How to be
Successful in a Job Interview
In a job interview, the
interviewers have to select the best out of lot. To be among the best, the job
seeker should observe certain rules and etiquettes in his job interview. First
of all, you should dress appropriately. This means wearing a formal dress, as
is usual in a particular country. Do not wear casual student dressing. But, on
the other hand, do not overdress. If you are not sure about the appropriate
formal dress for the organization you are seeking a job in, you can have some
idea about it some days before the interview by a sort of spying on the dress
of the employees there. Secondly, pay attention o your grooming, that means you
take care that you do not have untidy hair, offensive odor of the body,
dandruff, unshined shoes, a hanging hem, stems on your tie, excessive make-up
or perfume, a sloppy job of shaving.
Thirdly, look alert, poised and friendly. Your interviewer may look
int7FTaiting room and call your name, intending to get a first impression of
your behavior. So, don't slouch in your chair in the waiting room, or doze or
be lost in the pages of a magazine, or look up with an annoyed "huh"?
But do get up promptly and walk briskly toward him or her. Smile, look directly
at that person and extend your hand to shake his or hers, saying. "I'm
Selim Rahman. Thank you for seeing me today." And if handshake with an
opposite sex is not the usual custom, greet her in the religious way that is in
vogue in the country, and thank her. But you may be called from the waiting
room by a person other than an interviewer. If permitted, enter with a good,
friendly smile with confident steps neither too quick nor slow, and have a
quick but gentle look at the members of the board. When near enough greet them in the way usual
in the country. Do not sit down until asked. While sitting down say,
"Thank you all for seeing me today." Fourthly, expect to make a
little small talk. The interviewer may start a small talk to check your ability
to be politely sociable. He may want to chat about the weather for a few
minutes. Do so, but do not drag it out. As soon as you get a signal to talk about
the job, be ready to get down to business. Fifthly, you should rehearse the
questions and answers some days before the interview— questions that are
usually asked in most interviews. For example, one question may be, "Tell
me about yourself". In answer, give a brief summary of your life and work
experience. Another question may follow, "Why did you leave your last
job?" Never badmouth anyone in answering this question—- anyone of your
organization you worked for, but say that you left in order to seek greater
responsibilities or challenges. Be positive, not negative. Then, if asked about
your strengths and weaknesses, mention your strong points especially those
which are relevant for the job you are seeking. About your weakness, do not say
that you do not have any, but mention one or two that will not affect your work
efficiency. "Why should we hire you?" may be another question. In
answer, tell the recruiter the company is the one you would like to work for,
and that your research and the company's needs exactly match, you believe.
There may be another question like, "Do you have any questions?" Ask
a question or two about the specific aspects of the job. But do not ask about
your salary, or your vacation, if they are not too important for you. There
will be time enough to discuss them later. Today your task is to demonstrate
what a good employee you would be. Sixthly, send a thank you note to the
interviewer one or two days after the interview. In it, thank the interviewer
for seeing you, reaffirm your interest in the job and mention again why you
think you are the best candidate for it. Make the note courteous, business like
and brief— just a paragraph or two. If the interviewer is wavering between
several equally qualified candidates, such a note could tip the scales in your favor.
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