Congratulations Graduate! Eleven Reasons Why I Will Never Hire You.Mark O'Toole
Over the past 20 years, I’ve been in hiring roles and have received thousands of resumes from new college graduates. I’ve interviewed many for real jobs and done my share of informational interviews. Sometimes I’ve hired people into entry-level positions. More often though, I haven’t.
Those who did not get the job were sometimes just not the right fit. Other times, they were trumped by a more impressive candidate or victim to some other random event mostly out of their control.
Too many had the background to make the cut or at least garner a second interview. But disastrous interviewing skills brought you down.
Here are my top reasons why I will never hire you.
Every Start Up must have a Hero to succeed. This presentation pursues that idea with examples and motivates the Entrepreneur to think of her Start Up with a Hero in mind!
Congratulations Graduate! Eleven Reasons Why I Will Never Hire You.Mark O'Toole
Over the past 20 years, I’ve been in hiring roles and have received thousands of resumes from new college graduates. I’ve interviewed many for real jobs and done my share of informational interviews. Sometimes I’ve hired people into entry-level positions. More often though, I haven’t.
Those who did not get the job were sometimes just not the right fit. Other times, they were trumped by a more impressive candidate or victim to some other random event mostly out of their control.
Too many had the background to make the cut or at least garner a second interview. But disastrous interviewing skills brought you down.
Here are my top reasons why I will never hire you.
Every Start Up must have a Hero to succeed. This presentation pursues that idea with examples and motivates the Entrepreneur to think of her Start Up with a Hero in mind!
How i got interviews at google, facebook, and bridgewater (tech version)Tomiwa Ademidun
In the summer after 3rd year, I decided that I wanted to work at a top tech company such as Google or Bridgewater. There was problem though. I didn't go to a target school, my grades were just okay and my work experience consisted of being a janitor and IT Tech support. I knew if I wanted to get a chance at these top companies I would have to get creative.
This article details how I was able to get interviews at companies like Google, Facebook and Bridgewater etc. If you think you have some sort of weakness or background that precludes you from getting a shot at these companies, hopefully you'll see that you can get a chance at these companies as well.
- Learn how to ensure all channels are being maximized for your lead generation
- How to avoid the most costly and common pitfalls in managing leads
- Reduce your marketing expenses by optimizing your cost per lead
- Learn the difference between your short and long term pipelines and how to manage both.
Atlanta BDPA Saturday Seminar - Critical Thinking - Branding & NetworkingDerrick Brown
How do you differentiate yourself for a 21st Century economic environment? How do you make yourself innovative? How do you make yourself IN DEMAND! Watch this presentation and learn to Lock The Job!
99.8% of people I meet are focused on Who, Where, When and What, but never on Why. ‘Why’ is troublesome… It’s ‘inconvenient’, it hasn’t got easy answers… It’s best left alone.
I believe that WHY alone is what you need to do before you start something.
Finding a new job is really tough work. But it is much easier if you start acting like a marketer. Stop and think for a second. Are you marketing yourself or are you just sending applications? The road to landing a job is paved with personal branding, standing our and making a different impression on the recruiter.
View this presentation and you will learn how to create an application and CV that will get you an interview. There aren’t any one-stop solutions, because everyone is different. Let the characters of Seinfeld help you in this difficult task. Look at this SlideShare and learn how to land a job. Recruiting has never been this clear.
Witty writing and hellacious headlines are the difference between awesome and average. This evolutionary version of the homo sapiens has an attention span of seven seconds, less than a goldfish, so catchy captions are crucial.
This is one of the lessons that Dilbert by Scott Adams, can teach us about modern marketing.
The Baby Boomer population is booming and their long term care needs are booming too. If you are a Baby Boomer you need to be planning for your own long term care if you haven’t already.
In addition the prevalence of Alzheimer's is increasing, there is a serious shortage of Geriatric Professionals to care for seniors, long term care costs are increasing and there is very little governmental subsidy.
At some point, barring tragedy, every one of us becomes a senior yet we spend so little time considering what our long term care needs might be, how to prepare for them and of course how to finance them.
If you plan ahead there are options but you need to plan sooner rather than later!
Want to understand how our population is aging and what it means for you? Want an Action Plan for retirement? Use Abaris' simple tutorial to get answers to these questions and more.
Science has proved it: people today are living longer than ever before. But as average life expectancies have been rising, the mean retirement age has stayed more or less the same. Since 1940 the average life span has gone up about 17 years, now at about age 79, yet the average age of retirement is more or less the exact same, about 65 years old. That leaves a big gap of your life filled without a paycheck, which is why Social Security, pensions and retirement income products are so important.
