A friend sent me a link recently to a top 10 list for the top 10 Biggest Interview Killers for job seekers. The website provides all types of resources for job seekers and career changers, called JobChangeSecrets.com, http://www.jobchangesecrets.com.
You may be aware of some of these tips already, but taken in total, they do provide a very good overview of how to prepare for and succeed in an interview. I'd suggest it's very much worth the read. I won't give away all of the tips, out of respect for the author, bud did want to share one that I feel strongly about, one that our company, JobsInTheUS, often preaches to job seekers and employers: As the job seeker, it is important to enter the interview with the understanding that this is an opportunity for you to interview the company, not just for them to interview you.
There's nothing worse than changing jobs, or accepting job offers, and finding out 2 months later that you made the wrong choice. We spend a great deal of time working with employers to help them understand the need to provide more detailed information about both the job and the company, if they hope to attract the best talent.
For the job seeker, this is a very, very important thing to understand if you are to have any chance of finding career satisfaction. Do your research, learn as much as you can about the culture, missions, values, and products/services of the company you're interviewing with. Then, review the list you've created for your keys to career satisfaction and happiness (we'll discuss this in a future post, if you haven't taken this step yet). Next, make a list of questions that you haven't been able to answer through your research, questions that relate to your keys for career satisfaction.
Companies will be more likely to take you seriously as a candidate if they see that you are serious about building your career with them. That is, employee turnover is expensive, and employers want to be as confident as possible that the people they hire will be long term employees.
Excellent post! It is so easy to get caught up in thinking "I hope they want me" and to forget to think about "Do I want them?"
ReplyDeleteOne of the standard questions asked in almost every interview is "Do you have any questions for us?" It's important to be prepare with a couple of specific questions about the company and the position (and not just questions about pay, benefits, and the like, but questions about the company's plan for a particular product, their outlook for dealing with market and competition conditions, their management philosophy, etc). Their answers can help you decide if the company and the position are a good fit for you, and the questions themselves will indicate to the interviewer that you've done your research and are approaching your job search with a professional attitude.
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