Succeeding at an Interview

By Egbon

When you go for interview you can assume the company interviewing you wants to offer you the job and are very much hoping that you match their requirements. Companies rarely find exactly what they're after, but are looking for the closest match. So, it is up to you to convince them that you are the best match they will find.

Following the basic guidelines below should help ensure you avoid disappointing both yourself and the interviewer. Although most should be obvious, it is definitely worth taking five minutes to run through and check. Ignore these basic guidelines at your peril!

It is said that the interviewer makes up their mind about you the minute you walk through the door - the way you look, the way you say hello, shake their hand, the politeness you display. They then spend the rest of the interview confirming their initial impressions.[/b]

1. Be on time - not too early - definitely not late. Present yourself at reception 15 minutes before the interview is scheduled. This allows you time to sign in and gather your thoughts before commencing the interview. It's a good idea to briefly visit the bathroom before the interview starts both for any last minute call of nature and, importantly, to check your appearance - hair's not blown all over the place - no food in the teeth - clothes sitting right etc.

2. Prepare Review the job description - consider how closely your CV matches and be prepared to discuss shortfalls. Know in advance how you're going to describe your work experience in a succinct and positive way that relates to the requirements of the job.

3. Know something of the company interviewing you. You should have some basic understanding of their line of business, how that industry is doing currently, how big this company is, how they're doing generally in the marketplace and whether there's been anything about them in the press recently. Their annual report, a quick review of their website or a search on Google should give you the necessary information.

4. Dress appropriately. Look smart - no jeans, t-shirts or trainers. For men - shirt and trousers - possibly a tie and lounge jacket depending on the company. Polished shoes.

5. Present yourself appropriately. Neat hair. Clean fingernails, clean teeth and fresh breath (no heavy garlic meals the night before!).

6. Don't fidget. This will distract the interviewer. Sit calm and relaxed (or appear to do so anyway).

7. Smile Show a positive and confident style. Make sure you have some degree of eye contact with the interviewer.

8. Don't use the interviewer's first name without being invited to do so.

9. Listen carefully to questions - do not interrupt - think before you speak - then make sure you answer the question and only the question ...speak clearly and calmly. Do not waffle - quality, not quantity. If you do not understand the question, then say so.

10. Have some prepared questions. Know/note down in advance the questions you want answers to such as work space, training, promotion prospects, review intervals, holiday entitlement etc Leave these questions until the end or when asked by the interviewer whether you've anything to ask that's not been covered.

11. Appear keen. Have a notepad and pen available to you should you need to make any important notes.

 

http://www.naijahotjobs.com/content.php?r=117-Succeeding-at-an-Interview

How to Answer Key Interview Questions When You’re Overqualified

Especially in times of high unemployment and financial distress, many candidates will apply for jobs for which they are, by conventional standards, overqualified. Does overqualification mean you’ll be disqualified if you’re lucky enough to face an interviewer? Not if you handle the interview wisely.

First, calm yourself with the thought that it’s normal for candidates who are something more or less than a 100 percent match to be considered as finalists. “You never find the perfect candidate,” says Paul Falcone, an HR executive and author of 96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire. “Everyone’s too heavy or too light in qualifications.”

If you’re lucky, you may even find that your prospective employer is pleased that your wealth of skills and experience exceeds the position at hand. “Sometimes my clients like to hire an overqualified candidate,” says Greg Gary, managing director of Technisource, an IT recruiter. “The theory is that a great manager surrounds himself with people who know what he doesn’t know.”

Next, acknowledge that the depth of experience you may have glossed over in your resume cannot be denied in the interview. “You’re not going to sell yourself if you’re misrepresenting yourself,” says Sylvia Lafair, a consultant and author of Don’t Bring It to Work: Breaking the Family Patterns that Limit Success.

Indeed, “it’s better for the candidate to take the objection of overqualification and hold it up under the light from the beginning of the interview,” says Falcone. In that spirit, take a look at some interview questions the overqualified candidate is likely to encounter and suggestions for how you can respond effectively.

What will motivate you in a job that won’t make use of many of your qualifications?

The first thing an HR or hiring manager has to worry about is that the open position won’t stimulate you enough to keep you motivated. Since you can’t successfully argue that the job requirements will offer a healthy stretch of your capabilities, try a different approach.

“You can never be overqualified in your enthusiasm, your thirst for learning and desire to mentor,” says Lafair. “You’re selling you, not your skills.”

Given our company’s sluggish near-term outlook, you can’t expect a promotion anytime soon. Is that OK with you? Why is it OK?

Clearly you don’t want to say, “It’s OK. I’m happy to languish in a job that rarely challenges me, for however long.” Better to say: “I’m excited to learn as much as possible about your organization while I do my job every day. I’m confident that after the economy turns around, your company will offer further opportunities for me.”

Frankly, I’m concerned with this organization’s ability to keep you here. Aren’t you going to get bored or frustrated?

Interviewers’ next concern about overqualified candidates is that they’ll leave for greener pastures at the economy’s first uptick. “The hiring manager has to recognize that if the hire is overqualified, [he] will continue to look,” says Gary. Counter this fear by offering examples of how you found opportunities for professional growth in previous positions you held for considerable periods.

