Skills for Interviewing

Your resume has done its job and landed you an interview. That's great. Now what? Interviewing can be broken down into three steps: preparation, the interview itself and post-interview follow-up. Follow the links below to master the critical elements that can put you in prime position for a job.

• Preparation
  • Traditional Interview Sample Questions
  • Behavioral Style Interview Sample Questions
  • Mock Interviews
    
    NEW! Optimal Resume - Interview Prep
    
    
• The Interview
  • Phone Interviewing
  • On-Site Company Visits
  • On-Campus Interviews
  • Questions You Should Ask
• Post-Interview Follow-up

Some Predictors of Success

• Ambition and motivation
• Problem-solving skills
• Related work experience
• Creativity and intelligence
• Self-confidence
• Teamwork capabilities and work habits
• Strong communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Adaptability
• Leadership ability

15 Knockout Factors

1. Lack of proper career planning; inability to define career goals and objectives
2. Lack of knowledge of field of specialization; not well-qualified
3. Inability to express self clearly
4. Insufficient evidence of achievement or capacity to excite action in others
5. Not prepared for interview; no research on company
6. No real interest in the organization or the industry; merely shopping around
7. Narrow location interest; unwilling to relocate later
8. Little interest and enthusiasm; indifferent
9. Overbearing, overaggressive and/or conceited
10. Interested only in best dollar offer
11. Asks no or poor questions about the job
12. Unwilling to start at the bottom; expects too much too soon
13. Makes excuses; evasive; hedges on unfavorable factors in record
14. No confidence and poise; fails to look interviewer in the eye
15. Poor personal appearance and grooming