Thursday, May 17, 2012

Interview Etiquette


After hours of work submitting resumes and covers letters, you finally are invited in for the interview! Yet for many the interview is one of the most nerve wrecking parts of any job search. You want to make a good impression and may arrive early in your best suit to make a good impression.
Remember, however, that etiquette in interviews goes a long way to impressing an employer. There are some things you should remember to do the next time you head into an interview for your dream job. Here are a few tips that may be helpful in the interview process.
Listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying and ask plenty of questions.
The interviewer first presents the problem. Take time to organize your thoughts, ask clarifying questions and then explain to the interviewer your thoughts. The interviewer will give you important information and help so be sure you listen!
Structure the problem and then work out a plan to solve it.
Often interviewers will give a scenario and ask how you’d handle it. Think for a moment about the case. Place for a structure and a concept firmly in order to clarify each step and determine which analysis you want to do in order to arrive at a solution.
Think before you speak…
Take time to organize your thoughts and avoid jumping to conclusions.
Concentrate on the essentials.
Focus on the issues that really matter and give reasons for your decisions. Be able to clarify your reasoning clearly.
Generate hypothesis and then examine possible options.
Make suggestions and then do the calculations of these major problems when solving them. The interviewer looks to the same things as any client: innovative approaches that can be changed by the company’s rules and thus creating a sustainable and competitive advantage.
Summarize your thoughts together and draw conclusions from your analysis.
Sum up your key points at the end of the interview and the hypotheses developed by your options and make the final push to show that you are the best option for the company. Show why you want to, and should be, punching into the company time clock every day. You want to ensure that the business does not think about any other prospective employee except for you after you leave and following these simple steps is a great way to start.