Job Interview Tips [Archive]

Deckydee

05/02/2008, 1:21 PM

Hi,

I have a job interview for a very good oppertunity next week.

I have done a couple of interviews in the past year none of which have been successful. I will admit a couple were to do with the fact that i dont speak French (only English and Dutch) but a couple of these jobs only required NL and EN and i did not get them.

I honeslty cannot understand what I am doing wrong. Any tips out there?

Not feeling confident :(

Merci d'avance :D

:)

DD

jebus

05/02/2008, 1:29 PM

Not feeling confident :(

Get confident stupid! :)

Seriously if you're not confident in yourself then you're never gonna impress anyone, maybe apply for jobs you don't really want, and turn them down if you get offered them to build your confidence in yourself up? I'm a dab hand at interviews, mostly because I don't really want to work anywhere I have worked and hence don't really care if the interview goes well or not, it's a kind of replacement confidence if you will.....

I've been no help whatsoever have I? :)

osarusan

05/02/2008, 1:30 PM

Give us more info - for example -

what do you do to prepare for an interview?

Do you manage to mention in the interview all the positive points you wanted to mention beforehand?

Do you field difficult questions well?

Are you able to predict all the important questions you will be asked?

citizenerased

05/02/2008, 1:55 PM

Make sure you
(1) Arrive on time
(2) Make Eye contact throughout
(3) Firm handshake

(4)Dress appropriately,,a study from harvard(no bullshiiiting) stated that a candidate who wore a dark suit, a white shirt and a red tie..have more of a chance in interviews...
something to do with the subconcious interpretation of those particular colours..

(5) Ask about the salary, only at the end

(6) Always ask what opportunities exist in the company to progress.

(7) Wear a watch, even if you dont own one.

(8) Thank everyone after the interview

Do all that and the job is yours

Deckydee

05/02/2008, 2:00 PM

What do you do to prepare for an interview?

Usually I download and print some information from the company like any takeovers or the annual report for example. I usually practice what I am going to say when I am driving home in the evening from work.

Do you manage to mention in the interview all the positive points you wanted to mention beforehand?

Yes, I usually have a 'speel' where I mention different IT projects I have worked on and the effect that I had on these projects. I also mention the problems that I had originally and how my time on different jobs has helped me to get rid of these problems. I feel this shows that I don’t think that I am 'it' and it shows that I am human

Do you field difficult questions well?

Sorry I don’t understand

Are you able to predict all the important questions you will be asked?

I honestly don think anyone could do that

I have been confident in the past but at this stage I have been shot down so many times I am starting to give up. Did I ever mention about the time that I went to an interview and I was not that good originally? The company said that they saw quality in me nonetheless and asked me to go back and look over my books and come back in 2 months and they will ask me the same questions again. I said this is very fair and for 2 months I broke my backside preparing for the interview. I prepared night and day as it was a very good company and I needed a break. The day of the interview came. I had bought a complete new wardrobe for the meeting, new suit, stocks, shoes, boxers, tie etc. Arrived there 15 minuets early, and spit out the third piece of gum that I had chewed in an hour and went in the building. The guys who had to meet me never even turned up……..Took me about a month to get over it. But its typical of where I live

Confidence shot to bits

Deckydee

05/02/2008, 2:03 PM

noby

05/02/2008, 2:21 PM

Risteard

05/02/2008, 2:26 PM

Talk in a relaxed casual way about specific, detailed businessy things is my very comprehensive advice.

gee wizz

05/02/2008, 2:31 PM

What do you do to prepare for an interview?

Usually I download and print some information from the company like any takeovers or the annual report for example. I usually practice what I am going to say when I am driving home in the evening from work.

Do you manage to mention in the interview all the positive points you wanted to mention beforehand?

Yes, I usually have a 'speel' where I mention different IT projects I have worked on and the effect that I had on these projects. I also mention the problems that I had originally and how my time on different jobs has helped me to get rid of these problems. I feel this shows that I don�t think that I am 'it' and it shows that I am human

Do you field difficult questions well?

Sorry I don�t understand

Are you able to predict all the important questions you will be asked?