Despite the importance of Social Security and pension plans, fewer people than ever have pensions today and Social Security rarely covers all of a retiree’s expenses. On average, money received from Social Security only makes up about 42% of an individual’s pre-retirement income. Additionally, Social Security reserves are suffering from underfunding, and are expected to run out by 2033 under current law. Pension plans are great in that they guarantee a lifetime income, but they’re becoming more and more rare. Today, the predominant form of individual retirement savings is in 401(k)s and IRAs. But those plans don’t automatically provide lifetime income, leaving people to struggle with longevity risk: the chance that you live far longer than you expect. If you lead a long healthy life, as you certainly hope to, you’d end up running out of your savings.One solution? Deferred income annuities.
A deferred income annuity is a way of insuring against longevity. You make a payment, or series of payments, to an insurance company. Insurance companies are able to pool risk and use the market for pooling and protection in ways that you can’t on your own. This allows them to pay you an annual income, beginning at some future date, for the rest of your life. Surely stocks tend to yield a greater financial return, but with a deferred income annuity the value is in the guaranteed protection and the peace of mind. Deferred income annuities aren’t right for everyone. If you’re younger than 45, in below average health, most concerned about passing money onto your heirs, able to “self-insure” off the wealth of your investment income, or if you haven’t saved enough and need to keep the money you have in case of emergency then you’re probably not the best fit for a deferred income annuity. But otherwise, you’re looking like a great candidate.
How i got interviews at google, facebook, and bridgewater (tech version)Tomiwa Ademidun
In the summer after 3rd year, I decided that I wanted to work at a top tech company such as Google or Bridgewater. There was problem though. I didn't go to a target school, my grades were just okay and my work experience consisted of being a janitor and IT Tech support. I knew if I wanted to get a chance at these top companies I would have to get creative.
This article details how I was able to get interviews at companies like Google, Facebook and Bridgewater etc. If you think you have some sort of weakness or background that precludes you from getting a shot at these companies, hopefully you'll see that you can get a chance at these companies as well.
- Learn how to ensure all channels are being maximized for your lead generation
- How to avoid the most costly and common pitfalls in managing leads
- Reduce your marketing expenses by optimizing your cost per lead
- Learn the difference between your short and long term pipelines and how to manage both.
Atlanta BDPA Saturday Seminar - Critical Thinking - Branding & NetworkingDerrick Brown
How do you differentiate yourself for a 21st Century economic environment? How do you make yourself innovative? How do you make yourself IN DEMAND! Watch this presentation and learn to Lock The Job!
99.8% of people I meet are focused on Who, Where, When and What, but never on Why. ‘Why’ is troublesome… It’s ‘inconvenient’, it hasn’t got easy answers… It’s best left alone.
I believe that WHY alone is what you need to do before you start something.
Finding a new job is really tough work. But it is much easier if you start acting like a marketer. Stop and think for a second. Are you marketing yourself or are you just sending applications? The road to landing a job is paved with personal branding, standing our and making a different impression on the recruiter.
View this presentation and you will learn how to create an application and CV that will get you an interview. There aren’t any one-stop solutions, because everyone is different. Let the characters of Seinfeld help you in this difficult task. Look at this SlideShare and learn how to land a job. Recruiting has never been this clear.
Witty writing and hellacious headlines are the difference between awesome and average. This evolutionary version of the homo sapiens has an attention span of seven seconds, less than a goldfish, so catchy captions are crucial.
This is one of the lessons that Dilbert by Scott Adams, can teach us about modern marketing.
The Baby Boomer population is booming and their long term care needs are booming too. If you are a Baby Boomer you need to be planning for your own long term care if you haven’t already.
In addition the prevalence of Alzheimer's is increasing, there is a serious shortage of Geriatric Professionals to care for seniors, long term care costs are increasing and there is very little governmental subsidy.
At some point, barring tragedy, every one of us becomes a senior yet we spend so little time considering what our long term care needs might be, how to prepare for them and of course how to finance them.
If you plan ahead there are options but you need to plan sooner rather than later!
Want to understand how our population is aging and what it means for you? Want an Action Plan for retirement? Use Abaris' simple tutorial to get answers to these questions and more.
