Job Interview

HOW TO OUT PERFORM YOUR COMPETITION IN ANY JOB INTERVIEW.  

If you have distributed your CV, got to the job interviews but you're not getting the job offers you desire, then you need to look carefully at your interview performance. You should try and get as much feedback as possible from the people who have interviewed you. If you have been unsuccessful in obtaining a job ring up the interviewer and ask them where they think you fell down and how they think you could do better. Once you have got feedback you can modify your interview technique and hopefully do better at the next interview. 
In this section, you are going to find free job interview advice, including interview techniques, questions the interviewer may ask you, questions you may want to ask the interviewer, general interview guidance, panel interview and group interview tests. You will be taught how to handle interviews and hopefully improve your interview technique to improve your chances of being the successful candidate that lands that all-important job offer. 

  
General job interview Tips and Advice 

Before you go for an interview, find out everything you can about the company by reading their annual report if they have one. (This can be obtained by telephoning them). Re-read your application, thinking through your own career and the questions they might ask you. You should try to anticipate the general questions which they will ask and also prepare some questions to ask them. 
To do well at the job interview, you will need to convince the interviewer you are technically qualified to do the job. You will also need to show that you are sufficiently motivated to get the job done well and that you will fit in with the company's organizational structure and the team in which you will work. 
You should dress smartly for the job interview and should leave home earlier than you need to on the day of the interview - you may be delayed by traffic or for other reasons. Be courteous to all employees of the company. At the interview itself you must be positive about yourself and your abilities - but do not waffle. 
Group Interview Tests 
An employer to see how you react in a group uses group tests. They will want to see if you help or hinder the group reach its objectives. An observer will be watching to see how you take criticism, whether you take on leadership roles and involve less communicative group members. If you chair the meeting the observer will be checking on how you plan and keep control of the meeting. If you are leading a group activity the observer will be interested in seeing how good you are at delegating tasks and how much of the work you keep for yourself. 
  
Panel interviews

 
Most people hate these sorts of interviews and find them a bit of an endurance test. To do well you will need to identify the important figures on the panel and which role each is fulfilling. The chairperson is easy to identify, as they will generally make the introductions. You will also need to identify the person whom you will be working for directly - make sure you give them plenty of eye contact. 
When you are talking to the panel, remember that you are talking to all of them and not just the person who posed a particular question - your answer has to be the correct one for each panel member! If there is one particular panel member who everyone else seems to agree with, you should make sure you impress him or her .

Job Interview Body Language 

It is very important that you give out the right signal when you are being interviewed. You should always look attentive. Considerations here should be:   

1. Do not slouch in your chair. 
2. Never lie to anyone in an interview, your body language and tone of voice or the words you use will probably give you away - classic body language giveaways include scratching your nose and not looking directly at the other person when you are speaking to them. 
3. If you have a moustache you may want to consider shaving it off - people with moustaches can be perceived as being aggressive. You can always grow it again once you have got the job. 
  
How To Dress For Interview Success 

It is a fact that, most fresh graduates and the average jobseeker are woefully under prepared with proper interview dress. They feel they can "get by" with what is already in their wardrobe. Usually not. Dress for the world outside is quite different from the campus scene. Remember that stylish is not conservative. You should be doing the talking, not your clothes. 
This is not to say that you need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Go for quality over quantity. One or two well-chosen business suits will serve you all the way to the first day on the job and beyond. Then, when you are making some money (and have a chance to see what the standard "uniform" is for the company), you can begin to round out your wardrobe. For now, no one will fault you for wearing the same sharp outfit each time you interview. If you desire some variety within a limited budget, you might consider varying your shirt/blouse/tie/accessories as a simple way to change your look without breaking your wallet. 
You need to dress for success in any job interview. It does no harm to you if you borrow the attire from your friend or relative. Follow these guidelines for successful interview dress: 

Successful Interview Dress For Women. 

