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Job Interview Tips

Job interviews can be boiled down to research, confidence, and experience. Now assuming that you are qualified for a job and have a strong resume, the interview is one more step to further convince an employer that you are a good fit for a position. That is where the research and the confidence come in.

Job Research
Before the interview, do your research and come prepared for the interview. Doing such preparation will make you confident and result in an impressive performance.Perhaps the most important work you can do for an interview is researching the company beforehand. For example, if you are looking for an editing or a writing position at a newspaper or a magazine, you could subscribe to the publisher and then try to contribute content, whether it be articles or well-written editorials. You want to show the company that you are serious about the job and interested in the company. You want the stand out as the interviewee that was knowledgeable. In fact, you should do go to the interview prepared with questions that show that you have researched the company. You could ask about a certain project, or you should ask simpler questions about job advancement and achievement. As you are researching about the company, come up with ideas how your past job and school experiences fit into the goals of the company. Think of ways that you could incorporate classroom or real-world experience into the company’s products and methods. Come up with specific answers detailing your experiences that are focused on the company’s products and future goals. Tailor your interview to fit the company’s goals.

Confidence

Confidence can make or break an interview. In high-demand jobs, those that lack confidence or that appears to lack confidence generally lose out. Employers are not willing to stake a well-paying job on an individual that cannot meet their eyes during an interview, that looks at his or her feet, or that has a wimpy handshake. Even if you get nervous during interviews, try to role-play and practice beforehand so that you will feel more calm during the process. You want to make the most positive impression possible in an interview. You should arrive early, and if you feel that you could be late, call ahead and warn the employer. You should make a strong impression the minute you walk into the room: dress appropriately for the interview. Men should wear ties, and women should go light on the jewelry and the makeup. And you should keep that positive feeling throughout the interview: if you have a negative aspect of your resume of if you have had a poor job experience, try to keep the interview positive. Do not dwell on the negative aspects on your resume. Try to put a positive spin on your experience or just address it for a short period of time.

Experience
You should take your work portfolio with you to show the employer you past work if possible. Also take to the interview a copy of your recommendation letters, certificates, and degrees just in case your future employer wants to see it. Also review your subject matter and field of work related updates that are due to new technology or new standard in your industry.

Inteview Follow Up
Your actions after the interview can have a large influence on the employer’s impression of the interview. For positions that draw many applicants, you want to make yourself unique and memorable to the employee. Thank-you notes written the day after the interview can reemphasize to the employer that you are confident and that you are qualified for the job. Send an e-mail the day after the interview, and thank the employer for the time that was spent interviewing you. You can also reiterate your qualifications in a quick sentence or two.