The Top 11 Essential Job Interview Tips

A job interview can be a scary and intimidating, yet necessary, aspect of securing a job. It is vital that you are well prepared and ready to make your best impression. All phases of your interview process need to be carefully planned by you before hand to minimize the chance of making any mistakes that would prevent you from getting the job.

There are many things to do when preparing for an important job interview. From what to say to how to look, you have to cover all bases. The tips below will help you ace the interview and, hopefully, land the job.

Preparing for Your Interview

Tip #1 - Dress appropriately. It is not necessary to overdress, such as wearing a suit and tie if you are applying to be a construction worker, however, it is always a good idea to be presentable. For example, if you are applying for a construction job do not just wear jeans and a T-shirt either. If you are applying for a job such as this, wear a pair of slacks with a collared shirt. On the other hand, if you are applying to be a stock broker you might want to go with the suit and tie. The goal is to look nice and presentable so that the employer has a great first impression of you, but to also dress appropriately for the job for which you are applying.

Tip # 2 - Look presentable. You always want to go into an interview well groomed, however, the more professional the job description, the more professional your appearance needs to be. Clients are more likely to warm up to employees they feel are "above the rest". If you are applying for a high profile job you may want to consider getting your hair and nails done, buying a new suit or dress, wearing makeup, and having a clean shaven face.

Tip #3 - Rehearse. You will want to rehearse the things you want to say to an employer. The last thing you want to do is wing it and risk stumbling around for your words or forgetting many of the things you planned to say. The more you rehearse, the more your interview responses will flow and the better you will remember your intended topics.

Tip #4 - Ask questions. A good way to prepare for an interview with an employer is to know exactly what to expect. The best way to do this is by asking a current employee or someone else who may have applied for the same job. A friend or family member would be the most ideal place to receive this information.

Preparing Your Interview Dialogue

Tip #5 - Try to play up your strong points and downplay your weaknesses. Weaknesses in your resume will stand out to an employer. Although there is no way to avoid having to discuss these weaknesses, such as being let go from a previous job or having an unstable work history, you can overcome them. The best way to do so is to put your strong points in the spotlight and refer to them as much as possible. For example, if you were let go from a job 5 years ago but since then had another job in which you received great promotions from the company, you can briefly explain why you were fired from the first job but spend the rest of the time highlighting what you did for the second company that encouraged them to continue to reward you.

Tip #6 - Give thorough examples of what you can bring to the company. A company needs a reason to hire you. A reason that will set you apart from the other candidates and make you unique. Your job, before you leave for the interview, is to determine what that reason is and figure out how you will make the company feel as though they have to have you for this job because of that reason. Basically, you need to sell yourself. You need to sell your reason to this company and make them want to buy it. You need to look at yourself, your skills, or your education and discover the one (or more) things that you feel you possess that will make you a great employee. It can even be a personality trait that you feel makes you uniquely qualified to do the job. Make sure you go in with some type of selling point.

Tip #7 - Try to hide the fact that you are nervous. Being overly nervous can be a character flaw that may signal to a manager that you are not right for the job. This is especially important if your job will include public speeches, meeting with clients, conducting staff meetings, etc. Some nervous habits, such as stuttering, can even make it difficult for the manager to complete the interview. If you get overly nervous in situations such as this, you will need to formulate a plan of action. You may want to explore relaxation techniques to incorporate into your plan that can help you re-focus that nervous energy. Simple things like having a glass of water to sip from to holding on to a small object may help your turn your attention to the task at hand, getting the job!

Non-Verbal Actions and Body Language

Tip #8 - Smile. A great smile will get you far in anything. It makes you seem like a positive and wonderful person to be around. This type of manner signals to your employer that you will be a team player who will follow the rules and do their job. Also, if you are applying for a position in which you will be in contact with customers or clients, you will be more likely to be offered the job if you display a great attitude.

Tip #9 - Shake hands. When you enter the room, immediately walk up to the manager and shake his hand while introducing yourself. This is not only a polite but professional way to set up the type of first impression the manager will have of you. Do not be overly eager and squeeze too tight as that may leave a negative impression with the manager. However, a nice firm grip says something about your confidence level and can add to your overall persona.

Tip #10 - Act confident. An air of confidence is the second best personality trait to help land you a job. This may be especially important if you are applying for a job which customers or clients will need to trust your advice or guidance, as they will be more comfortable following what you suggest if they feel you are confident in your own decisions. If you often seems unsure of yourself when suggesting advice to clients they will most likely not want to work with you again. A great amount of confidence will also make an employer feel that you can handle the job and are an excellent person to fill the position.

Tip #11 - Show respect. Employers and others in positions of authority do not like it be disrespected by workers and showing some respect may be one of the best ways to land the job. You can do this be using words such as sir, ma'am, please, and thank you. You can also wait for him to offer you a chair before setting and never interrupt him while he is speaking.

On a last note, remember that how you act and present yourself in an interview is almost as important as your resume itself. Your resume is there to land you the interview but after that it is up to you what kind of impression the manager has of you. The purpose of the interview is for the manager to determine how well you would fit into your role at the company. Your body language and other actions you make can be just as strong of an indictor of your personality as what you say in the interview.