The key to dressing for an interview is to give a professional appearance without looking like a male impersonator. This is particularly true when the interviewer is a man. For this reason, it is a good idea to invest in a proper interview wardrobe. The old adage is true: ``If you want to make money, you have to spend money." Do not skimp on your interview outfit.
Keep in mind that the clothes referred to here as an interview outfit are not only for the one on-campus interview. Probably there will be visits to the organization's offices for further interviews, as well as leads that you follow up on your own. Also, the clothes and tips described here are the ``uniform" of most professional women, so your interview outfit can become the start of your working wardrobe.
What to buy? John T. Malloy in his book The Women's Dress for Success Book has researched this question and found that the skirted suit and blouse make the best impression. His ranking of the impact of apparel on an executive is (1) skirted suit, (2) dress or skirt with a blazer, (3) dress with a matching jacket and (4) simple dress.
No Pants! Look through any magazine with pictures of professional women and the vast majority will be wearing clothes with some kind of coat.
Style should be simple with the skirt falling just below the knee. Jackets and blazers should be cut fully enough to cover the contours of the bustline. It should not be pinched in at the waist to accentuate the bust. The sleeves should be long. Wearing a vest with a skirted suit or blazer is not advisable.
Patterns should be solids, tweeds or no more than medium plaids. Women's professional wear need not be drab, but it is always best to be conservative rather than bold. Avoid pinstripes in suits and blazers. Striped dresses are acceptable; however, no prints!
Colors should be grays, blues, camel, dark brown, beige, deep maroon or black. Avoid most pastels, particularly pink, yellow and green. Reds, oranges, or anything considered exotic like salmon or mustard are unsuitable. Usually it is best to stay away from light summer colors year-round, particularly in dresses.
Materials for suits and blazers should be wool, wool and polyester blends or linen. Synthetics that accurately duplicate the look and feel of wool or linen are all right, but natural fibers are best. In any outfit, fabrics that cling, shine, or make noise distract from professionalism and therefore do not make a good impression.
Blouses should be a solid color (white is probably best) and made of cotton or silk. The neckline should be no lower than the equivalent of a man's dress shirt with one button undone. If you are wearing a suit or blazer, the blouse collar can be worn either inside or out. Avoid too much lace, too many ruffles or other frills. Never wear sweaters or other knits. 
Shoes should be plain dark pumps with closed heels and toes. The heels should be only 1.5 inches high at most. Avoid extremes such as platforms, spike heels, bright colors, etc.
Hosiery should always be worn and be a natural skin color. Never wear colored or sparkling hose when interviewing for a professional position.
Underwear is a must. A bra is essential and should firmly hold the breasts and hide the nipples. A slip or half-slip should be worn unless the skirt is fully lined. Color does not matter unless it can be seen through the clothing. Be particularly careful when wearing unlined light-colored clothes because underwear will show through.
Scarves are an excellent accessory to accentuate your clothes. They should not be in bold contrast, however. Silk is the preferred scarf material. Good scarf styles are the ascot and the scout. Avoid designer goods of any kind, particularly anything with the designer's name or logo visible.
Jewelry should accentuate, not be the center of attention. Some jewelry is acceptable, but whenever you have a question about whether or not to wear a piece, remember ``less is often best." One ring is usually enough.. Never wear any jewelry that makes noise when you move. If you wear earrings, studs are best. Avoid dangling jewelry.
Purses should not be brought to an interview if possible. If you do carry a purse, it should be high-quality leather in a dark color. (Ideally, leather accessories, shoes, purses, belts, etc., should match.) Avoid contrasts with your clothing. The purse should be organized so that if you need something during the interview, such as a pen, you do not have to fumble and search for it. (A nice touch is to carry a good gold or silver pen, not the plastic or ``give-away" variety.)
It may sound silly, but research has found that women, who carry a leather attaché case, even if it is empty, are generally viewed as the most professional. 
  
To recap some of the do's and don'ts of dressing for an interview: 
 ALWAYS:
1. Dress in upper-middle class clothing.
2. Select clothing appropriate for the job you are interviewing for.
3. Wear natural colored hose.
4. Wear plain shoes with closed heels and toes.
5. Err on the conservative side if you make a mistake.
NEVER:
1. Wear anything sexy for an interview.
2. Wear any kind of knitted garment.
3. Dress like you are imitating a man.
4. Wear anything with a designer's name or logo showing.
5. Wear a fad item.
6. Be the first to wear a new fashion.
7. Wear anything too bold, bright or sharply contrasting. 
  
  
Successful interview dress for men. 
The standard jobs interviewing attire for men is a conservative dark navy or gray two-piece business suit (of natural fibers, such as wool, if possible), a white long-sleeved button-down dress shirt, a conservative silk tie (that matches the colors in your suit), and nicely polished dress shoes. If you do not own a suit, or the company is a bit more informal, then you should wear a conservative sports coat (no plaids or wild patterns and preferably a dark color), nicely pressed dress slacks, a white long-sleeved button-down shirt, a conservative silk tie, and nicely polished dress shoes. Your belt should match your shoes. 
If you have a beard or mustache, they should be neatly trimmed. If you have any visible body parts pierced, most experts recommend removing all jewelry, including earrings. 
Summary on men’s successful Interview Attire. Necktie should be silk with a conservative pattern 
Dark shoes (black lace-ups are best) 
Dark socks (black is best) 
Get a haircut; short hair always fares best in interviews 
No beards (unless you are interviewing for a job as a lumberjack!) 
Moustaches are a possible negative, but if you must, make sure it is neat and trimmed 
No rings other than wedding ring or college ring 
No earrings (if you normally wear one, take it out) 
Men and Women 
Conservative two-piece business suit (solid dark blue or grey is best) 
Conservative long-sleeved shirt/blouse (white is best, pastel is next best) 
Clean, polished conservative shoes 
Well-groomed hairstyle 
Clean, trimmed fingernails 
Minimal cologne or perfume 
Empty pockets--no bulges or tinkling coins 
No gum, candy or cigarettes 
Light briefcase or portfolio case 
No visible body piercing (nose rings, eyebrow rings, etc.) 
One final note on interview dress: while it goes without saying that your interview clothes should be neat and clean, very few interviewees give the same time and attention to their shoes. Shoes? Yes, shoes. There are recruiters who form first impressions based solely on shoes. Such people do not have a shoe fetish--they subjectively judges that those who pay attention to details like their shoes are also likely to be diligent in their work life. And it is not just that their opinion. Many have said that you can judge a person by their shoes. It is not enough to be clean, pressed, and ironed. Make sure your shoes are conservative, clean, and polished.

Factors that can Cost you the Interview/Job

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