I honestly don think anyone could do that

I have been confident in the past but at this stage I have been shot down so many times I am starting to give up. Did I ever mention about the time that I went to an interview and I was not that good originally? The company said that they saw quality in me nonetheless and asked me to go back and look over my books and come back in 2 months and they will ask me the same questions again. I said this is very fair and for 2 months I broke my backside preparing for the interview. I prepared night and day as it was a very good company and I needed a break. The day of the interview came. I had bought a complete new wardrobe for the meeting, new suit, stocks, shoes, boxers, tie etc. Arrived there 15 minuets early, and spit out the third piece of gum that I had chewed in an hour and went in the building. The guys who had to meet me never even turned up��..Took me about a month to get over it. But its typical of where I live

Confidence shot to bits

I hate interviews and always do badly in them,but if its effecting your confidence as much as you say and your blaming the area as above would it not make some sort of sense to apply for jobs away from where you live and you might have some better luck then apply for jobs in your area,its always easier to get a job when you have a job in my opnion

Deckydee

05/02/2008, 2:35 PM

I hate interviews and always do badly in them,but if its effecting your confidence as much as you say and your blaming the area as above would it not make some sort of sense to apply for jobs away from where you live and you might have some better luck then apply for jobs in your area,its always easier to get a job when you have a job in my opnion

That would see me returning to Ireland though......;)

gee wizz

05/02/2008, 2:39 PM

That would see me returning to Ireland though......;)

are you not allowed return to these shores is the job your looking for along the lines of a defuncted james bond type international man of mystery:D

dcfc_1928

05/02/2008, 2:56 PM

Read this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Answers-Tough-Interview-Questions/dp/0749435526

Block G Raptor

05/02/2008, 2:57 PM

Do you have a Bebo or myspace page? if so is there anything Dodgy on it? A lot of perspective employers are checking out these sorts of site's to see what people are really like

gee wizz

05/02/2008, 3:06 PM

Do you have a Bebo or myspace page? if so is there anything Dodgy on it? A lot of perspective employers are checking out these sorts of site's to see what people are really like

smacks of big brother syndrome are you not allowed have a life these days outside of work:eek:

Block G Raptor

05/02/2008, 3:15 PM

smacks of big brother syndrome are you not allowed have a life these days outside of work:eek:

I know. I was looking for a job recently and was going through a recruitment agency, after several knockbacks the recruitment agent told me I should "remove the political references on my Bebo page":confused:, I was shocked to discover that I was being knocked back for jobs because I have a couple of Pics of the Bogside Murals on my Bebo page:mad:

gee wizz

05/02/2008, 3:21 PM

I know. I was looking for a job recently and was going through a recruitment agency, after several knockbacks the recruitment agent told me I should "remove the political references on my Bebo page":confused:, I was shocked to discover that I was being knocked back for jobs because I have a couple of Pics of the Bogside Murals on my Bebo page:mad:

thats a disgrace no-ones political or religous or nationality should play any part in anyone getting a job,its the same when you go for a job with an american company and they do that stupid personality test to see do you fit in with the rest of the workers load of bull:mad:

Block G Raptor

05/02/2008, 3:25 PM

thats a disgrace no-ones political or religous or nationality should play any part in anyone getting a job,its the same when you go for a job with an american company and they do that stupid personality test to see do you fit in with the rest of the workers load of bull:mad:

I agree, the ironic thing is the Company I work for has contracts in the Oireachtas, The Gardai, the Dept of Defense and the British Ministry Of Defence and I have passed security background checks for all of these contracts, so if the prospective employers had rang for a reference instead of jumping to conclusions,mis-interpreting my interest in History and Art as something sinister there would have been no problem. Still I'm glad I stayed where I am with a decent Payrise

gee wizz

05/02/2008, 3:29 PM

well its your gain and they're loss now i suppose

strangeirish

05/02/2008, 3:29 PM

1. Dress nice and appropriate for the job
2. Sit up straight and don't fold your arms
3. Maintain eye contact
4. Don't fart (Kind of ruins the moment ya know)

Think of these few pointers on your next adventure, especially # 4.

Rocky77

06/02/2008, 3:29 PM

Pauro 76

06/02/2008, 4:08 PM

Have never enjoyed interviews myself and I'd always manage to screw things up somehow. But the best thing is not to let things get to you. Appear confident and comfortable even if you aren't. The worst interview question I ever had was "are you religious". Thought it was a trick question and said "I really dont see what this has to do with the job I'm applying for". I didnt get the job. Is there a right answer for that question?

Risteard

06/02/2008, 5:01 PM

Yes, I am a Roman Catholic.

;)
What was the job?

S�C

06/02/2008, 5:48 PM

Yes, I am a Roman Catholic.

;)
What was the job?

Parish Priest

pete

06/02/2008, 10:54 PM

Keep telling them that you're the man. Things like "I have all the skills you're looking for [list them]..."
It was the main thing I learned from a recrutiment consultant that was provided once in a redundancy

Correct. The only issue is that any interviewer worth while should ask for examples or why you can do the job.

