SURVIVAL TACTIC #3 — Ace the Interview

 

Standard Interview Dress

 

Do’s and Don’ts: Men

◊ Wear a suit (preferably dark colors)

◊ Wear a long-sleeve dress shirt (preferably white)

◊ Wear a stylish, conservative tie

◊ Wear dark dress shoes in good condition

◊ Wear socks that match and cover your calf when seated

◊ Wear a belt that matches your shoes

◊ Have well-groomed hair and nails

◊ Don’t wear too much cologne

 

Do’s and Don’ts: Women

◊ Dress conservatively (preferably dark colors)

◊ Wear a tailored pantsuit, jacket and skirt, or dress

◊ Wear dark dress shoes with 1-3 inch heel in good condition

◊ Wear hosiery that matches your outfit (natural or dark colors preferably)

◊ Carry a small purse that matches your shoes and/or belt

◊ Have well-groomed hair and nails

◊ Don’t wear bright colors or bold prints

◊ Don’t wear too much makeup or perfume

◊ Don’t wear excessive, distracting jewelry

 

“Our hiring philosophy is ‘hire the best.’ We look for the extraordinary person. Only one in 100 candidates will make it through the hiring process. In order to be successful at Loomis Fargo, flexibility and attention to detail are necessary.” ~ Loomis Fargo

 

 

General Interest

◊ How did you hear about our company?

◊ What interests you about working for our company?

 

Job-specific Questions

◊ What interests you about this position?

◊ Explain your understanding of the job’s responsibilities.

◊ What experiences or qualifications do you have that prepare you for this position?

◊ What sets you apart from others?

◊ What will you bring to the position?

 

Your Personal Experience

◊ How would you describe your ideal job?

◊ What kind of work interests you?

◊ Can you give me specific examples of how you handled a difficult situation in your previous employment?

◊ What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your career?

◊ Tell me about a typical day in your current job.

◊ What are your current hours? Schedule? Workdays?

◊ How do you plan your day?

◊ What do you like best about your current job?

◊ What do you like least about your current job?

◊ What accomplishment are you most proud of?

◊ What are your strengths?

◊ What areas could use improving?

◊ Do you need additional training?

 

Interpersonal Skills

◊ How would your coworkers describe you?

◊ How do you relate to your coworkers?

◊ What do you look for in a supervisor?

◊ How do you relate to your supervision?

◊ What makes you feel tense or nervous?

◊ When the pressure of work is high, where does your energy come from?

◊ Define a good work atmosphere.

◊ How do you handle criticism?

 

“As a member of the temporary industrial staffing industry, we realize the importance of a good attitude as a major component of an employee. The employee we send to a customer is our best form of advertising and their attitude will determine our relationship with that customer.” ~ Labor Finders

 

 

 

 

Interview the Interviewer During an interview, you are responsible for learning about the company and job. To determine if the job is right for you, it is important for you to interview the interviewer. Don’t forget, you are determining if this position is a good fit for you. Bringing this list with you to the interview shows your interest.

 

 

Job-related Questions

◊ What are the day-to-day job expectations?

◊ Who will be my supervisor?

◊ How will I be evaluated in this position?

◊ What do you expect from the ideal candidate?

◊ How does this position affect other positions and the company operation?

◊ Will there be any training offered to get started?

◊ If there will be training, what will it consist of and how long will it last?

◊ Can I speak with someone in a similar role?

◊ Is this a new position or is it replacing someone who left?

◊ If someone left, why did that person leave?

◊ What are the normal working hours?

◊ What are the overtime expectations?

◊ What is the accepted dress code?

 

Interpersonal Skills

◊ How would your employees describe you?

◊ What do you look for in an employee?

◊ Is this a fast-paced environment?

 

General Company Questions

◊ How do you like working for this company?

◊ What has your career been like? How did you get started?

◊ How is the department organized?

 

What Not to Discuss

◊ You should not discuss wages or fringe benefits in the first interview.

◊ Allow the interviewer to bring up that subject.

 

Personality Pays The best advice anyone can give you is to be yourself. We have all heard the saying, “nice guys finish last.” In this case, “honest guys (and gals) finish first!”

 

Express Your Personality in the Interview:

◊ Nobody is perfect, and don’t be afraid to admit it. If you have made mistakes in the past, don’t try to hide it. Discuss what happened and focus on what you learned from the experience. Follow up by highlighting your strengths.

◊ If you are nervous during the interview and it shows, own up to it. Say something like, “I apologize, I am very excited about this job and am a little nervous. Do you mind repeating the question?”

◊ We always hear that enthusiasm is contagious. If so, is yours worth catching? If you are someone with a great sense of humor, use it (where appropriate). If you are not one of those

people with a naturally outgoing, gregarious personality, then don’t try and pretend. Remember that interviewers can usually sense people who are acting fake. Use the skills you do have to show your enthusiasm. Ask well thought-out, pertinent questions about the company and job responsibilities. Show interest by researching and discussing interesting facts about the company. Demonstrate why you should be hired based on past accomplishments. And remember that many times the interviewer is just as nervous.

 

Skills Test Anxiety So you are excited about the job opportunity, the interview is going well, and suddenly the interviewer tells you that you have to take a skills test … yikes! If you are like most people, having to take a test creates unwanted stress and apprehension. Follow these simple rules and take charge of managing your test anxiety.

 

First…

◊ In case you are asked to take a skills test, always get a good night’s sleep before an interview and arrive with a full stomach. This will provide energy and ensure you are at your best.

◊ Think positively! If you tell yourself you are going to do well, then you probably will. Try to maintain an “I will try and do my very best” attitude rather than an “it must be perfect” attitude.

 

Next…

◊ Carefully read all instructions twice to make sure you don’t miss anything.

◊ Budget your time and divide it evenly among the various sections of the test.

◊ Answer the easy questions first to build confidence and ensure easy points.

◊ Focus only on the test at hand. Concentrate on the process of answering the questions rather than on the end result.

◊ If you draw a blank, skip the question and return to it later.

◊ If at any time you have questions, do not hesitate to ask for clarification. It shows you are concerned about doing well and eliminates the risk of missing something simply because you didn’t understand what the test was asking.

◊ Change positions periodically to help you relax. You cannot think well if you are tense or tight. If need be, pause, set your test aside, and take slow, deep breaths.

 

Finally…

◊ Go back and answer the difficult questions you skipped the first time.

◊ Review the test to make sure you didn’t skip any questions or mark any answers incorrectly. Do not second guess yourself and change your original answers. More than likely, your first guess is correct.

 

 

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