How to answer job interview questions
How to answer job interview questions
It seems that no matter what age you are there is nothing more stressful than going through an interview. Whether you have years of experience in your profession, or if you are a teenager looking for a summer job, the thought is there, how to answer interview questions. There are the obvious right and wrong answers to some questions. The questions that are determining the basic skill level needed for a particular job. These are usually not the questions that determines who gets the job, because they will be covering the basic job description and basic duties. It is learning how to answer interview questions where the interviewer is looking for a certain attitude or skill that will determine if you will stand out among the others that are being interviewed. These are the questions that are the most difficult to prepare for. These are also the questions that you answer over and over again in your mind once you leave the interview room. I know that I have left many interviews wishing I had worded my answer differently or that I had elaborated on a certain answer. It is also important to learn how to answer interview questions in a way that lets the interviewer know that you will bring enthusiasm along with knowledge to the job.
There are a number of techniques and tips that are available that address how to answer interview questions. Some interview aids give a list of most asked questions so that you can practice an interview. I have found that the techniques that are the most helpful to me are those that also provide answers to how to answer interview questions. You want to be careful that you do not sound too rehearsed in an interview, but you want to be able to have the confidence to get across that that you know what you are talking about and that you are the best candidate for the position. If you come across too rehearsed you might give off the impression that you are bored with the process. It is helpful if you can develop a brief personal pitch so that the employer knows you are a good match. This pitch goes beyond knowing how to answer interview questions and presents your skills and attitudes towards the business you are applying for.
For some of the higher level jobs that are more difficult to get into there are interactive mock interviews. By participating in these you will not only learn how to answer interview questions, but will get feed back from the interviewer on how you come across. This will give you tips on body language and mannerisms that also impact the chances of getting a job. How to answer interview questions is a skill that will take you far in your career once you have mastered it. Once you have overcome the worry of how to answer interview questions it will be much easier to appear confident and knowledgeable in your skill level. Also having the right attitude towards learning a skill that you might not have yet is a positive sign to an employer. Many employers are willing to teach a basic skill to a person that they feel is a good match for the position. You can show that you are the right match by having confidence in how to answer interview questions.
Ah, the job fair. One of the least festive of festivals, where the desperate unemployed worker and the ruthless businessmen meat and one tries the others nose on for size as a seat. Sorry for being bitter, but I've done the job fairs circuit quite a bit, and have found it, well, trying to say the least. Even teacher job fairs, which target my area of experience, have been quite difficult and unrewarding. Ultimately, I did not find a job that I was happy with until I began avoiding job fairs all together.
It is important to put your resume out there, but the most efficient way to do this is to not use job fairs at all. I've used monster dot com and a number of other similar services, with fair results. At a job fair, there are so many candidates wandering at such a frantic pace, that it is very difficult to get any attention at all unless one organization has a large number of jobs, or you are looking at a job that, for some reason (usually a good one) is not very possible. Yes, the career fair is not the fairest place to search for a career.
The advantage of using a service like monster is that, by definition, once you are contacted you already have your foot in the door. For me, it is very difficult to go out and seek a position, but if I am asked to interview for a position, I will have much more confidence. And any career counselor will tell you that confidence is key.
However, better than both the internet and job fairs is nepotism. Use your connections to the fullest. You do not have a more valuable resource. People love working with people they know, or at least with people who are known by people they know, and if you are a friend of the friend of someone hiring, this alone can sometimes be enough to get you a position assuming that you are reasonably qualified. Also, ask yourself when interviewing, what does this person want. Most people broadcast their desires when in a conversation, and it is never as simple as “a personable and qualified employee.” Some people want someone to agree with them, and so it pays to back up what they say and mirror their body language. Whether at job fairs or at interviews with family friends, it pays to be attentive.
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