1. Spend time researching and thinking about yourself, the occupation, the organization, and questions you might ask at the end of the interview.
2. Know Yourself
The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer.
Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills.
a. Analytical/Problem Solving
b. Flexibility/Versatility
c. Interpersonal
d. Oral/Written Communication
e. Organization/Planning
f. Time Management
g. Motivation
h. Leadership
i. Self-Starter/Initiative
j. Team Player
3. Know the Occupation
The second step in preparing for an interview is to research the occupation. This is necessary because in order to present a convincing argument that you have the experience and skills required for that occupation, you must first know what those requirements and duties are. There are several ways to find out about an occupation:
Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (Human
Resources/Personnel) or check with Student Employment Services. If you are responding to an advertisement, this may also supply some details.
4. Know the Organization
The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:
a. Where is it located?
b. How big is it?
c. What are its products and who does it serve?
d. How is the organization structured?
e. What is its history?
f. Have there been any recent changes, new developments?
5. : Prepare Questions
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer(s). Some sample questions are:
a. What are the most significant factors affecting your business today? How have changes in technology most affected your business today?
b. How has your business/industry been affected by the recession?
c. How has your company grown or changed in the last couple of years?
d. What future direction do you see the company taking?
e. Where is the greatest demand for your services or product?
f. Where is most of the pressure from increased business felt in this company?
g. Which department feels it the most?
h. How do you differ from your competitors?
i. How much responsibility will I be given in this position?
j. What do you like about working with this organization?
k. Can you tell me more about the training program?
l. Have any new product lines been introduced recently?
m. How much travel is normally expected?
n. What criteria will be used to evaluate my performance?
o. Will I work independently or as part of a team?
p. How did you advance to your position?
q. What are the career paths available in this organization?
r. When can I expect to hear from you regarding this position?
6. ATTIRE
How you dress for an interview is perhaps as relevant as the way you lay out your resume. you would wear long sleeved shirts and a pair of formal trousers. A tie, shirt and pant should do the trick for most junior level positions. please avoid heavy jewellery or personal accessories as they would look incongruous on you.
7. ENTRANCE AND INTRODUCTION
The best way to enter an interview is to knock, ask for permission to enter and then wait for a while before you actually sit down. Few interviewees know this but the interview panel needs a little quiet time to discuss the previous candidate before they get around to the next one. So your silence till you actually get seated would be very valuable.
8. ATTITUDE AND RESPONSE
You shouldn't try and offload all your achievements and skills onto the panel till a turn in the interview leads to such a situation.
Try and take cues form the tonal variations, facial expressions and thrust of questions from the interview panel. That in itself will give you a clue as to where this interview is heading.
