                 PREPARING  FOR  THE  INTERVIEW

The interviewing process is primarily a process of eliminating any
applicant whose application form, personal appearance, or personal
responses make a poor impression.  It is safer for the interviewer
to reject an applicant who might actually have been a good employee
than make a hiring error.

A job applicant who realizes how much an employer fears making a
hiring mistake can handle the interview more effectively.  Your job
is to assure the interviewer that you offer the least risk and
greatest potential.

Be Prepared:
It is important that you know as much as possible about your
potential employer: for example, their size, number of employees,
branches, history, products sold or manufactured, and sales volume.
What are their markets?  How do they market their products or
service,  Who is their competition?  For information, contact your
librarian, the company's Public Relations Department, competitors,
people in the field, and trade association(s).  If you have contact
with an employee, or know someone who does, talk to him or her.

Clothing:
Women - Attention should be drawn to the face, not the clothing.
Clothing should be conservative, and a notch above what is worn on
the job being applied for.  Jacket and skirt should match.  Colors
should be white, tan, or dark blue.  Colors shouldn't be bright,
clashing, or noisy.

Jewelry that can move is distracting; do not use it.  Do not wear
union or religious pins.  Either use a small purse or no purse.  If
you leave a purse in a car, remember to take car door key with you,
but not a key ring.  If you must wear a striped blouse, wear one
with vertical stripes.  It is best not to wear any perfume.  Do not
have onion, garlic, or smoker's breath.

Men - It is best to wear a dark gray suit with a white shirt, a
conservative tie, and black shoes.  If you do not have a suit
available, or if a suit would be overdressing, wear dark gray
slacks, a white shirt, a conservative tie, and a gray sweater.  It
is best not to wear any cologne.  Do not have onion, garlic, or
smoker's breath.

Support Documents:
Use a briefcase or paper carrier, if available; otherwise, use a
black, gray, or dark blue folder that is in good condition.
Include letters of recommendation, resume, list of questions to ask,
support documentation, pen, and historic information (addresses,
employers, dates, training) for completing a job application.

Application:
Always ask for two applications, one for your records and one to
turn in.  Always ask for a job description so that you can tailor
the application to the job.  If possible, always fill the
application out at home.  Do not say "see resume" or leave lines
blank; it is better to put "NA".  You can attach your resume to the
application to enhance your features.

First Impression:
The first impression (appearance and personality) has a very large
effect on the final hiring decision.  Make your first impression
count.  Greet the interviewer by name.  Be on time, well dressed,
friendly, upbeat, and by being properly prepared for the interview
(researching the company, knowing questions to ask, reviewing
questions you may be asked, presenting the right appearance) you
will be more relaxed, enthusiastic, and self-confident.

Sitting about four feet from the interviewer seems most friendly
(closer is threatening and farther away is distancing oneself).
People are liked more if they lean forward slightly when talking.
Keep your body relaxed, smile, and speak without disruptive
interruptions (such as ah's, you know's, etc.).

Employer's Concern:
Although the specifics vary with the job in question, all employers
have three major concerns.  If a job is to be offered, the employer
must resolve these three questions:

1.  Can the applicant get the job done?  The employer needs to know
    a candidate's skills, training and experience.  An employer is
    also concerned with the candidate's work habits.  Will the
    applicant show up for work promptly and regularly, and stay with
    the employer for a reasonable length of time?

2.  How well will the applicant get along with the supervisor and
    co-workers?  Can the applicant be trusted?  Is the applicant
    someone who will tell the truth and not steal from the business?

3.  What wage or salary offer will be required?  Will the applicant
    take the job if it is offered?  Interviewers feel insecure about
    offering a job if they think they may get turned down.

Each of these concerns must be addressed in some way during the
interview(s).

Interview Sales Steps:
1.  Early in the interview, ask about the job demands.  Additional
    questions by applicant can lead the interviewer to explain the
    job demands in detail.

2.  Develop a rapport by discussing these job needs.

3.  Sum up what has been discussed, demonstrating that you really
    understand what the employer wants.   This interviewer/applicant
    agreement on the job demands creates a bond between the two
    without requiring a commitment to hire, although it clearly
    moves the discussion in that direction.

4.  At this point demonstrate how your skills and experience fulfill
    the requirements and demands of the job.  If possible,
    demonstrate your skills with pictures, samples, letters, etc.

