Job Interview Advice

The three most important words of job interview advice are: preparation, preparation, preparation.

Preparing for Job Interview

Preparation includes researching the company and the position you are seeking, and establishing a potential fit with your skills. Preparation also includes a mock job interview.

The interviewing process is aimed at finding a fit between a position and a candidate. You need to be just as concerned about finding the right fit as the interviewers are. The stakes are high for both.

What’s at stake for the interviewers? If they select the wrong candidate, they'll have to let the new employee go before passing a probationary period. Back to square one in the recruitment process.

What’s at stake for you? If you leave a job where you were doing ok, for a new one where the fit is off, where does that leave you? With a new job that you hate or may fail at.

So make sure you find out about the company as much as they are going to find out about you.

Top 10 Interview Questions

You many not be able to prepare for all possible questions you may be asked while being interviewed, but you need to be prepared for the most common ones.

Interview Questions to Ask a Candidate

When you are filling a vacancy in your team, you need to have the right questions to ask potential candidates.

More important than the list of questions is to know what information you are seeking from each question.

Job Interview Dress Code

Your interview attire will communicate to the interviewers the following:

• The level of interest and respect you show for the company and the position
• How well you fit with the culture of the department and company

Job Interview Body Language

Learn the basics about reading body language, so you can interpret the cues you'll get while being interviewed.

Just as important is to be aware of the cues you may be sending.

If possible film yourself while practicing and see what nonverbal messages you may be sending with your body language. The idea behind video recording yourself during a practice session is so you can see if you tend to make some gestures without being aware of it.

Phone Interview Tips

If you think phone interviews are easier because you don't have to face a panel of stern interviewers, think again. The rules of preparation for an in person interview apply to phone interviews. Here are some tips to handle phone interviews.

Interview Thank You Letter Samples

Here are a couple of sample letters to send after a job interview. This is another shot at presenting to your potential employee how you're a perfect fit for the job they are filling.