How you can control the interview
There are a lot of strategies for getting a job. You can take the blitzkrieg approach and pummel every local business with your resume or you can apply at only a handful of carefully chosen places. Both of these are viable strategies that can lead to the same thing: the job interview.
Getting to the job interview can feel like the hardest part of the hiring process until you're actually in the interview and start sweating buckets. Relax — you know what you want, you know how to get it and, after reading this, you might just have your interviewers eating out of your hand.
Kelly Johnson works at the London Training Centre at 317 Adelaide St. conducting individual and group sessions on effective interview strategies. She said that the type of interview often depends on the type of job; “Every industry looks at interviews and does interviews differently. There are certain common themes like behavioural questioning: ‘What would you do if...?' The reason that employers like it is that it gives them an insight into you as a candidate.” Behavioural questioning is a popular strategy when first starting out because you may not have any experience with issues like co-worker confrontation; employers need to assess what your personality is like to anticipate how you'll react.
The first thing you're likely to do upon meeting your interviewer is introduce yourself and shake their hand. “A good proper handshake can make or break a deal. Firm, but not knuckle-crunching, you want to go in straight hand, straight wrist … shake two or three times and let go.” A limp handshake can seem timid and a death grip seems aggressive. It's important that you're relaxed and at ease when you're in the interview room or it will show in a lot of different ways, which could put your interviewer on edge as well.
One of the most important things to consider when preparing for an interview is your outfit. “Dress one level above what you'd be wearing on the job,” is Johnson's advice. She also described what not to wear and the danger of overdressing. “(No) blue jeans, black jeans (or) casual pants. The other rule of thumb is no running shoes. A pair of loafers is fine, dress shoes are fine; if it's a manufacturing environment where you wear steel-toed boots on the floor, wear them to the interview, show them you fit in.”
Another piece of advice: arrive 10 minutes early and check in with reception. “Always ask where the washroom is so you can do a last-minute check,” added Johnson. You never know if you're sporting a milk moustache or mustard-stained shirt, so save yourself the embarrassment. “You get an initial impression in the first seven to 10 seconds, and that's just visual.”
You should always follow up an interview with a thank-you note. “It gives you a chance to address any shortcomings you had at the interview.” You can also reiterate a point you wanted to drive home or even admit to being anxious at the time, but it's most important to thank the person for their patience. Everybody is human and an experienced interviewer will recognize any errors you make from nerves without holding them against you.
As a final thought, Johnson stated, “By the time you get to the interview stage in your application for employment, you've already answered (the question), ‘Can you and will you do the job?' The interview is more about, ‘Do I like you, do you fit in, can I spend 40 hours a week with you and what can you do for the company?'”
Honesty in a job interview is always the best policy; if you're hired with unrealistic expectations, the job probably won't be a positive experience. The employer is ultimately looking for the most qualified person whom they like best, and that could be you!
Getting to the job interview can feel like the hardest part of the hiring process until you're actually in the interview and start sweating buckets. Relax — you know what you want, you know how to get it and, after reading this, you might just have your interviewers eating out of your hand.
Kelly Johnson works at the London Training Centre at 317 Adelaide St. conducting individual and group sessions on effective interview strategies. She said that the type of interview often depends on the type of job; “Every industry looks at interviews and does interviews differently. There are certain common themes like behavioural questioning: ‘What would you do if...?' The reason that employers like it is that it gives them an insight into you as a candidate.” Behavioural questioning is a popular strategy when first starting out because you may not have any experience with issues like co-worker confrontation; employers need to assess what your personality is like to anticipate how you'll react.
The first thing you're likely to do upon meeting your interviewer is introduce yourself and shake their hand. “A good proper handshake can make or break a deal. Firm, but not knuckle-crunching, you want to go in straight hand, straight wrist … shake two or three times and let go.” A limp handshake can seem timid and a death grip seems aggressive. It's important that you're relaxed and at ease when you're in the interview room or it will show in a lot of different ways, which could put your interviewer on edge as well.
One of the most important things to consider when preparing for an interview is your outfit. “Dress one level above what you'd be wearing on the job,” is Johnson's advice. She also described what not to wear and the danger of overdressing. “(No) blue jeans, black jeans (or) casual pants. The other rule of thumb is no running shoes. A pair of loafers is fine, dress shoes are fine; if it's a manufacturing environment where you wear steel-toed boots on the floor, wear them to the interview, show them you fit in.”
Another piece of advice: arrive 10 minutes early and check in with reception. “Always ask where the washroom is so you can do a last-minute check,” added Johnson. You never know if you're sporting a milk moustache or mustard-stained shirt, so save yourself the embarrassment. “You get an initial impression in the first seven to 10 seconds, and that's just visual.”
You should always follow up an interview with a thank-you note. “It gives you a chance to address any shortcomings you had at the interview.” You can also reiterate a point you wanted to drive home or even admit to being anxious at the time, but it's most important to thank the person for their patience. Everybody is human and an experienced interviewer will recognize any errors you make from nerves without holding them against you.
As a final thought, Johnson stated, “By the time you get to the interview stage in your application for employment, you've already answered (the question), ‘Can you and will you do the job?' The interview is more about, ‘Do I like you, do you fit in, can I spend 40 hours a week with you and what can you do for the company?'”
Honesty in a job interview is always the best policy; if you're hired with unrealistic expectations, the job probably won't be a positive experience. The employer is ultimately looking for the most qualified person whom they like best, and that could be you!
