• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

KrantCents

Making Sense of Money

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
How to Ace that Interview?

How to Ace that Interview?

October 13, 2011 by Justin

How to Ace that Interview? Unemployment is high nationally (9.1%) and even higher in California (12%).  Either, you networked for months for an interview or you got lucky.  Either way, you want to take advantage of this opportunity and do your best.  What should you do?

Preparation – Research the company before the interview.  Start with their website and put together your questions.  If the company is public, there are a lot of questions that you can find out before you go.  Start your research online, but don’t forget about calling the company human resources department.  Depending how creative you want to be, you can do an interview of the receptionist or someone else at the company.

Questions – Put together questions they may ask you and questions you may have for them.  Remember interviews are your opportunity to impress the employer and so you can find out about the employer.  In this economy, you may overlook some of the things you find important just to have a job.  Ask your question because the employer will judge your interest and suitability based on your question.

Practice – Practice interviewing with a friend.  Practice the hard questions such as why you are looking or why did you leave your last position?  If you can, video tape your interview because you will see and hear your mistakes.  The more you practice, the better you will do.  Feeling comfortable in the interview with the questions will give you confidence.

Dress for Success – Some companies are casual, others are business casual and some are still wear suits.  It should not matter to the applicant.  It is always better to over dress than to be too casual.  If it is less formal, you can always take your coat off.  Unless you have a personal relationship with the interviewer, dress your best.  I recommend a conservative navy blue suit, dress shirt and burgundy tie for men.  For women, you should wear a suit (jacket and skirt) or a nice conservative dress.  It should not be tight or revealing!  Don’t forget your grooming.

Interview Day – Get driving directions and leave early.  If you have to fill out any paperwork, allow extra time for it.  Bring along a fact sheet so yu can complete the application.  It is okay to arrive 5-10 minutes before the interview.  Be friendly with the receptionist and ask thoughtful questions.  When you meet the interviewer, the first 15 seconds is real important.  Smile, greet the person and give a good handshake.  Show your personality and enthusiasm, you are being judged!

Interview – You practiced your questions and developed your own questions.  Delivery is everything!  Make sure you are real and authentic!  Be sure to use your personality to develop a rapport.  You should smile, be charming and find an excuse to either compliment the interviewer or make a connection.  Hiring managers generally hire people they like!  Don’t do all the talking!  Listening is just as important and follow-up with questions.  If the interview is in a restaurant, use your best manners.  Bring extra copies of your resume.  Interviews are sales situations where you sell them on your skills and they sell you on the company.

Follow-up – Don’t forget to send a thank you note.  Call the hiring manager if you have heard a decision in a reasonable period.  Keep it low key, but be persistent without being annoying.  You are showing interest, but be careful you do not look like a stalker.  If you do not get the offer, you want to at least be able to network.  You can ask them for advice or a referral to other companies or friends.  Use the opportunity to do something positive.

Wrap Up

Interviews are scary because you do not normally interview every day.  You want to make yourself comfortable in order to be your best.  Impressing the interviewer is selling them on your skills and what you can do for the company.  Recently, I wrote an article called 20 Interview Questions to Ask Employers which outlines sample questions to impress future employers.  The goal of all interviews is to get an offer!  You want to do your best and convince the employer you are the right person for them.  Following these tips will help you succeed.  How to Ace that Interview?

Photo by:  Javrsmith

Filed Under: Careers Tagged With: Career, Careers, financial decisions, Goal setting, Goals, interesting, Interviewing, Interviews, Job Search, lifestyle, Planning, Values

Comments

  1. PKamp3 says

    October 13, 2011 at 2:21 pm

     To this list, I would add: know how you’ll answer some of the personal questions, like “what are your weaknesses?”  There are some questions that get asked on every interview, phone or in-person.

    To the dress code – yeah, unless you wear a tux it’s almost impossible to overdress.  Some of the people who interviewed me at my current job made fun of me for my interview clothes (it’s Silicon Valley…) so I was pretty confident I was doing okay!  Put the jeans away, for at least a day.

    • krantcents says

      October 13, 2011 at 11:18 pm

      Rehearsing questions that could make you feel uncomfortable is important.

  2. Hunter says

    October 13, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    Practice is an important strategy, especially if you have not had a lot recent experience. You only get one shot in a real interview and it would be a shame to miss a job because you were not well practiced to answer the questions.

    • krantcents says

      October 13, 2011 at 11:35 pm

      Very true, you only get one shot at a good first impression. It usually starts when you meet the interviewer.

  3. Maggie@SquarePennies says

    October 13, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    Good tip to film your practice interview.  That way you can check your body language to be sure it’s positive.  Practice your answers to hard questions while using positive body language.  The more you practice that the better!

    • krantcents says

      October 13, 2011 at 11:20 pm

      I remember doing it a long time ago and it was very revealing. You see things that you were never aware of .

  4. Jeff | Sustainable Life Blog says

    October 13, 2011 at 11:12 am

    I really think the suit tip is a great one KC.  I always wear my suit to interview because I get so few chances to wear it!  You may be a little out of place, but if everyone sees you in a suit they can help you find who you are looking for if you need anything.  
    You’ll also look professional and like you want the job.