Science has proved it: people today are living longer than ever before. But as average life expectancies have been rising, the mean retirement age has stayed more or less the same. Since 1940 the average life span has gone up about 17 years, now at about age 79, yet the average age of retirement is more or less the exact same, about 65 years old. That leaves a big gap of your life filled without a paycheck, which is why Social Security, pensions and retirement income products are so important.
Despite the importance of Social Security and pension plans, fewer people than ever have pensions today and Social Security rarely covers all of a retiree’s expenses. On average, money received from Social Security only makes up about 42% of an individual’s pre-retirement income. Additionally, Social Security reserves are suffering from underfunding, and are expected to run out by 2033 under current law. Pension plans are great in that they guarantee a lifetime income, but they’re becoming more and more rare. Today, the predominant form of individual retirement savings is in 401(k)s and IRAs. But those plans don’t automatically provide lifetime income, leaving people to struggle with longevity risk: the chance that you live far longer than you expect. If you lead a long healthy life, as you certainly hope to, you’d end up running out of your savings.One solution? Deferred income annuities.
A deferred income annuity is a way of insuring against longevity. You make a payment, or series of payments, to an insurance company. Insurance companies are able to pool risk and use the market for pooling and protection in ways that you can’t on your own. This allows them to pay you an annual income, beginning at some future date, for the rest of your life. Surely stocks tend to yield a greater financial return, but with a deferred income annuity the value is in the guaranteed protection and the peace of mind. Deferred income annuities aren’t right for everyone. If you’re younger than 45, in below average health, most concerned about passing money onto your heirs, able to “self-insure” off the wealth of your investment income, or if you haven’t saved enough and need to keep the money you have in case of emergency then you’re probably not the best fit for a deferred income annuity. But otherwise, you’re looking like a great candidate.
The Asset Return - Funding Cost Paradox: The Case for LDINorman Ehrentreich
Presentation for the IQPC Pension Plan De-Risking Conference on November 9th and 10th in New York (preliminary draft)
Proves that lower returning LDI strategies can result in lower funding costs than higher returning, but more volatile equity strategies. Furthermore argues that this is most likely the standard case in reality.
Everything you do on social media leaves a trail of electronic breadcrumbs that employers follow back to a less-than-flattering night out picture or an immature tweet. This is what makes it so important to closely monitor your online presence both during your job search and once you have secured a position. You may not be able to pick up all of those crumbs you’ve left around the internet but today we’re sharing with you our 10 top tips for the online world to make sure you’re helped and not hindered by the online technology of today.
How to skill up in digital marketing and give employers what they want - The ...Luke Marshall
A guest lecture I did at The University of Melbourne in 2016. The topic was hot to skill up in digital marketing and give employers what they want.
There were 2nd, 3rd, 4th year students of digital marketing in the room, so put the presentation together to give them information I wish I had when I started.
Covers off:
- researching the industry
- creating stories
- getting hands-on experience
15 anti-aging secrets for sexy sourcers René Bolier
Realizing their potential, sexy sourcers also see their competition growing and they’re not getting any younger. So how do you stay a sexy sourcer as you age?
Programming is our present and the future of other coming generations.
Here is a simple guide that may help you organize yourself and start learning with effective ways
We reached out to our community to ask their experience of career advice and interview advice (both bad and good). This is what you had to say about your worst career advice, and your best interview tips.
Finding a job in today’s economy is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Good job opportunities are few, and the competition for them is fierce. In this short report, you will find Six Interview Tips that you should immediately put into practice. These six tips will increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Successful Living - April 2021 - Goal SettingRichard Butler
Goal setting is so important.
If you don't set a goal how do you know where you are in life?
In this month's successful living I talk about the need for goal setting and how you can start setting goals and the 5 areas you should be setting goals in.
As always I recommend you join me on instagram @richardmotivates - send me a dm and say hi, and on my site
richardbutler.coach
Anything you need just leave a comment and make sure you follow me.
Richard Butler has a successful living magazine which he publishes on a monthly basis.
In this issue he talks about success.
Follow Richard on Instagram @richardmotivates
Visit his website richardbutler.coach
And of course leave any comments, download and share
No matter what your age you can become an entrepreneur and you should follow your dreams.
In this short guide I give you 6 tips - well actually 5 and the 6th tip?
join my on my $10 coaching!
In this lesson you will learn the basic English greetings.
Download this lesson and study it.
To get the most from this lesson join our English Club -
You get video lessons each month for just $10/€10 per month - coming soon, but if you sign up now you can get in at a special discount price!
Imagine being able to ethically influence people.
What if you could get them to like you easily?
