The Interview

• Make sure you Understand the Question before you Answer

Since the main purpose of the interview is to gauge your responses to the interviewer’s questions, make sure you properly understood the question. If it is not totally clear, ask them to either repeat the question or clarify it. The worst thing to do is to answer incorrectly because you misunderstood the question. If you do so, there is room to redeem yourself. You might want to say that you would like to rephrase your answer.

• Take your Time

Take the time you need during the interview. You might regret answering too quickly. You might have been able to answer more coherently and concisely if taken a little more time to formulate your answer in your head.

• Honesty is the Best Policy

Be honest in your answers but make sure not to be too negative. Try and take a positive approach to your answers.

• Enthusiasm will take you Far

Be enthusiastic during the job interview. Someone who speaks in a monotonous tone and not excited by what he or she is talking about will quickly be forgotten. Do not forget, many of these interviewers see many potential recruits a day. An enthusiastic person will be the one, if he/she has the necessary qualifications, that will remain in the interviewer’s head long after the day is over when the decision has to be made as to who makes it to second and third rounds.

• Keep Calm

Do not fiddle with your pen or display any sort of nervous tick. The interviewer may become annoyed. Knee shaking, nail biting, pen twirling are no-no’s during the interview.

• Develop a Rapport with the Interviewer

Try and develop a rapport with the interviewer. Not all interviews are regimented question and answer periods. There is room for discussion and dialogue. You might even slip in some humor. Do not overdo it on the humor – the last thing you want is to offend someone or make them uncomfortable.

• Do not Forget to Thank Them

When the job interview is concluded, do not forget to thank the interviewer for his/her time and that you are looking forward to hearing from them.

• Thank you Note

Send a thank you note to each company right away. You may want to include your interest once again in the position and the company and how you would best fit the job.

• Second and Third Round Interviews

Although many of the information and questions posed to you in first round interviews may be posed to you once again in these final rounds, you are meeting with several people now. These are most probably individuals who are managers in the department you are seeking work rather than Human resources personnel. Specifics will be asked in these cases. There is also the possibility that the interview might not be held in a confined office, but during a dinner or a lunch. Here are some simple rules to follow if you are not sure of proper etiquette in this situation:

Restaurant Etiquette

Brush up on your table manners beforehand. When ordering, either let the interviewers recommend something or make sure you pick something in the average price range. If your interviewer is ordering chicken at $15, you do not want to be ordering the lobster at $38. You probably will be on your best behavior since you will be nervous; you will be conscious of every bite you take. Only order an appetizer if you see that that is what everyone else is doing. The same can be said with dessert. There are some foods to stay away from since they can be hard to eat. Try and stay away from anything where you may want to use your fingers – ribs, chicken fingers. It can get pretty messy. The last thing you want is spillage on the tablecloth or on your suit.

Stay Relaxed

You will find that this job interview will more conversation oriented than question drilling. It is a more comfortable setting so you will definitely be more at ease. This is not to say that you should start mouthing off. You are still being tested and you want this impression to be as positive as if you were in the interviewer’s office.