Find friends and family members who will give you a practice interview. Let them ask you all the tough questions and see how well you do. For example: "Why do you want to do this kind of work? What are your qualifications? What do you know about our organization? Why did you leave your last job? How long do you intend to stay with us? Why would you be any better than other candidates?" And urge your practice interviewers to dream up questions you don't expect.
2. What questions should I ask?
Ask what is appropriate to your interests. Do you want a description of job duties? If so, ask. Sometimes it is appropriate to ask such questions as: "What do you consider the best (and the worst) things about working here?" "What advice would you give someone who wants to work here?" "How might I avoid mistakes you've seen other new workers make?" "Who would I report to?" Very often, answers to those questions come out before you ask. You can also ask about company benefits. Sometimes the questions just don't apply. But think through what you want to know and be prepared to ask.
3. Okay, what else do I have to do to prepare?
Think through what you will say if you get an offer. Are you ready to discuss salary or wages? What amount do you expect? When are you ready to report for work?
4. What are the other important things I should keep in mind?
Two things go into first impressions-how you look (posture, clothes, manner, mood) and how you speak. Many young people, especially young women, speak too softly in business situations. They don't want to be brassy or crude. But your ability to make yourself understood is important in most jobs and certainly important in an interview. You have to be able at least to communicate what you know. Look your listener in the eye, speak clearly. If you find you're being interrupted often or getting smiles in the wrong places, it might be because you are speaking too softly.
Interviewers typically want to know what you know about their organization. Your knowledge and interest make a difference. You make a good impression when you know about their company. Find out what they do and how they view themselves. Are they strictly a "lowest-price" outfit? Proud of their community work? Dedicated to finding new products? Read their quarterly and annual reports, or ask to see company literature ahead of time. Employers can only be interested in people who are interested in them.
5. What other kind of research can I do if I am interested in a particular company or industry?
Networking is one of the best ways. Go to someone that has worked for that company or is working for that company now. Ask a friend to ask a friend who works there. Use your network of acquaintances not only to find out about a company, but to get your name circulating there as an employable person.
6. How about interview scheduling?
Arrange at least one interview a week. This has the advantage of keeping you active, keeping your name out there and keeping you feeling that you have something to look forward to. If you let a week go by without one, you might settle into a comfortable but bad habit. You can start losing self-confidence and self-respect, and that may come across in future interviews.
7. When companies have a job opening, how do they go about recruiting for the position?
Walk-ins get a lot of the jobs. Depending on the type of job, some people just drop by and ask to fill out an employment application. This is not a good idea if you are interested in a management or supervisory job or many positions above entry level. Also, companies take applicants from the past month or two and review them for prospective employees. Generally it is assumed that if you submitted an application or resume more than a month or two ago you have already found a job. If good candidates aren't found this way, then companies generally advertise.
8. Let's say that I was let go from my last job-I had a negative experience. Should I wait for the interviewer to bring it up or should I talk about it first?
Whatever you feel comfortable with; however, if you can bring up and discuss this issue comfortably, it can be an opportunity to demonstrate your honesty, maturity and professionalism.
9. If I have been out of work for a few weeks, is that a special concern to an employer?
Not necessarily. There are all kinds of circumstances that might lead to that. Maybe you have been searching for a job and just haven't been able to find a good one. Explain your situation if asked, but don't be apologetic.
10. Is it a good idea to take a temporary job while I'm looking for one I want to keep?
It can be, but it depends on the job, how long you've been unemployed and your financial need. You have to weigh the benefits, financial and psychological, of working versus the fact you will have less time to search for the permanent job you really want. Advantages to temporary jobs are: regular income, possibly health benefits and the opportunity to enhance existing skills or help you gain new ones. The disadvantages are: less time to devote to job hunting, the perception by a prospective employer that there may be some problem that makes you unhirable (raises the question, "If he's so good, why hasn't someone hired him yet?"), and the tendency to get stuck in a "temporary" job.
11. If I didn't get the job that I interviewed for, is it ever appropriate to call that employer to find out why?
Certainly, to improve your interviewing techniques, if nothing else. Maybe you presented your education and training wrong. Perhaps you didn't make clear that you had a lot of experience. You have to find out so you can do better on the next interview-and you might re-awaken the interest of the company that turned you down. When asking this question, avoid being apologetic, angry or frustrated. Your approach should be professional, and the purpose of your call should be self-improvement.