Could this make your life easier?
Find out what NLP can do for you!
When you start a sentence with If only I had, you are thinking about a past event that you never did and can never now do.
Going down this path can be dangerous. In this chapter I help you understand why
Do you live a life of What Ifs?
Do you wonder what life might have been like if you had ....
In this chapter I discuss why living a What If live is not something you want to do.
As always if you feel this has helped you please feel free to share
Do you show gratitude in your life?
Are you thankful for who and what you have?
Being grateful is essential if you want to successfully complete the 30 day challenge.
What beliefs are you holding on to?
Are they still true?
Perhaps some of the limiting beliefs you had are no longer true and now is the time to take an inventory of your beliefs and see how you can change.
One of the great parts of WordPress is the ability to use Plugins - these are small helper apps that allow you to extend the functionality of any WordPress site instantly and without effort!
In this tutorial I show you how to find, install, activate and even remove WordPress Plugins
Sometimes we think that others have more than us. We believe that "they" are so much happier.
However today I want you to stop and think about all the things you have and what you should be grateful for.
Believe it or not it's not always about material things. It is not always about money or possessions.
This slidedeck will help ground you and make you realise how happy you can be with what you have!
Please feel to share this with your friends and family.
Not sure about the past tense? Here's a quick revision guide brought to you by Richard of PrivateEnglishClasses.com
Please feel free to download, print, and of course share this or use it in your school!
A reflective journal helping you realise that life is good. Believe it or not sometimes we feel that there is nothing good in our lives however when you take the time to reflect on your life you will realise just how good it is.
Are you ready to take your life to the next level
A handy document for recording new English words as you learn them. Once you learn a new word, try to use immediately.
Find out more on PrivateEnglishClasses.com
Does your child have girl drama? Help her through it by downloading this diary and let her fill it in!
This can help her work through her issues ;)
Find out more at www.RichardButlerTheSuccessCoach.com
Everyone needs to have a dream. Something that they live for, something that compels you to get up every morning.
In this short report I look at what dreams are and then I show you the steps you need to change the ream into a reality by changing it to a goal!
If you want to have a new life, now is your chance!
In order to succeed you have to be able to focus, however some times it can be hard to concentrate and to avoid distractions
This short report gives you my top tips to help you focus and to concentrate
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
The Indian economy is classified into different sectors to simplify the analysis and understanding of economic activities. For Class 10, it's essential to grasp the sectors of the Indian economy, understand their characteristics, and recognize their importance. This guide will provide detailed notes on the Sectors of the Indian Economy Class 10, using specific long-tail keywords to enhance comprehension.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
This is a presentation by Dada Robert in a Your Skill Boost masterclass organised by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS) on Saturday, the 25th and Sunday, the 26th of May 2024.
He discussed the concept of quality improvement, emphasizing its applicability to various aspects of life, including personal, project, and program improvements. He defined quality as doing the right thing at the right time in the right way to achieve the best possible results and discussed the concept of the "gap" between what we know and what we do, and how this gap represents the areas we need to improve. He explained the scientific approach to quality improvement, which involves systematic performance analysis, testing and learning, and implementing change ideas. He also highlighted the importance of client focus and a team approach to quality improvement.
Students, digital devices and success - Andreas Schleicher - 27 May 2024..pptxEduSkills OECD
Andreas Schleicher presents at the OECD webinar ‘Digital devices in schools: detrimental distraction or secret to success?’ on 27 May 2024. The presentation was based on findings from PISA 2022 results and the webinar helped launch the PISA in Focus ‘Managing screen time: How to protect and equip students against distraction’ https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/managing-screen-time_7c225af4-en and the OECD Education Policy Perspective ‘Students, digital devices and success’ can be found here - https://oe.cd/il/5yV
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology:
Ethnobotany in herbal drug evaluation,
Impact of Ethnobotany in traditional medicine,
New development in herbals,
Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
Role of Ethnopharmacology in drug evaluation,
Reverse Pharmacology.
2. Chapter 1
Virtual Job Fairs
The landscape of recruitment is changing
The traditional job fair is something I am sure you are familiar with. You walk
from exhibition booth to exhibition booth looking at the recruiters, perhaps
talking to one or two of them, and of course collecting free pens and other
assorted goodies. However things are changing and these traditional job
fairs are too!
