Big interview coming up! How do I Ace it??

[Nehalem58]

I have a big interview coming up with a company that I really want to work for. What should I do (or not do) to pass the interview and get their attention on me? Also, how can you tell if you have failed the interview and they are no longer interested in you?

And, if I feel that I had a successful interview, what should I do to follow up? I don't want to come across tacky or desperate, you know.

Thanks!

[MrNCG23]

That's kind of general, but do the general things for an interview. Prepare for it, know why you want to work for this company, why this position, relate your experience/skills/qualifications to this position. Show enthusiasm, answer questions with examples in the Situation > Action > Learned method.

Follow up promptly with thank you notes, expressing your interest and a personal touch to your interviewers. Ask them when you could expect them to get back to you regarding a decision during your interview, and call/email them a day or two before that to feel them out.

[spokes]

don't forget the simple thing slike making sure that you leave for the interview with lots of time to get there. stay away from heavy perfumes on your person. although i have read that a bit of scent on your hand transfers to thier hand during the handshake and they catch a whiff of you later.

relax, and remeber you are alos interviewing them as well. make sure you listen to what they are saying and try and keep your answer brief but make sure they are direct and relevant.

[biodork]

This is what I got from the temp agency I got my new job through. I thought it was really helpful.

Interview Preparation

The company would like to meet with you…

Before the Interview…
• Research the company including their web page, information from Kforce as well as you own professional network.
• Be prepared for the frequently asked questions (see following pages)…if you haven’t interviewed in a while, either role-play with someone or write down the answers.
• Prepare questions about the company, position, project, team, etc focusing on the big picture…take them with you.
• Try to get there at least 10-15 minutes before the scheduled time and take into account things like signing in at the front desk, parking, filling out an application, getting lost…

Opening the Interview…
• Thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you, establish good eye contact and give a firm handshake.
• As the interview begins, become an active participant; you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.
• Convey to the interviewer what you understand about the position and ask if there is anything else they can add. For example, “Kforce has told me that you are looking for a software engineer with 3 years experience developing C++/MFC and Windows NT applications; is there anything else that you con tell me about the position?”
• Ask the interviewer, “What skills do you feel are important to be successful in this position in addition, what you would like this person to accomplish in the first 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year?”

During the Interview…
• Remember that no matter what they ask you, they are asking you “What have you done in the past and how does it apply to what we’re doing here?”
• Always give examples of what you have done. For example, “When I was at Qualcomm, I was the lead developer for a call processing application. There were four people on my team and we designed, developed, tested and delivered the application in a four month period. The application was developed using C on Solaris and FreeBSD.”
• If they ask you about something that you don’t have experience with, don’t try to cover up. Let them know you don’t have experience in that area but give them an example of a time when you had to pickup a new skill and how you applied it in a given period of time. For example “When I started at my last company, I didn’t know Unix at all. Within four months, I was able to not only pick up Unix, but I assisted in the implementation of a HP Openview network management system that monitored 400 nodes.”
• If they ask you about compensation, don’t play games. Tell them what you’re making and what your expectations are.

Closing the Interview…
• As the interview is wrapping up, thank the interviewer for their time and if you are interested in the opportunity, tell them interviewer that you are interested in the position and the company.
• In addition, ask the interviewer if they have any concerns regarding how you fit the requirements of the position and if there are any areas that they would like clarified. Tell them that you would appreciate candid feedback.
• Ask what the next step of the interview process is or if you really want the job, tell them you can start on Monday, the Xth.


Tough Questions
“Are you prepared with the Answers?”

1. “Tell me about yourself.”
Just talk for two minutes. Be logical. Start anywhere, e.g. high school, college, or first position. Looking for communication skills, linear thinking. Also, try to score a point or two (describe a major personal attribute.)

2. “Why are you leaving your current position?”
This is a very critical question. Don’t “bad mouth” a previous employer. Don’t sound “too opportunistic.” Best when major problems, or buy-out, or shut-down. Also good to state that after long personal consideration, your chance to make a contribution is very low due to company changes. Still attempt to score points.

3. “What do you consider your most significant accomplishment?”
This can get you the job. Prepare extensively. Score points. Tell a 2 minute story, with details and discuss personal involvement. Make the accomplishments worth achieving. Discuss hard work, long hours, pressure, important company issues at stake.

4. “Why do you believe you are qualified for this position?”
Pick two or three main factors about the job, and about you that are most relevant. Discuss for two minutes, with specific details. Select a technical skill, a specific management skill (organizing, staffing, planning), a personal success attribute to mention.

5. “Have you ever accomplished something you didn’t think you could?”
Interviewer is trying to determine you goal orientation, work ethic, personal commit, and integrity. Provide a good example where you overcame numerous difficulties to succeed. Prove you’re not a quitter, and that you’ll get going when the going gets tough.

6. What do you like or dislike most about your current position?”
Interviewer is trying to determine compatibility with open position-if you have an interest in the position, be careful. Stating your dislike of overtime or getting into details, or that you like “management” can cost you the position. There is nothing wrong with liking challenges, pressure situations, opportunities to grow, or disliking bureaucracy and frustrating situations.

[wordsmith]

That's a really good list/resource.

[Nehalem58]

Thanks thats a big help!