Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

Anatomy of an interview Smiley Embarassed

What about DO’S and DONT’S when you’re sitting right there in front of the interviewer?

Let's set the scene ...

So you have arrived, nice and early, you smile and greet the receptionist nicely (or whomever has greeted you) and you sit (or stand) looking around, waiting excitedly thinking;this could be the one Smiley Very Happy

DO breath deeply to calm nerves

DO use any other simple techniques you have mastered to calm the nerves.

Just then your interviewer appears ... he/she is professional and looking friendly ... so what next?

DO shake hands with the interviewer when you first meet. Either extend your hand or shake theirs when it’s extended to you. It’s a polite form of greeting and widely accepted in our society as being ‘good manners’. If they refuse it - that's a red flag for YOU (unless they are disabled in which case OK)

DO wait to be asked to sit down and then wait for the interviewer to begin. It's likely they have a schedule  to follow and as an interviewee your aim should be to fall in line with that schedule and make the process of getting to know you as smooth as possible.

DO smile and express yourself in this part of the interview .., nice weather, good car park, great office, good location ... all very acceptable at this time. If you use humor here, it should be well received. Just know that soon it will be time to get a little more serious.

DON’T feel the need to answer questions right away without first giving the question some thought. If it’s a behavioural question and you’re a visual person, then take a moment to ‘visualise’ a ‘time when …’.This way you can use your visualisation to describe ‘a time when … you solved a problem within the organisation and helped them save money’ or whatever the question is.  DO take your time.

DO use humor to help your nerves but DON’T overdo it, DO check verbal and non-verbal cues for when it may be time to get more serious.

DO be aware that your interviewer is always watching you for non-verbal (what you do) and verbal (what you say) clues … do you say you love the location but your eyes tell a different story? Do you nod in the affirmative but your body language says 'no'way' …  Your interviewer will be able to tell!

That’s why @2or3thingsIknow 's advice DO ‘always be yourself’ is the best! Because when you’re honest about yourself and the answers that you give, the genuine side of you will shine through and your prospective employer will be duly impressed.

DON’T lie, I know there’s speculation out there that stre-e-e-e-tching the truth is ok, but honestly it’s not worth it. It may not be picked up in the interview but sooner or later (through referees, other’s observations or your performance etc.) the truth will surface. So DO be honest.

@NikNik and @2or3thingsIknow Do you have any other great tips for when you're right there in the interview?

Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

In the interview: DO ask questions.

In her article ‘Don’t ask that: dumb questions to ask in an interview!’ By Stephanie Castellano she claims people ask questions that are ‘dumb’ in her experience they are things like …

 “How late do you consider too late for showing up to work?” Smiley Very Happy

“When can I retire?” Smiley Surprised

“Can I take a three-week vacation?” Smiley Frustrated

 “When can I get a raise?” Smiley Indifferent

So DON’T ask those questions!!

Instead DO ask …

“What is a typical day like?”

 “What qualities would make someone successful in this position?”

“What do you like most about working here?”

“Who was in this position previously, and why did he or she leave?”

DO ask questions that could give you valuable insights into what it’s really like to work at a particular company:

Stephanie says ...

“When first meeting with potential employers, it’s better to pose big-picture questions so you can
discover how aligned your skills and personality are with the role and the organization… You can delve into the details in future meetings.”

DO ask questions, practice them first with a trusted friend and work out whether they’re DO’s or DONT’S. Sometimes we just don't realise the question may not be well perceived that's why practicing is so important to do with someone you trust.

Do you have someone to practice interviews with? Have you ever asked something that was not well received? Smiley Wink

Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

I love the little smiley emjoi reactions!

 

What has helped me through interviews is the perspective of the interview isn't just for them to pass judgement on me, it's also for me to pass judgement on them! 

Is it a place I want to work?

Did I get a good vibe from them?

Now that I know more about the role, is it still something I want?

 

That calms the nerves for me a lot!

Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

Well we have come to the end of another awesome Forum!

Big thanks to @NikNik and @2or3thingsIknow for sharing today, I hope you and others got something from the many DO'S and DON'TS we shared.

I look forward to catching up next week, same day and same place!

Enjoy your weekend and remember if you DO have an interview coming up or if you know someone who does, refer to this Forum for lots of DO’s and DONT’S and also remember to remain confident in the knowledge that if all else fails, you did your best and that’s all you can ask for. Woman Very Happy

Look forward to more CareerChat soon!

Renstar

Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

Thanks @NikNik yes absolutely - knowing they're just as much under the microscope them as you are is very calming.

I love the REFRAME going on here ... looking at things from a different perspective is very helpful for calming nerves!

Maybe we can discuss more about calming nerves in future CareerChats!

Great session today @NikNik and @2or3thingsIknow.

Thanks again for sharing Smiley Happy

Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

Hi peeps. Great discussion, and some very important DOs and DON'Ts raised about interviews. Thanks for sharing your expertise... 🙂

Sorry I missed the live chat phase... life got in the way...

I would like to add a small thing. Eye contact. When we are nervous, we can tend to avoid eye contact, but I feel it is an important way of presenting yourself as open, honest and confident.

When you shake hands, make eye contact. When you ask or answer a question, make eye contact. When you are being interviewed by a panel (more than one person), make eye contact mainly with the person you're actively interacting with, but don't forget the others.

But not scary serial killer eye contact... hahaha... just calm and casual if you can pull it off. 🙂

Also, most people have verbal tics that they fall back to when they're nervous. Try to avoid repeating them too much "Yes, you know, I had a time when, you know, I had to, you know, manage a store, you know, by myself... you know..."

Work out what you want to do with your hands. Fidgeting too much can be very distracting, and it broadcasts your nervousness to the room.

I sweat a lot, especially when nervous, and sometimes am prone to excessive blushing if I'm in a wrong head space. I take a sip of water and try to relax, and try not to focus too much on the blushing and the flop sweat...

Definitely be yourself. Otherwise it will come back to bite you.

And definitely interview them too. They need to be a good enough employer for you. That helps to balance the power equation during the interview.

Humour is important for me. If they can't laugh, then it's too serious a workplace for me. I've worked jobs too serious... all work and no play makes Silenus a dull boy. But of course it's all about balance... don't overdo it.

Once, I was being interviewed before Christmas for a technical consultant role at Hewlett Packard... suits, suits and more suits. At one point during the interview I was getting nervous, so I held up my hand to stop the question and said "Sorry to interrupt, but I have got to know - is that Christmas tree in the foyer real or plastic?" The guy interviewing me said "I don't know. Let's go and have a look." And we did! For the record, the tree was real, and I got the job... hahaha... it was a bit of a gamble, but I had read him right...

In my 20-year work career, I've made it to the interview stage 7 times, and got the job 6 of those times...

But I don't mind admitting that since my last major depression and meltdown, reconnecting with my former confidence and level of functioning has been quite difficult. I fear going for a job where stress and long hours will kick off my bipolar in full swing again. Managing my fears and expectations will be key to my ongoing progress...

Hugs and happy vibes beaming to you all, and to anyone going for interviews -:be yourself, shine, and best of luck! 🙂

Re: Career Chat // This Friday, 10am AEST // Interview Do's and Don'ts

Thanks for the tag @NikNik - much appreciated.

Hugs and lotsa them there happy vibes beaming your way. 🙂