There is a new type of fair and that fair is called the Virtual Job Fair. A virtual
job fair allows you to visit a job fair without leaving your own home! However
you still need to be aware of how to get the most from these fairs. Below I
have listed some valuable tips to make sure you get more success at a
virtual job fair:
Before attending a virtual job fair you should
do the following:
1. Plan in advance. Although more convenient, a virtual job fair can be a bit
more challenging that a normal job fair. Since there is no need to travel,
there may be more events, more recruitment firms and even more
information. Therefore you need to establish priorities.
2. Presenting your profiles. Make sure that your social media profiles,
such as LinkedIn are up to date, correct and sell you as a professional. If
you use Twitter make sure all your comments are suitable for a work
environment.
3. 3. Turbo charge your website! If you don’t already have one, now might be
the time to set up a website to give more information about yourself
(remember any recruiter or company will google your name to find out
more about you!) A simple website will allow you to post news, views and
reviews of what is happening in your industry and show that you like to
keep up to date with your industry.
4. Picture this. Make sure that your website/LinkedIn or Twitter profile have
a professional headshot picture of you. You don’t necessarily have to go
to a professional photographer but you do need to make sure the picture
looks professional. Therefore no cropped pictures from nights out etc
5. Testing, testing 1-2-3. Make sure your computer is working and reliable
just in case you are asked to do a Skype or other video conference
review.
6. Check your documentation. Since you are looking for a new position I
assume you have read and reread your resume and that everything is
spell checked. However, are you certain that your documentation can be
read online by different browsers and on mobile devices? Remember
some recruiters may be accessing your information on the go.
7. What’s your elevator pitch. Something we all need to work on is our
elevator pitch – that 60 second pitch where we can talk about ourselves.
In many virtual job fairs recruiters will ask you to either record a short
introduction about yourself or ask you for a short live video call. Either
way you need to be ready!
4. 8. Be prepared for questions. The main advantage for recruiters of
attending a virtual job fair is it makes the whole process of hiring easier
and quicker. Always be prepared in case a recruiter asks you to do a
quick video interview – ensure that you are not in your pjs and also be
ready to answer interview questions on the spot!
Steps to Take During and After a Virtual Job
Fair
1. Be professional at all times. Always act in a professional manner. This
means that you must pay attention to your grammar, how you speak (if
doing an interview), your tweets and your LinkedIn comments – you are
being watched!
2. Time is precious. It is easy to get carried away and lose time at
traditional job fair. This can as well at a virtual job fair – you spend too
much time researching companies, you try to upload or submit your CV
to every company. Remember if you have planned ahead you know the
companies you are interested in and you can focus on those.
3. Keep a note of things. As you virtually visit recruiters and communicate
with them, take notes so you can keep a check on who you have talked
to and what they said to you. This helps you reflect on what recruiters or
companies you want to follow up on.
5. 4. Learn something new. One thing that many fairs offer (both virtual and
traditional) are free webinars and seminars. Take advantage to learn as
much as you can as more often than not they have experts talking about
relevant topics that can help in your job search.
5. It’s about networking. Although you may not get a job there and then,
job fairs are are a great way to make new contacts – with recruiters and
other key people within companies. Make sure that you exchange
emails. But even before attending you can look for the key players in
companies and visit their LinkedIn profile to find out more about them.
Once you have met people make sure that you follow up with them.
6. People appreciate a thank you. If, and when, you talk to people make
sure you always thank them for the opportunity and thank them for their
time. People remember and appreciate this.
6. Chapter 2
Ace that interview!
Top tips to help have a better interview
Once you have submitted your resume, you then have to wait and hope that
you are called for interview. Of course this is what many people fear! The
interview, selling yourself, deciding on what to say. Ahhhhh! For many it is
nerve racking, but just hold on and let’s see what top tips I have for you
today!
Interviews are a game, and like any game you need to know the rules. The
more interviews you do the better you become at them – it’s as simple as
that. Plus remember that many people won’t have had that many interviews
as they won’t have changed jobs that often. To become good at job
interviews you need preparation and confidence. My tips are going to help
you!
Remember that you may be 1 of up to 20 people being interviewed for the
job so:
First, second and third impressions count!
Richard’s 9 tips for succeeding at interviews:
What are you saying about yourself online? I work with recruiters and I
know that they go and look through social media profiles! It is said that 90%
of employers will also do this!. Always be careful of what you post on social
media and also ensure that your settings are set to private. You don’t want
to miss an opportunity because of something silly you posted!.
7. In some countries it is now legal for an employer to ask for your social
media account usernames so they can see what you are
doing on social media. They can even, in some countries, ask you to log in
so they can see what you have been posting!
