interview help needed do's and don'ts

[fiveus]

hello
since being made unemployed last december i am finally getting some response to attend interviews.My only problem is ive never really had one just walk in jobs.how is it best to be in an interview and answer questions such as
"why do you want this job?". i can't say beacuse i'm desperate to work
"can you tell me a bit about yourself"
i am not the worlds best in these situations and would really love some advice
regards john

[adycav]

You'd get a better response in the jobs/employment section.

The silly responses will outweigh the sensible ones here - much alcohol has been consumed this night.


In terms of advice, I would suggest that you tailor your responses according to the job. If it's customer facing work for example, say that you enjoy working with people and like the challenge of providing a professional service and leaving the customer happy. Or that you enjoy teamwork if it's in a warehouse etc etc.

Try and get some 'practice' by getting friends and family to 'interview' you, and encourage them to be honest in their feedback.

Edited by adycav on Sunday 12th December 21:53

[HOGEPH]

Interviewer: [Peter is at a job interview] So, Peter, where do you see yourself in ten years?
Peter Griffin: [thinks] Don't say doin' your wife, don't say doin' your wife...
[out loud]
Peter Griffin: Doin' your, er...
[sees photo of interviewer on the beach with his wife and son]
Peter Griffin: ... son?

[anonymous-user]

fiveus said:

hello
since being made unemployed last december i am finally getting some response to attend interviews.My only problem is ive never really had one just walk in jobs.how is it best to be in an interview and answer questions such as
"why do you want this job?". i can't say beacuse i'm desperate to work
"can you tell me a bit about yourself"
i am not the worlds best in these situations and would really love some advice
regards john

Seriously? Just Google the questions you've asked. There are lots of very good examples of all interview questions out there.

[Karyn]

As others have said, Jobs and Employment section - you'll find loads of help there.

I had interviews a couple of months back, and asked pretty much the same questions as you, and got SO MUCH help.



ETA Here's the link to my thread, but have a browse; there'll be others!

Edited by Karyn on Sunday 12th December 22:10

[WhoseGeneration]

fiveus said:

hello
since being made unemployed last december i am finally getting some response to attend interviews.My only problem is ive never really had one just walk in jobs.how is it best to be in an interview and answer questions such as
"why do you want this job?". i can't say beacuse i'm desperate to work
"can you tell me a bit about yourself"
i am not the worlds best in these situations and would really love some advice
regards john

Are you registered with the Job Centre?
Because, if so, I'm sure part of their remit is to provide people with the skills necessary for interviews.
So, if you are, give them a kick and ask for help because it's not easy to do via the Internet, espescially as you say you have little previous experience of interviews.
However, that said, what type of jobs are you getting interviews for?

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

This is what most interviewers seems to use: http://www.businessballs.com/interviews.htm

[Wills2]

Don't be late or too early be on time, dress smart, appear earnest and be honest.

Read up on the business (but don't tell them how to run it) don't waffle and don't gush.

Make eye contact but don't stare, keep your body position open and don't fidget.

Try and steer the interview into a conversation between two like minded individuals rather than a Q & A session.

Oh and no limp wristed wet fish handshakes!

I like to ask this question in interviews "Tell me the biggest mistake you've ever made in business and what did you learn from it?" (its an old one but very effective IMHO)

Good luck!

Edited by Wills2 on Sunday 12th December 22:57

Edited by Wills2 on Sunday 12th December 23:00

[TotalControl]

Personally, confidence. Go in there confident. Know what the role you're going for is. Also, try to turn your negatives into a positive. If they ask you what your weaknesses are then try to turn them into the opposite of self pitying replies. I've made too many mistakes in the past where I didn't realise I was doing this.

[Acehood]

Arrive late
Wear trainers
Have a cigarette just before the interview
Don't research the company at all, it's not necessary to know anything about them
Answer all questions with "Yes" or "no"
Do not make eye contact with the interviewer

Good luck.

[jimmystratos]

Acehood said:

Arrive late
Wear trainers
Have a cigarette just before the interview
Don't research the company at all, it's not necessary to know anything about them
Answer all questions with "Yes" or "no"
Do not make eye contact with the interviewer

Good luck.

And say "fk" a lot.

That'll help too

[Negative Creep]

jimmystratos said:

Acehood said:

Arrive late
Wear trainers
Have a cigarette just before the interview
Don't research the company at all, it's not necessary to know anything about them
Answer all questions with "Yes" or "no"
Do not make eye contact with the interviewer

Good luck.

And say "fk" a lot.

That'll help too

Out of interest, do people actually do this (and I'm talking first hand experience) just so they can convince the dole office they're trying?

Also in answer to the OP, from my (limited) experience, do your research on the company and make sure to have some questions ready

[Simbu]

OP, if you're offered a drink then accept it (unless you're applying to a rohypnol testing facility) as it'll stop you fidgeting with your hands.

[xr287]

Chopper Reid has this down to a tee. Can't go wrong if you follow this man's example! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4rSZP0nNCc

But in all seriousness, there have been many perfectly good suggestions in this thread already that you should use.

[jimmystratos]

Also, in seriousness, (ie not do-the-opposite-of-what-we're-suggesting)
Read your CV with the eyes of someone who doesn't know you, and try and identify the weaknesses and awkward questions it might raise, and have prepared answers ready in case your asked about them. It doesn't impress interviewers if you appear not to know what's in your CV, or why you did/didn't do something that's there.

[Shaolin]

Best advice I was ever given was to go in prepared to answer the question - Why should we give you this job?

Prepare to talk for 10mins. You won't be asked this but be ready for it. Also, write questions down on a piece of paper and ask to be able to refer to it when they ask if you have anything to ask them - always impresses interviewers.

[jimmystratos]

Shaolin said:

Also, write questions down on a piece of paper and ask to be able to refer to it when they ask if you have anything to ask them - always impresses interviewers.

Hmm, not sure about that - If the candidate has done their pre-visits and homework properly, they shouldn't have any unanswered questions by then. And asking how to claim your expenses is a shot in the foot.

[Scraggles]

jimmystratos said:

And asking how to claim your expenses is a shot in the foot.

Interview in bristol via train from london, got the job and the expenses

Boss was a tit who saw asbestos on my CV, would be a junior member of an experienced asbestos team.... got to work and they knew about asbestos on the roof visible from the office and not a lot else( being groundwater experts).. welcome to project management for a due diligence audit for an industrial site waiting to be flattened.

For some reason all the extra expenses such as the legal ones associated with asbestos monitoring / removal etc was not the boss's fault but my fault.... contract not extended, but that was many years back

Area is now a set of housers

[wolves_wanderer]

Negative Creep said:

jimmystratos said:

Acehood said:

Arrive late
Wear trainers
Have a cigarette just before the interview
Don't research the company at all, it's not necessary to know anything about them
Answer all questions with "Yes" or "no"
Do not make eye contact with the interviewer

Good luck.

And say "fk" a lot.

That'll help too

Out of interest, do people actually do this (and I'm talking first hand experience) just so they can convince the dole office they're trying?

Also in answer to the OP, from my (limited) experience, do your research on the company and make sure to have some questions ready

I used to get scruffy wasters coming in and grunting that they wanted a job, when we said no they asked me to sign a form to say that they had been jobhunting. I refused obviously as they clearly weren't interested.

[Ruttager]

They will probably ask you at the end of the interview if you have any questions. Think of one or two before you go in. Things like what career prospect are there etc etc. HR like things like this.