1.
Research the Company and the Position
The
more you know about the organization and the job you are applying for, the better you will
appear in the interview. The recruiter will
be impressed by your interest and motivation, and you will be able to explain how you can
contribute to the organization.
Find
out as much key information as you can about the organization, its products, services, and
customers. If possible, talk to people who
are employees of this organization.
Things
to research include the following:
General
information about the organization, such as the location of the home office, number of
plants/stores and their locations, and the names of the parent organization or
subsidiaries
Organizational
structure, type of supervision, type of training programs
Philosophy,
goals and image
Financial
details, including sales volume, stock price, percent of annual growth in earnings per
share, and recent profits
The
competition in the industry and the organization's place in it
The
products or services marketed by the organization, including recent media coverage of them
Career
path in your field
Recent
news items regarding the company or the industry
The
recruiter's name
2.
Prepare for the Actual Interview
Practice
your answers to commonly asked questions.
Prepare a list of questions you want to ask the recruiter.
Rehearse
your interview with a friend or participate in a mock interview with Career
Services staff.
Prepare
your interview materials before you leave for your interview. Bring several copies of your résumé, a list of
your references, and, if you have one prepared, your portfolio. Make sure all materials are up-to-date.
Know
where the interview is going to take place. If
you need to, drive to the interview site in advance of your actual interview to determine
how long it will take to travel there and which route to use.
3.
What to Wear
Women
Wear
a suit that is in good taste. Avoid extremes.
Wear
sensible pumps (cleaned and polished).
Wear
make-up that is polished and understated. Keep
it to the barest minimum. Avoid bright lipstick or nail polish.
Be
moderate in the use of perfume - better yet avoid it altogether.
Have
an attractive, neat hairstyle.
Be
conservative in the use of jewelry.
Have
fingernails clean and filed
Men
Wear
a conservative suit that is cleaned and pressed.
Wear
a clean, ironed shirt; wear a tie that complements your suit and shirt.
Have
hair cut and groomed; have a clean shave.
Have
shoes clean and shined.
Have
fingernails trim and clean; avoid gaudy rings, chains, etc.
Avoid
trendy or oversized clothes.
Stay away from
overwhelming aftershaves and colognes.
4.
Preparation Exercises
a. Describe five ideas, accomplishments, strengths,
skills, or personal qualities you think would best sell yourself to an employer.
b. Describe
your ideal work environment. This may include
the physical environment, types of people with whom you work, amount of supervision, types
of responsibility, kind of organization, and organizational philosophy.
c. Describe
what you know about the organization and the position.
Why are you interested?
d. Describe
your educational background. How is it
relevant to your desired job?
e. What
is your employment background? How is your
experience relevant to this position? What
skills and abilities have you used in previous experiences that are relevant to this
position?
f. What
are your career goals? How do they relate to
this organization?
g. What
are your personal skills and abilities? How
do they relate to this job? Describe some
specific examples of how you have used them.
h. What
are your weaknesses? What steps are you
taking to improve them?
i. What
additional information do you want the recruiter to know about you?
j. What
questions do you want to ask the recruiter?
5.
Relax
Get
a good night's sleep the night before.
Let
your enthusiasm for the position and the organization show.
After all, you chose to interview with this organization; let them know why you
made that decision.
Next
Previous
Preparing for Job
Interviews
__________________________________________
For more information, please contact:
Career
Services Network
Olivet College
Mott
208
Olivet, MI 49076
Phone:
(269)749-7129
Fax:(269)749-7684
web@olivetcollege.edu
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