Interview Etiquette - Before, During & After

There are many factors that leave a good impression in a job interview but It's foolish to think if we have the experience and skills, we've landed the job.  Of course it's important but there are other things that are considered. How you present is everything.  You can look good on paper (resume), but if you're lacking in presentation, personality or character, you won't be leaving the best impression at all.  In recruiter's terms we call these "soft skills".  You can't change your personality but you can always brush up on proper interview etiquette. 

Interview Etiquette Tips (for starters):

• Never keep an interviewer waiting (see earlier post, "Do You Know The Time Of Day?")
• Don't smoke just before the interview.  Lots of people are offended by the smell of smoke
• Turn smart phone off 
• Don't be more than 10 minutes early for an interview.  An interview is scheduled at a specific time for a reason
•  Always bring a resume even if it was sent electronically (bring an extra one in case another person is called into the interview unexpectedly)
• Research company (you'll be asked, "Why do you want to work here?")
• Be prepared (review resume, know your story, and WHY HIRE YOU? answer)
• Dress appropriately (see earlier post, "Dress For Success")
• Send thank you email within 24 hours

"If we could see ourselves as others see us, we would vanish on the spot."

~Emil Cioran

"Good Night, And Good Luck"

Laura Rivchun

PS - If you have any questions about any of these tips, send me an email directly (lrcareercoach@gmail.com) and we can discuss.  Also, if you have any unusual interview stories you'd like to share with me, I'd love to hear about them.  

   

Common Job Interview Pitfalls

Have  you ever been on an interview and immediately afterward knew that you really botched up?  Did you feel you could have presented yourself so much better had you known the answers to some of those curveball questions?  More than likely, many of us have had one of those "dreaded" interviews.

We can't predict the personality of the interviewer or questions that will be asked but we can go in knowing we've prepared ourselves as best as possible.  Hopefully, the interviewer and you will connect and it will be the career match of the century.

To be at your interview best, there are some common job interview pitfalls that are necessary to address and might be missing from your interview preparation:

COMMON PITFALLS

1.  No clarity of story (paint your picture)

2.  Don't know your value. Why and how are you unique?

3.  Didn't back up convictions with measurables.

4.  Didn't convey transferrable skills

5.  Inappropriate answers/behavior 

6.  Lack of interview preparation (didn’t research, review your resume, etc)

 Ask yourself this: "Am I conveying my transferrable skills?  Do I know my value and what makes me unique?  Can I provide specific and "measurable" examples of my accomplishments?  Is my story clear?

Just some interview food for thought.........

"Fortune favors the prepared mind."

~ Louis Pasteur

"Good Night, And Good Luck"

Laura Rivchun

PS -  My upcoming blog posts will address the 6 common interview pitfalls in greater detail (see above).  If you can't wait til my next post (that's a joke), please email me at lrcareercoach@gmail.com with any questions.

Looking For A Job? - Make Yourself visible

No, I was not abducted by aliens or sailing around the world in the last two weeks.  Nor was I knocked on the head only to awaken and not know my own identity (although, I have felt that way at times).  Plain truth is I somehow couldn't (didn't) find the time to sit down and write one of my "oh so insightful" blog posts.

Excuses, excuses.  Do you find yourself making a lot of excuses about your lack of career motivation or current job search?  Do you sometimes feel like taking a break from it all and disappearing from view?  If so, I understand but don't agree it's the best way to go.

When we disappear, people make all kinds of assumptions.  If you're in a job search and haven't been  networking or making those obligatory calls, one could assume you're no longer looking.  You could miss out on a great opportunity because of your absence.   Bottom line is this; if you're looking for a job, make yourself visible.  Reach out to your contacts, network when possible and don't allow people to forget about you and your unique talent.

If you assumed I disappeared because I was not committed and passionate about coaching, you were incorrect.  See what I mean?  

"The future depends on what we do in the present"
~ Mahatma Gandi

"Good Night, And Good Luck"

Laura Rivchun

PS - This past Monday I conducted a mentoring meeting, "How To Ace The Interview" for the NAPW (National Association of Professional Women).  Please look for upcoming posts on interview tips, common interview pitfalls, frequently asked interview questions, etc.