Best advice I had was:

CV is to get the Interview
Interview is to get Job Offer

The you decide if you really want the job.

I would not think I am the best interviewer but I have improved with experience.

One guy I had did that "i can do it" routine for every question. I kept asking him for examples to prove his he has done in the past but he kept telling me he could do it. I got frustrated & more or less gave up.

Best story was interviewing Pakistani guy. Did 1st round phone interview & his accent & english was fine (phone is a usually a good test). Before did the face to face interview another manager went in before me. When she was finished we had quick chat & she mentioned how quickly he spoke but I said I did not notice on the phone. All I could think of during the interview was comment from other manager & boy did he speak quickly & this is coming from Corkonian :eek: He also had this distracting habit of drawing boxes & things on sheet of paper while he explained things. He wasn't actually drawing anything but clearly his thought process. Strange.

If you not going to run up for interview even if this a last minute thing always notify the company. Nothing pi**es me off more than no show.

Pauro 76

07/02/2008, 6:44 AM

Yes, I am a Roman Catholic.

;)
What was the job?

It was a Mac Operator in a printing company. Nothing religious about that.Unless they meant they were typesetting the Bible or something. ;)

Metrostars

07/02/2008, 5:17 PM

Make sure you

(4)Dress appropriately,,a study from harvard(no bullshiiiting) stated that a candidate who wore a dark suit, a white shirt and a red tie..have more of a chance in interviews...
something to do with the subconcious interpretation of those particular colours..

Absolutely. I interviewed a candidate for a position in my dept a few years ago who did not wear a suit and tie. Just a shirt with a leather jacket, hardly business attire. That immediately left a bad impression.

tricky_colour

07/02/2008, 11:51 PM

Keep staring at the interviewer.

Pauro 76

08/02/2008, 6:50 AM

Another strange interview was a while ago. Had an interview and there was this really hot Canadian chick doing the interview. God forgive me but was she hot. the job was probably above my level so I concentrated on talking my way into the job. She was interviewing people in the local cafe, when she heard my accent, we went to the pub across the road! But i still didnt get the job. Oh to have a woman like that as a boss. :(

pete

08/02/2008, 12:48 PM

Oh to have a woman like that as a boss. :(

The downside is you would never be able to say No. :D

mypost

08/02/2008, 11:48 PM

In this country, it's not what you know, but who you know, and/or where you're from that gets you the job.

Even if you are an Albert Einstein in your field, and do a great interview, if you don't know the boss/colleague, or someone who knows someone, who knows of someone, and who met someone related to the boss/colleague, you won't get the job. In many cases, the candidate is already chosen before the interview process begins. :eek: :rolleyes:

Risteard

09/02/2008, 2:36 PM

To be fair, that's not my experience at all mypost.
The three interviews I've succeeded at, I knew noone involved in the organisation and I'm from a working-class Cork suburb.

Poor Student

09/02/2008, 2:43 PM

Appear confident and comfortable even if you aren't. The worst interview question I ever had was "are you religious". Thought it was a trick question and said "I really dont see what this has to do with the job I'm applying for". I didnt get the job. Is there a right answer for that question?

Was that in Ireland or the UK? Is it not illegal to ask that?:confused:

S�C

09/02/2008, 10:39 PM

Was that in Ireland or the UK? Is it not illegal to ask that?:confused:

It'd be illegal to discriminate on it and they have no grounds to ask that really.

Although...speaking of fun in the UK. Always tick the "White- Irish" box. Then the good little company can proudly talk about how they have recruited minorities!

Risteard

09/02/2008, 11:24 PM

Maybe you should think of a good answer aswell to a question about your weaknesses.

Burny89

09/02/2008, 11:44 PM

play footsie under the table, even if its a bloke

Bondvillain

10/02/2008, 1:13 AM

Although...speaking of fun in the UK. Always tick the "White- Irish" box. Then the good little company can proudly talk about how they have recruited minorities!

Dark skinned folk from the West Indies would be rumbled pretty quickly after following the above advice, would they not?

ramsfan

12/02/2008, 5:34 PM

eye contact is the most important went through 5 interviews to get my present job and the guy i had for my first interview is one of my bosses now, he told me majority of interview was complete in first 15 seconds , he said they decided in that 15 seconds by by appearance and manners/ attitude.
they know all about you from cv so dont try and make stuff up you will get caught out stick to what you know and remember you are talking about yourself and they either like you or not so give it your best shot

and dont bring a bundle of references into interview most interviewerS hate that