The Final Hurdle

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday November 11, 2008

GR

Angry, dogmatic, indiscreet ... if you bring any of these

cards to a job interview youre headed for a fall.

JUST making it to the interview stage is a

signifi cant achievement in the job-hunting

process.

Having come this far you have to ensure that

you dont waste the opportunity.

There is no doubt that first impressions are

important, and they can be lasting.

Performance at the interview not only determines

who gets the job but it can also set the

tone for the working relationship to follow.

By now your resume has played its part.

Chances are, however, that you will be

quizzed on the contents of that resume.

Ensure that any ability embellishments on

the resume are no more than moderate and

make sure you know what you have said

about yourself.

Being caught out at the interview could well

mean missing out on the job.

The night before the interview try to get a

good sleep. At the very least you should be

able to manage a good rest.

A clear head allows for clear and concise

thinking and makes verbal responses far

more intelligible.

Arrive at least 10 minutes before your interview

appointment.

Dont use the waiting time to stress, use it to

gather your thoughts and relax.

There are five golden rules when it comes to

the interview process.

1. This is no place for life stories. While

the employer will no doubt be interested in a

personal history snapshot hes not ready for a

warts-and-all revelation. Keep it simple, clear

and concise, and work-focused.

2. Dont drift into controversial waters. At all

cost avoid jumping into debates about politics,

religion, race or marital status. Everyone has

an opinion but an interview situation is not the

place to state them. If you have a personal bandwagon,

leave it parked in the shed at home.

3. Anger is not a good look. No matter

how displeased you are about your former

employer or workplace, dont start venting

your spleen. This should be an opportunity to

look forward to new challenges and rewards,

not to thrash around in the sewage of past

disappointments.

4. Family problems are personal. Everyone

has family problems and everyone has a

skeleton or two in the cupboard. Thats where

they should stay. Psychological testing may be

designed to prise that particular door open but

the interview is something different. Consider

what you are going to say before you say it.

5. Winners are grinners and whingers are

losers. An employer looking for a new worker

is not interested in the diffi culties of the job

market. The interview is not the place to make

complaints about how diffi cult things are in

the real world. You have opinions. Keep them

to yourself.

During the interview make considered statements,

but dont take too long to consider

them before delivery.

If you are asked a question that appears to

be confusing, ask for clarifi cation.

It could be embarrassing and awkward to

give a long, rambling response that has nothing

to do with the question.

Remember that job vacancies are not nearly

as plentiful as job seekers.

If your application is unsuccessful, ask for

feedback.

Let the interviewer know that you are keen to

improve your interview performance and request

suggestions on approach and attitude.

And ask for hints on ways to improve your

interview skills.

If at first you dont succeed try, try again

 but keep working on self-improvement so

your chances next time around will be better.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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