  5. Miss T says

    October 13, 2011 at 8:11 pm

    I agree, practice is huge. It not only helps keep your nerves in check for the real thing but it also helps you formulate what you might say ahead of time. I also agree that research is important. The more you know about a place, the better you can answer questions in a tailored way. 

    • krantcents says

      October 13, 2011 at 11:21 pm

      When I interviewed, I wanted to know everything about the company and if I could find out anything about the interviewer all the better.

  6. Investorz Blog says

    October 13, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    I find the key to acing an interview is to lead their questions into an area that you’re good at talking about.

    • krantcents says

      October 13, 2011 at 11:33 pm

      It all starts with their first question which is usually “tell me about yourself”. This is your opportunity to direct the interview any way you want. Personally, I have taken over interviews and those are the ones I usually nail. Interviews are your opportunity to shine, everyone should use it.

  7. krantcents says

    October 13, 2011 at 11:28 pm

    Acting professional means dressing up for the interview. You look confident and serious about the job. On a couple of occasions, I ended up taking my jacket off because it was a very casual environment.

  8. Darwin's Money says

    October 14, 2011 at 1:21 am

    These are all great tips; sheesh, it’s been so long since I’ve interviewed, I’ve almost forgotten!

    • krantcents says

      October 14, 2011 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks, in these times I thought a reminder is helpful even if you are not searching .

  9. Kris @ Everyday Tips says

    October 14, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    From what I have heard on the street, you have hit the nail on the head with these suggestions, especially follow up.  I would also suggest to have a positive attitude.  I think so many people feel beaten down that the defeatist attitude may shine through in the interview.  Try to at least act positive for the interview as nobody wants to work with someone who is perceived as a ‘downer’.

    • krantcents says

      October 15, 2011 at 12:20 am

      It may be only psychological, but they called you in because they think you may fit the requirements. That is a positive signal! I never had any problem to get up and be positive for an interview.

  10. YFS says

    October 14, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    Ms. YFS is going on a interview soon, I’ll be sure to pass this article to her. 

    • krantcents says

      October 15, 2011 at 12:22 am

      Sell, sell, sell yourself. Good luck.

  11. Christa says

    October 14, 2011 at 9:17 pm

    I never thought about videotaping my interview practices. What a great idea!

    • krantcents says

      October 15, 2011 at 12:16 am

      I videotaped myself many years ago and it was very revealing regarding speech patterns, and physical actions.

  12. Marie at FamilyMoneyValues says

    October 16, 2011 at 2:18 am

    Excellent points all and very timely post!  I had an opportunity to help my kid when he started job hunting.  I was peers with a bunch of hiring managers at work so I called on a couple of them and they agreed to meet my son for lunch and do a pretend interview with him.  I paid for the lunch so my kid got a nice near real practice and my peers got a free lunch!

    • krantcents says

      October 16, 2011 at 3:32 am

      That was a great idea! That is about as close to real as you can make it.

  13. Buck Inspire says

    October 16, 2011 at 7:43 am

    Great tips.  My additions, don’t be desperate.  You will exude a higher level of confidence.  Also, make sure you turn the tables and ask why the company would be a good place to work?  An interview goes both ways.  First you have to sell yourself to them, but they also need to sell themselves to you.  Mutual beneficial opportunity is a win-win for all!

    • krantcents says

      October 16, 2011 at 1:24 pm

      In this economy, I think employers think it is a seller’s market. They do not have to sell you on the job. It is funny because their most attractive candidate is someone who is employed and they need to lure them away.

  14. My University Money says

    October 16, 2011 at 2:20 pm

    Great article KC.  When I was doing a lot of interviewing, the best piece of advice I got was, “Most often the person interviewing is not looking for the smartest applicant, but the person that thinks the most like they do.”  A lot of interview success can be reading your interviewer.  I always found it weird to try and strike a balance between modesty and confidence as you tried to talk yourself up.

    • krantcents says

      October 16, 2011 at 3:12 pm

      Absolutely true! Employers hire people they like and feel they will fit on their team. If the candidate can find something in common or show they get along with him/her you have a better chance of getting hired.

    • krantcents says

      October 16, 2011 at 3:12 pm

      Absolutely true! Employers hire people they like and feel they will fit on their team. If the candidate can find something in common or show they get along with him/her you have a better chance of getting hired.

  15. One Cent At A Time says

    October 18, 2011 at 3:39 am

    I find it helpful if I appear for few jobs which I am not interested in but offering similar position, just to rehearse.

    • krantcents says

      October 18, 2011 at 4:11 am

      I have done that too. I am so relaxed that I am better at the interview and usually get an offer.

  16. Jen @ Master the Art of Saving says

    October 25, 2011 at 1:40 am

    Thanks for the great interview tips. 🙂

    • krantcents says

      October 25, 2011 at 2:55 am

      You’re welcome, it comes from a lot of years on both sides of the desk.

  17. Buck Inspire says

    October 29, 2011 at 9:10 pm

    Great post.  Having confidence in yourself and that you are the right person for the job goes a long way.  Did you work in HR?

    • krantcents says

      October 30, 2011 at 4:39 am

      Along with CFO duties, I was Chief Administration Officer which included Human Resources.

Follow us on Facebook!

Friend us on Twitter!

Tweets by krantcentsusa

Follow me on Pinterest

Visit Krantcent's profile on Pinterest.

Copyright © 2010–2023 KrantCents • Built on the Genesis Framework