Why should I believe that you’re going to stay with our company?

Savvy interviewers are likely to challenge you on your contention that you’ll stick with the company even if you’re “underemployed” for an extended time. The trick, again, is to demonstrate you have a professional history of sticking with it. “If your resume is tenured rather than choppy, point this out to the interviewer,” says Gary. “Point out how long you were at your last job, and say that what matters to you is fitting in.”

Starting out at the level of this position, what future do you see for yourself with our company?

When you talk about the future, keep talking about yourself and your prospective employer as business partners. “Emphasize that you are excited about the company and see good opportunities that can keep you there for a long time,” says Rodney Capron, CEO of Pongo Resume. The trick here is convince the interviewer that you’re looking for steady advancement in the long run, not a rapid series of promotions.

What would you tell an employer in five years about why you took this job? How would you justify it?

This is not a simply question, because you’ve got to portray yourself as ambitious and yet realistic about your prospects. Work to persuade the interviewer that you’ve got a talent for making the most of any professional opportunity, and that you’re confident that after five years you will have notched substantial achievements with the company.

 

http://www.naijahotjobs.com/content.php?r=124-How-to-Answer-Key-Interview-Questions-When-You’re-Overqualified

15 Tips Of Writing a Winning CV

 by Fulcrum

The thought of writing a resume intimidates almost anyone. It's difficult to know where to start or what to include. It can seem like an insurmountable task. Here are 15 tips to help you not only tackle the task, but also write a winning resume.

1. Determine your job search objective prior to writing the resume. Once you have determined your objective, you can structure the content of your resume around that objective. Think of your objective as the bull's-eye to focus your resume on hitting. If you write your resume without having a clear objective in mind, it will likely come across as unfocused to those that read it. Take the time before you start your resume to form a clear objective.

2. Think of your resume as a marketing tool. Think of yourself as a product, potential employers as your customers, and your resume as a brochure about you. Market yourself through your resume. What are your features and benefits? What makes you unique? Make sure to convey this information in your resume.

3. Use your resume to obtain an interview, not a job. You don't need to go into detail about every accomplishment. Strive to be clear and concise. The purpose of your resume is to generate enough interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Use the interview to provide a more detailed explanation of your accomplishments and to land a job offer.

4. Use bulleted sentences. In the body of your resume, use bullets with short sentences rather than lengthy paragraphs. Resumes are read quickly. This bulleted sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan your resume and still absorb it.

5. Use action words. Action words cause your resume to pop. To add life to your resume, use bulleted sentences that begin with action words like prepared, developed, monitored, and presented.

6. Use numbers, currency figures and Percentage's. Numbers, Monetary value, and percentages stand out in the body of a resume. Use them. Here are two examples:

*
Managed a department of 10 with a budget of N1,000,000.
*
Increased sales by 25% in a 15-state territory.

7. Lead with your strengths. Since resumes are typically reviewed in 30 seconds, take the time to determine which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put those strong points first where they are more apt to be read.

8. Play Match Game. Review want ads for positions that interest you. Use the key words listed in these ads to match them to bullets in your resume. If you have missed any key words, add them to your resume.

9. Use buzzwords. If there are terms that show your competence in a particular field, use them in your resume. For marketing people, use "competitive analysis." For accounting types, use "reconciled accounts."

10. Accent the positive. Leave off negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your date of graduation will subject you to age discrimination, leave the date off your resume. If you do some duties in your current job that don't support your job search objective, leave them off your resume. Focus on the duties that do support your objective. Leave off irrelevant personal information like your height and weight.

11. Show what you know. Rather than going into depth in one area, use your resume to highlight your breadth of knowledge. Use an interview to provide more detail.

12. Show who you know. If you have reported to someone important such as a vice president or department manager, say so in your resume. Having reported to someone important causes the reader to infer that you are important.

13. Construct your resume to read easily. Leave white space. Use a font size no smaller than 10 point. Limit the length of your resume to 1-2 pages. Remember, resumes are reviewed quickly. Help the reader to scan your resume efficiently and effectively.

14. Have someone else review your resume. Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you to hit all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Have someone review your job search objective, your resume, and listings of positions that interest you. Encourage them to ask questions. Their questions can help you to discover items you inadvertently left off your resume. Revise your resume to include these items. Their questions can also point to items on your resume that are confusing to the reader. Clarify your resume based on this input.

15. Submit your resume to potential employers. Have the courage to submit your resume. Think of it as a game where your odds of winning increase with every resume you submit. You really do increase your odds with every resume you submit. Use a three-tiered approach. Apply for some jobs that appear to be beneath you. Perhaps they will turn out to be more than they appeared to be once you interview for them. Or perhaps once you have your foot in the door you can learn of other opportunities. Apply for jobs that seem to be just at your level. You will get interviews for some of those jobs. See how each job stacks up. Try for some jobs that seem like a stretch. That's how you grow -- by taking risks. Don't count yourself out. Trust the process. Good luck in your job search!

http://www.naijahotjobs.com/content.php?r=125-15-Tips-Of-Writing-a-winning-Cv