Interviewing is so important. You can't show someone how good you are at a job without first convinving an employer that you deserve the opportunity.
The perfect interview website is so helpful. In my experience with real interviews as well as from my cornerstone and capstone classes, I have learned that it is important to have certain responses ready in advance. I have been in interviews where I am asked to talk about my personal flaws and had no idea how to respond without making myself look bad. In the sample interviews that I took, the coach says to mention something that is harmless to your working abilities. While that seems obvious, it may be hard to think of an appropriate example on the spot. So, questions like that would be easier if you already have an idea about what you would say. I used to think that interviews were simple and you didn't have to prepare. Now more than ever it is important to prepare the way you would for a presentation or speech. You want to look your best and make the best impression possible because you are competing with dozens of other applicants.
Here are the links to our sample interviews, but I encourage you to practice a few times on your own too. Also, press the coach button...it helped me a lot.
Let us know how it goes. Also, do any of you have any advice or things that you've learned from your past interviewing experiences? We would love the insight!
http://www.perfectinterview.com/online/review_gateway.asp?id=3020934&type=standard
http://www.perfectinterview.com/online/review_gateway.asp?id=3020933&type=standard
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Thank you for the web links to the perfect interview questions. I feel that practice makes perfect and if not perfect at least it will make you a little more confident. It is always better to have some prearranged practice questions ready before you arrive at an interview. I believe that this will increase your confidence. It also will help you not panic. Nothing is worse than having sweat come down your brow while you are trying to answer what should be fairly simple question about yourself.
ReplyDeleteShari L. Weber
It is also good to make sure that when preparing for an interview with practice questions that you realize that although the real questions may not be worded exactly the same, they may be similiar to what you practiced. I think it is not emphasized enough that it is important for the interwee to ask good questions as well.
ReplyDeleteI remember I interviewed for a job at a hotel and when they asked me to tell them something I knew about their company and I had nothing, which I know that's what cost me the job. Always research the potential employer you are interviewing for. Companies want interviewees who are going to be confident and know the history of the company that they are applying for. Anyone else have a bad interview experience?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the interview examples. I have had one interview and that was for the position that I hold currently with my job. I was nervous and was scared that I would either answer a question wrong or not know how to answer a question at all. The interview went ok, but as I look back on it, and even as I was leaving the interview, I began to think of things that I could have added or maybe even some things that I should not have said. In the end, I received the job. I am more aware of how important it is to prepare for an interview, especially knowing about the company and position that you are interviewing for. Also, knowing about yourself is also very key in presenting yourself.
ReplyDeleteSeveral of the questions I was asked are questions I had not heard before. I think this could be a valuable source for me when I do have an interview since it would prepare me for possible new questions. I definitely think the interview process is a weak point of mine and plan on using this more often in the future. The most problematic problem for me was one where the employer asked about what I thought my flaws were. I think there is no way to not sound bad with this question, though the coach did help.
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Erica,
ReplyDeleteI really hate that feeling, walking our of an interview and knowing exactly what you should have said, but didn't. I did receive a compliment once though after stressing that I was willing to learn anything the company could teach me, too bad it was for a pyramid scheme.....
Ella,
ReplyDeleteI also hate the questions about your flaws but that is actually something I am pretty decent at answering because of a class I had in high school that taught us how to make a resume and also how to answer interview questions like those. Ever since then that was the one part of the class that really stuck with me. Mind you it is still really stressful and even as prepared as you might think you are, your nerves can get the best of you.
Interviews are usually a pretty good skill of mine. Mind you, I have not had an interview with a future employer who is more professional as far as the major I would like to be in, however, I would say I am 80% successful once I have attained getting one. With online applications the employers have no idea of seeing my appearance so it is getting my interview set up that is the most stressful for me. I am really excited to take the perfect interview link and see how well I am able to answer the questions impulsively. Thank you for the site!
ReplyDeleteI too agree that the hardest questions are those about your flaws. One of mine I have always had prepared was my inability to say "no." When people ask favors of me, I almost always say yes unless it is dangerous or will negatively affect someone. But saying yes sometimes gets me stressed because I now have something else on my already full plate. I would like to come up with another/new one. My roommate filled out an application which asked about your weaknesses, and she had me read it. I had to laugh when she put as her weakness as "her inability to not complete a task. Once she starts one, she has to finish it." To me, that actually falls under the strengths category and shouldn't be put as a negative. In that lesson, I learned that placing your skills or lack there of should be placed in the right category, otherwise it looks like you are not opening up about your flaws, which everyone knows you have some.