5.  At the appropriate time, ask for the job. Asking for the job at
    the end of an interview is difficult for many people.  This
    discomfort is understandable.  The fear of rejection is strong.
    Yet, if there is no clear statement of interest, the employer
    does not know whether the applicant really wants the job, or
    would even accept it if it were offered.  This uncertainty can
    make the employer hesitate.  An employer wants to hire someone
    who is enthusiastic about a position.

Although this interview pattern may seem simple and logical, few
people can do it spontaneously.  Most need considerable preparation
and practice.

Closing the interview is similar to closing a sales call and
requires the ability to judge when a favorable impression has been
made and it is time to move on to the closing (asking for the job).
A good close is a matter of timing.  Watch for the employer's
non-verbal behavior: taking a deep breath or sitting back in his or
her chair, etc.  At this point, the applicant should stop selling
and begin trying to close.  If there is resistance, review the
previously agreed to job requirements and get agreement that you
correctly understand these requirements.  Quickly review how your
abilities fulfill the job requirements, then move back to closing
again.  The higher the level of the job, and the larger the firm,
the more difficult it is to get an immediate decision.  Under these
circumstances, a sincere expression of interest sets the stage for
the final decision later on.

When asked what salary is desired, it's best to give a range.  If
the applicant estimates, from previous research, that the employer
is going to offer something around $20,000 to $24,000, he or she can
ask for $22,000 to $26,000.  Most libraries have numerous resources
on salaries for different positions.

To interview well, an applicant must be able to ask questions and
intelligently discuss the position involved.   His or her skills and
personality must be presented in a way that shows how they fit the
job's demands.  Whenever possible, never answer a question with a
simple "yes" or "no".  Answer with a "yes" or "no" followed by a
short description of how you successfully handled the situation.
The applicant who can successfully relate to an employer in the
beginning of the interview can, at the end, express a serious
interest in the job with a reasonable likelihood of getting an
offer.

If faced with a flat "no", ask why you didn't get the job.  This is
a great learning opportunity for future interviews.

Interviews Without Success:
If you have no trouble getting interviews, but receive no job
offers, consider the following possible reasons for not getting
hired.

1.  Your posture is poor.  You slump in the chair.  You never look
    the interviewer in the eyes.  Your handshake is "limp as a
    dishrag".
2.  Your appearance is not clean and neat.  You look sloppy.  Your
    fingernails are dirty.  Your hair is not neat.
3.  You talk about yourself, your needs, your personal problems,
    your likes and dislikes, and your demands, but say little about
    the company and the job in question.  You talk a majority of the
    time and talk more than 2 minutes at a time without giving the
    interviewer a chance to talk.  You use slang.  You are a poor
    listener.
4.  You know nothing about the company and have spent no time trying
    to find out about it.  You never asked friends about the
    company, checked at the library, or visited the company before
    the interview to get a copy of the company's annual report or
    other literature.
5.  You demonstrate, during the interview, that you do not know how
    to get along with people; you interrupt often or clash with the
    interviewer.
6.  You demonstrate annoying personal habits.  For example - chewing
    gum, smoking, jingling keys, or bitting nails.
7.  You make unrealistically high salary demands.
8.  You have little or no idea of personal goals or direction for
    your life.
9.  You show no enthusiasm or self-confidence.  You brought someone
    with you.
10. You show signs of dishonesty - verbally, in your application, or
    in your resume.
11. You demonstrate arrogance or excessive aggression.
12. You show signs of tardiness, failure to follow instructions, or
    lack of motivation.
13. You complain or blame things on others.

If any of the above relate to you, practice the opposite behavior.
Develop positive traits.  Also, if you are overweight, it can take
up to five weeks longer to find a job than for a person of normal
weight, everything else being equal.

Companies want to hire winners, not job beggars.  You are not going   
to a company to beg for a job; you are going because you have skills
and abilities that the company may need.  Even if you are depressed
about not having found a job yet, remember, it's a numbers game and
your number will come up soon.  Never take your depression to a job
interview.  Be positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic.

If you are nervous or scared, tell the interviewer.  He or she can
identify with that and often will try to give you extra help.

Thank You:
Always send a thank you note.  This most critical step is the one
step that probably 98% of job seekers forget.  Also, a thank you
note to a secretary who helped you can be a big plus, as the
secretary's positive comments to the interviewer can often help sway
the interviewer.  The thank you letter is also an opportunity to
review how you can be a real asset to the company.  Always mention
the job being applied for in your thank you letter, as the
interviewer may be interviewing for more than one type of position.

A summary of this discussion can be printed out from the print
section under "Interview Help".


For the next step, select "Tough questions employers ask" from
the submenu.
