Always Be Positive
Losers dwell on past losses, winners dwell on future successes. Don't worry about where you have been, worry about where you are going. Make sure your accomplishments are related to your capabilities.
Listen, Listen, Listen
State Your Qualifications, Not Your Drawbacks. Tell them what you can do, - let them wonder about what you can't do.
Ask Questions
Be sure to ask intelligent, well-thought-out questions that indicate you are trying to find out what you can do for the company. Base any statements on proven experience, not dreams and hopes.
Watch Out for Close-Ended Questions.
Be wary of interviewers who ask close-ended questions. They probably don't know what they're doing. If you begin to hear a series of questions that require only a yes or no, the other candidates are probably hearing the same questions. If the interviewer asks three candidates the same question and all he gets are three no answers, he won't be able to distinguish among the three. If all the answers are the same, he can't make an intelligent choice. Your strategy, then, is to turn these close-ended questions into open-ended ones so that you can put a few intelligent sentences together. In this way, you will distinguish yourself from the other yes and no candidates.
Stay Focused
Concentrate on the conversation at hand. Don't get off on extraneous matters that have nothing to do with the job or your qualifications.
Don't Get Personal
Keep personal issues out of the interview. Never confide in an interviewer no matter how relaxed and comfortable you feel with him. If you feel the urge to bare your soul, your feelings should tell you the interviewer is very skilled and followed the first step of the interview extremely well.
Rehearse
Plan some answers to obvious questions. Why did you leave the service? Why did you join the service? What are your training and experience going to do for the company?
Maintain Eye Contact
If you can't look the interviewer in the eye, he won't believe your answer. Further, there are no answers written on the ceiling, so if you get in a bind, don't look up for divine guidance. The answer is not on the ceiling. It's in your head.
Pause a Moment
Take a moment before each answer to consider what you will say. Don't answer the question in a rush, but reflect a moment to get it straight.
Take Notes
If you plan on taking notes, ask first. Some people are uncomfortable when their words are written down. Do not attempt to record the conversation.
Multiple Interviewers
If you are interviewed by more than one person, answer all of them equally. Begin with the questioner, let your eyes go to each of the others as you continue your answer, and finally come back to the original questioner. Each of them will then feel you are speaking to him or her alone.
Don't Drink, Don't Smoke
In fact, don't ingest anything at all. Although it is polite to accept a proffered cup of coffee or a soft drink, it is not polite to spill it in your lap. You will be nervous, so don't take the chance. Remember, they are merely trying to establish rapport. Besides, you can't maintain eye contact while drinking or eating.
Likely Open-Ended Questions
What follows are some properly formulated open-ended questions you might hear in the interview. Get used to the format and prepare answers. Keep them down to a couple of sentences, not three paragraphs.
- In your relationship with your previous supervisor, would you mind giving an example of how you were alike or not alike?
- How would you define success?
- Would you demonstrate some methods you would use to cause a marginal employee to rise to his or her full potential?
- How can a team atmosphere improve your personal effectiveness?
- If you were a problem, how would you solve yourself?
When the interview concludes, don't linger, but don't run out the door, either. If the interviewers haven't indicated when a decision will be reached, ask them. This will give them the impression that you might have other offers you are considering. When you get back to your car, take out a professional-looking note card (purchased in advance for just this purpose) and write (in longhand) a brief thank-you note to everyone you interviewed with.
Take the note to the post office and mail it the same day.
It is important that the note reach the interviewer the next day. You hope it will hit her desk at the same time she is comparing your resume with other candidates'. You now have the advantage of having at least two documents on her desk with your name on them. It might not help, but it certainly won't hurt.
Facing the interview might make you apprehensive, but there is no reason to fear it. It is your real opportunity to get face to face with the hiring authority and bring to bear all of your personal selling skills. If you go into the situation with confidence based on preparation and not on ego, you will come out a winner. Take the time to prepare properly. The interview has been your goal thus far in the job search, so it is your step ping stone to future success. Be positive, be enthusiastic, and rely on your experience in communicating with people.
