Job Interview Tips

  1. Shake hands firmly.
  2. Look the interviewer in the eye when you are talking.
  3. Speak clearly, don’t mumble.
  4. If you need time to think before answering, take time.  Stick to the subject at hand, which is the job and your skills related to it.
  5. Use the employer’s name, pronounce it correctly, but don’t over do it.
  6. Don’t fidget in your seat or show nervousness with your body (hands, posture, etc.)
  7. Don’t take notes during the interview unless the interviewer encourages you to do so.
  8. Don’t complain about a former boss or co-worker.  By complaining in this way, you’re likely to make the employer think that you are hard to get along with.
  9. Don’t ask about salaries, sick leaves, pensions, vacations, or benefits on the first interview.
  10. Don’t exaggerate; state the facts.
  11. If you have specific qualifications for a job, be sure the employer knows about them.  No one knows what you can do unless you tell them.
  12. Talk about school subjects and hobbies in which you have excelled and those that are related to the job for which you are applying.
  13. An employer may be interested in everything you can do, but will be most interested in your skills that relate to the job for which you are applying.
  14. Ask questions when you don’t understand what the employer is talking about.  You’ll want to know as much about the job as you can before making a decision.
  15. The interviewer will close when he or she has enough information.  Don’t try to extend the interview unless you have an important point which has not been covered.  If this is the situation, briefly address the point and follow-up in a thank you letter.
  16. Before leaving the interview, (assuming you want the position) let the employer know that you really want the job.  By doing this, the employer will feel that you will work hard in the position.