POINTS) studied the companys products/services. (25 POINTS) visited the company page on LinkedIn. (25 POINTS) checked out the LinkedIn profile of the hiring manager who will be interviewing me. 6. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! How did you score? (25 50 POINTS) You have done some basic research on the company through their website. Sites like LinkedIn can give you more insight. If you have the name of the hiring manager with whom youll be interviewing, why not take the time to review his/her profile? (75-100 POINTS) You have done some serious homework good job! The companys LinkedIn page GET AN EDGE! While youre browsing through the company page on LinkedIn, check out the profiles of others who have been hired in roles similar to the one for which you are interviewing. Does anything stand out? How are their backgrounds similar or different from yours? 7. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! FILL IN THE BLANK: To prepare for this interview, I have looked at / read ___________. (25 POINTS) the job description. (25 POINTS) the company websites Recent News section. (25 POINTS) a couple of posts from the companys blog. (25 POINTS) the companys Facebook page. 8. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! How did you score? (25 - 50 POINTS) You have an idea what the job is about, and youve done some clicking around the companys website. Many job descriptions, however, are written from templates and Recent News might not be all that recent. (75 - 100 POINTS) Youve been socially active with the companys brand, and as Martha Stewart would say, thats a good thing. A companys blog could give you further insight into a companys values and employee culture, and a companys presence in social media sites like Facebook could give you a feel of how they interact with their online community. 9. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! FILL IN THE BLANK: I can tell you ___________. (25 POINTS) when and why the company was founded. (25 POINTS) who is running the company now. (25 POINTS) whether the company is publicly/privately held. (25 POINTS) who my prospective boss is, his/her background, and how long he/she has been in this role. 10. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! How did you score? Its not just for the brownie points. Knowing as much about the companys story, what makes them different, your prospective bosss background not only shows that youve done your homework, it gives you insight on what it might be like to work there. The more you know, the more intelligent the questions youll be able to ask at the interview. 11. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! FILL IN THE BLANK: I can tell you ___________. (25 POINTS) about at least one of my accomplishments at my current/previous job that I am proud of. (25 POINTS) about a challenging situation Ive had to overcome at my current/previous position. (50 POINTS) I can articulate the above in STAR format. 12. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! How did you score? (25-50 POINTS) Yay! You have answers ready for the two most common interview questions. (100 POINTS) Awesomeness! The STAR (Situation Task Action and Result) format is a great way to ensure you stay on point and cover all bases when answering the accomplishment/ challenge question. 13. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! The STAR Model The STAR Model is a framework for answering questions that start like this: Describe the most difficult/ interesting/ rewarding or Give me an example where you SITUATION Begin with a brief description of the situation (who, what, where, when, how). TASK Explain the task you had to complete highlighting any specific challenges or constraint (deadlines, cost, other issues). ACTION Describe the specific actions you took to complete the task. These should highlight desirable traits without needing to state them (initiative, intelligence, dedication, leadership, understanding, etc). RESULT Close with the result of your efforts. Include figures to quantify the result if possible. 14. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! The STAR Model The STAR Model can be used to help you structure your answer for behavioral questions like: 1. Describe the most difficult thing youve ever worked on. 2. Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge. 3. Tell us about when you went above and beyond the call of duty. 4. Tell us about the toughest group that youve ever had to get cooperation from? 5. Tell us about a time when you had to deal with a conflict within your team and how you helped to resolve it? And many more! Try it! SITUATION + TASK + ACTION + RESULT 15. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! FILL IN THE BLANK: I can tell you ___________. (25 POINTS) at least one thing that I am excited about, related to the company role. (25 POINTS) at least one thing that I am curious about, related to the company role. (25 POINTS) at least three things that makes me a great fit for the position. (25 POINTS) at least one thing I appreciate about my current/previous employer. 16. How prepared are you for your interview? Take the test! How did you score? (25-50 POINTS) You are excited about this opportunity. Thats an awesome thing. (75 POINTS) You are excited and you are confident you are The One they are looking for (we think so, too, thats why we submitted you!). (100 POINTS) You have at least one thing nice to say about your current/previous employer awesome! 50% of hiring managers in the CareerBuilder survey said they are turned off when candidates speak negatively of their former/current employers. No matter what your experience has been with your former/current workplace, resist the negative talk. Being prepared to say something nice about your current/former employer helps. 17. How prepared are you for your interview? CHECKLIST! Interview Day Checklist ____ I got a full nights sleep. ____ I am dressed appropriately. ____ I know how to get to the physical location of where my interview will take place. ____ I have allotted plenty of time to get myself to the interview at least 15 minutes early. ____ I have a printed copy of my resume, just in case. ____ I have my recruiters number on speed dial, just in case I need last-minute help (Im lost, etc) 18. How prepared are you for your interview? CHECKLIST! Im at the lobby! ____ I have turned my phone off. ____ I have a smile on my face. 19. You got this. Have a fun interview! 20. Post-Interview Do List Im done with the interview! ____ Call my recruiter and tell him/her how the interview went. ____ Write the hiring manager a thank-you email.