Career Chat // Interview Do's and Don'ts // CLOSED

I DO like to have a light hearted joke, but know where the boundary is. You can often read the room of people and whether it's appropriate or not. If you can't get a read of the room, no jokes 🙂

I also think it depends what job you're going for. If it's hospitality or retail, showing that you can relate and connect to people is important - being able to incorporate light hearted humour into your interview could get you brownie points. In other roles, it might not be as important.

Great to read another inspiring Career Chat @Renstar!

The best advice about DOs and DON'Ts for job interviews that I have ever received are...

DO be yourself. It's not just about the qualifications/experience/knowledge you bring, but also about the kind of person you are. The other stuff can usually be ascertained by looking at a CV, but what you bring as a person, the values you hold etc can only be conveyed by speaking with you and getting to know you in person.

DON'T forget that YOU are interviewing the company/organisation to see if they/the role meet your needs, just as much as THEY are interviewing YOU. It is easy to get caught up in thinking that an interview is like an audition and the spotlight is all on you. In fact, a job interview is a two-way process.

Wonderful to have you here @2or3thingsIknow ! I also find your comments very inspiring ...

Let's look at the advice you've been given then ...

'DO be yourself in an interview' - absolutely! Such great advice and the truth is when I interview candidates I can always tell when they're trying to be something they are not. To avoid this sort of situation apply for positions you know you'll really love ... not roles that you have to pretend to like.

And sadly, if you're trying to be something you're not it will be noticed!

Very true again about the company wanting to meet you and see what sort of person you are @2or3thingsIknow - we receive so many CV's and Cover Letters some of which look much like each other ... the ones that stand out also have 'personality' and your effort shows.

That personality is what I look for too, I then want to see it in ther interview.

So DO be yourself both in the Cover Letter and also in the interview. Excellent advice.

And of course, the second DO, do interview the company as well, they're hiring you but they also need to be checked out.

Are they unprofessional?

Disorganised?

Too familar/too impersonal?

How does the receptionist respond to you - is she/he grumpy or appearing to be really happy with their role in the company?

Look around ... you are also interviewing them after all you're going to have to work here!!! if it's not up to scratch then it may be time to rethink.

thanks so much @2or3thingsIknow for getting that conversation going!

Hey @Silenus - is this discussion of use to you? No worries if not, just thought I'd flag it.

DO prepare!

But how?

Here's a list of standard DO's:

Do dress nicely, be clean, get on the potential employee's websiteI and practice interviewing with friends.

Now, copy and paste the following list of questions, these are for you to ask yourself (and answer for yourself) to prepare for the interview;

• Why are you the best candidate for this position?
  
  
• What are your strengths?
  
  
• What are your weaknesses? (Always talk about these in a positive way.)
  
  
• What is it about the role that appeals to you? (I always ask this one )
  
  
• How would your previous supervisors/colleagues describe you?
  
  
• Discuss three of your accomplishments.
  
  
• How do you develop collaborative relationships with colleagues?
  
  
• What do you see as the biggest challenge in this field/role (this shows you're thinking about the role and company)?
  
  
• If there was a fly on the wall, what would they see you do whilst you were performing the role/doing the job?

DO prepare, I promise it makes a huge difference!

Question:

What was the best preparation for an interview you ever did and did it get you the job?

Anatomy of an interview

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 !

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?