Before the interview
1. Do your detective work. I remember, early in my career, doing a great
interview only to be asked the following question “So when did the
company start?” I had to make something up but nearly kicked myself
for not having done my research. Not knowing the basics can kill the
interview! Research the company online, look at their LinkedIn company
page but also check out their other social media profiles. Indeed it is also
good to view the social media profiles of the interviewers to see if you
can get any useful information about them with regard to their business
life.
2. Dress to impress. Sounds like such a cliche but it is true. However,
what ever you do don’t over do it. For guys A suit and tie are a safe bet.
It depends on the industry etc, but better to be a little over dressed then
arrive in shorts and a t-shirt! Women need to also wear a business suit,
or business dress. Don’t overdo the make up, don’t wear anything too
revealing (after all you want them to focus on you and not anything else!)
3. The most important point is to too clean and presentable, ensuing that
your clothes fit you well. Something too tight or too big will just not look
right no matter what brand it is!
4. Arrive early. There is no excuse for being late. Using Google maps you
can get the exact route you need to take, either by car, by public
8. transport or walking. Aim to arrive at the location at least 20 minutes
early. This gives you time to relax and compose yourself. Being late for
the interview will not give a good impression to the interviewer.
I suggest you arrive to the location 20 minutes early and present yourself
to reception 10 minutes before the interview time. Top tip – don’t go for a
coffee as if you are like me you are likely to spill on yourself or on any
papers you may have. Also don’t smoke before the interview!
5. Practice makes you better! You have to practice and do more
interviews to get better. You can engage in role play with a friend or a
business coach to help you practice your interview techniques. In fact I
have a book about job hunting available here and am also available to
conduct mock Skype interviews.
There is no such thing as a perfect interview as everyone is different,
however practice will always make you better.
6. See yourself. When doing a mock interview take a deep breath and
decide to record yourself. It is true that no one likes to see themselves
on video, however you will see any “challenges” you might have with
body language, any verbal mistakes you make, for example saying um a
lot! Yes this an be hard to do but it will really benefit you. You will also
be able to analyse how you answer questions.
9. At the interview
The number one question – “tell me about yourself”. Always an
interesting one and a tricky one. To be honest this is a conversation starter.
They don’t want to know about the time you won the egg and spoon race
when you were 7.
I recommend you prepare a 2 minute story and use that. For example. After
leaving school I went to XX university to study Economics as it was
something that always interested me. During that time I did my internship
with XX and then after completion of my degree I began working with YYY
company. I gained valuable experience there but decided after 2 years to
further my career by…
Think this through and make sure that you focus on some of your attributes,
your skills and how you can help the company. Be prepared for them to
interrupt you and ask a few questions.
Make sure what you say does not sound rehearsed as it should be as
natural as possible!
Know your strengths and weaknesses. One question you will always be
asked is what are your strengths and then what are your weaknesses. Be
modest when talking about your strengths as you need to portray that you
are capable of doing the job but don’t want to brag!
Talking about your weaknesses can be difficult, but interviewers want to see
if you can self analysis yourself. My suggestion is always to have a number
of weaknesses and then show how you improved on them.
10. For example “I used to find it quite difficult to organise paperwork after
training sessions” – here is your weakness (note the use of used to.
“However I talked to my manager at the time time and she gave me some
really easy and practical tips, which has made me more efficient.” – here we
have a solution.
Every weakness should start off “negative” and end with a positive solution.
Take your time. Don’t rush into answering questions. Ensure you
understand what is being asked, and if you are not sure ask them to clarify.
Always answer the question in a concise and easy to understand manner.
Avoid using complex words when a “normal” word will suffice
Thank the interviewer. No matter how the interview went always make sure
you thank them for their time and end on a positive note with them.
Remember they are probably tired from interviewing so many people so a
thank you can go along way!
In conclusion
There is no doubt about it going for an interview can be stressful. When you
are called to interview it means they are interested in finding out more about
you so you want to ensure that you sell yourself and show them why you are
right for the job.
It is all about what you say, how you say it and the impression you make.
Make sure you become an expert at interviews by practicing a lot and doing
your research.
11. For more information about job searching check out my kindle book on
amazon which covers the search, the cover letter, the resume and the
interview!
Richard is a trained life and business coach. You can find more information
about him at RichardButlerTheSuccessCoach.com He is also the author of
several books on Amazon Kindle, simply google 41 Lessons in Life to find is
life changing Kindle book.