ReplyDeleteI decided to write a few of things I pay close attention to while interviewing which were told to me over the years:
ReplyDelete1) big No-no in interviewing is talking about your past employer negatively. You are there to impress your hopeful new employer, not turn them off by your negativity.
2) Research the company you are interviewing for. It shows initiative and you are serious about working for the company, which is really important to all companies.
3) Don't be afraid to questions as well.
4) Forecast and write out questions in which you would ask someone if you were interviewing them for the job. It helps you think out of the box and may actually be a question you will get in the interview.
5) Be bold. Speak up and have a FIRM handshake. I always like to think of it as a remembrance factor. Especially for woman, lots give a floppy fish handshake and you could surprise a future employer with confidence in just your handshake.
I'm really confused on where to go on the website to do the interview...what's the exact website?
ReplyDeleteperfectinterview.com you have to log in or create a user name to use the site. They will save all your past interviews.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Jess those are definitely great suggestions. I never mentioned the importance of the hand shake! The initial impression the employer has of you is a big deal. Always greet your employer with a good hand shake and eye contact. Eye contact is a way to fake confidence even when you are really nervous.
Being someone who hasn't had an interview in a few years, I really appreciate the suggestions, Jess! I don't know if I will need to do an interview anytime soon since I plan on working for the same company but if I do want to move up I will eventually have to have an interview with the district manager, regional manager, and so on. I do like growing within a company because I have learned some of the skills that Jess mentioned and am prepared if one day I do need to have a professional interview.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry...I'm still having problems on finding where to create a username and password. All I can find is a place to subscribe to it. Nowhere do I see where I can create a username and password...
ReplyDeleteShari,
ReplyDeleteIn your post you mentioned interview questions help take a bit of the stress off, and I think you are correct. I also like it when companies send you a list of questions that might be asked, and it helps you study. I know Teaching for America, sends you a few current events and then during the interview they ask your opinions on them. I think that helps both the interviewer and interviewie to be prepared and keeps things fresh.
Aside from the question portion of the interview, make sure you are dressed professional, and had a good amount of sleep the night before. Some interviews can be over the phone, but when it comes to being face to face, it is important to look the part. A person could completely forget about the interviewing process if all they can think about is how bad your breath smells! So use good hygiene people :)
ReplyDeleteJess, Those are some great ideas and definatally things I will keep in mind with future interviews.
ReplyDeleteAmber, also good to know! I like to keep peppermints in my car and purse for jsut such occasions. Bad Breath can ruin an intire encounter.
Cassandra, glad to hear things are going well with the company your are currently with. For whom do you currently work?
ReplyDeleteI finally was able to understand where to do the practice interviews. I really enjoyed these and I feel that it was really good practice. I found that most of the questions, I had strong answers for and if asked them in a face-to-face interview, I feel more confident and comfortable answering them.
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http://www.perfectinterview.com/online/text_viewer.asp?id=40F722BF-1E0F-44A1-BBB1-E837C6722C33&mediatype=wmv&type=S
I also think that the guest speaker in class this past week was very helpful in learning about interviews and what to do and what not to do. I feel that this class has helped prepare me immensely for interviews in the future.
Thank you for the interview questions, they were very helpful and much like real life interview questions. I agree that it is important to be prepared and dress the part. I for one always dress the part, but don't always focus on the questions to come. I go into an interview looking my best, feeling my best and just being myself which has gotten me the job at least 90% of the time. I do however always know what type of place I am applying to and make sure adjust my speech, views, and answers accordingly. The one answer I focused on is how to answer what my negative flaws are, I always say the same answer with a smile on my face.
ReplyDeleteJess,
ReplyDeleteI love your first tip for interviewing! It made me laugh simply because I have had some a**hole managers and left a job simply becasue of them and they knew it when I left. Of course I resigned professionally and didn't speak to them in a negative manner, but whenever I am asked why I left the previous job I tend to say "schedule conflicts" which is the underlying reason more often than not. I make sure to never speak ill of my previous employer or employment, this has gotten me far.
Like Erica I can't find where to create a username and password without paying for a subscription...
ReplyDeleteI had to ask a friend about it, but the link is actually perfectinterview.com/ucf
ReplyDeleteI was really confused as well.
Thank you very much! I finally figured it out! =)
ReplyDelete