Interview -preparation


Present yourself in a professional manner. This includes, but is not limited to wearing clean, wrinkle free clothing that is professional in nature. This usually means pants (not jeans), nice shirt, panty hose (if applicable), and dressier shoes (no sandals).

Making sure your fingernails are clean and trimmed. Removing excessive jewelry, such as tongue or nose rings. Be polite. Say “Please” and “Thank you”, let the interviewer speak first and direct the interview.
Think about what questions might be asked before entering the interview. For instance, if the job requires special skills, think about what you will say to show that you have experience in those areas. Many employers will ask general questions such as:
“Tell me about yourself.”

“What do you consider your biggest strength and weakness to be?”

“Why do you think you’re the best candidate for the job
”
“Tell me about the experiences you’ve had in this field.”


“What do you expect to get paid?”- find out before the interview if there is a fixed pay schedule or if you are going to be expected to negotiate for your salary.

“If I were to ask people who know you, what would they say you’re worst quality is?”- Always give a quality that is actually good in an employee, like “work too much!”

Always have three questions ready
to ask at the end of the interview. This shows the employer that you are interested in the job and that you have thought about important issues related to getting hired. Examples are: What is expected of employees in this position (if that hasn’t already been discussed). What are the hours required for the job. What benefits are offered?

Practice
makes perfect or at least leads to improvement. Practice with a friend and record or videotape your responses so you can replay the interview and see how well you did. Prepare answers to commonly asked interview questions. Doing so will help you analyze your background and qualifications for the position.

During the interview
try to remain as calm as possible. Ask for clarification if you're not sure what's been asked and remember that it is perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to frame your responses so you can be sure too fully answer the question.

Follow the interview with a professional letter to the employer, thanking them for the opportunity to interview, summarizing some key aspects of what was discussed, and asking about the status of the position. This reminds them of you and shows your interest. Be sure to check