After writing about how to negotiate your salary recently, a couple of readers pointed me to another job-related tool on the web. Steinar Skipsness has created a microsite called How to Nail an Interview. Here’s how he describes it:
What is it that certain people say or do during a job interview that makes them stand out? Why do some people struggle to find work, while others land a job in no time? I wanted to know, and the only way to find out was to experience the interview from the other side of the table. If I could be the one asking the interview questions, not answering, I could see first hand what made candidates stand out. I could then take that knowledge and cater my behavior in any future interview to give myself the best chance of getting hired.
To conduct his research, Skipsness rented office space in downtown Seattle, posted a “help wanted” ad on Craigslist, and then (legally) videotaped interviews with applicants. Skipsness received hundreds of resumes and conducted 28 interviews, from which he culled the following 20 tips:
- Your resume has 10 seconds to sell.
- Be on time.
- Turn off your cell phone.
- Know the company and why you want to work there.
- Bring extra resumes.
- Bring a notepad.
- Dress conservatively.
- Clean up your online presence.
- Don’t make jokes.
- Don’t babble.
- Don’t badmouth a boss.
- Don’t flirt with the interviewer.
- Don’t play with your face or hair.
- Some things are better left unsaid.
- Have good eye contact.
- Have goals.
- Have accomplishments.
- Have passion.
- Ask questions.
- Send a thank-you note.
For each item, Skipsness provides additional information (why should you send a thank-you note?), and for many of his recommendations, he includes video from the interviews that demonstrate what not to do. Would you hire this guy?
For more job interview tips, check out How to Nail an Interview.
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#12 seems to me to be one of the most frequently neglected one. People are not hiring a boy/girlfriend – they are hiring a market analyst or IT consultant or whatever. Ditto for #7. Competence > looks.
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depends on the industry. Once again, as a Tech Manager and lead human resources consultant for my company if people come in with any of those, they don’t get the job. Well, I digress, show up on time and turn your cell phone off, that’s all i would recommend.
If people follow all those, then they won’t stand out at all. Stand out! Be Unique, never conform!
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While the advice here seems to be good certainly, and while the video is entertaining, does nobody else feel like it’s a bit mean to hold interviews for a fake position? (Wasting people’s time, getting their hopes up, etc…)
Or am I missing something, and there was in fact a real job on the line?
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I have always sent a thank you note after job interviews and I know that it has been effective in landing me a couple of good jobs. I was actually told by a hiring manager that it’s what made me stand out when they were deciding. I also sent flowers to an awesome headhunter when she got me my dream job. Keep putting your name in front of their faces and they find it hard to forget you.
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Don’t make jokes?
…no.
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Also, @ObviousInvestor, the video is fake.
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#2 – being on time is very important. That said however; do not be too early either. Your interviewers are very busy, and if you are more than 10 minutes early they very likely will not be ready for you and be annoyed that they now have to gather you before they are ready.
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@Liam (#6)
Fake? What makes you think the video is fake? I’ve watched all of the videos posted on the site, and they don’t look fake to me.
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I love these interview tips – some of these things are so easy to forget about, but it’s really the little things (like the thank you note) that can push you over the edge and get you that job.
I think #2 should read “Be 5 minutes early” because it’s better for you to wait a few minutes than it is to have them waiting for you at all.
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Little things that we do on a job interview are most/ usually the most critical.
Dressing up, showing confidence, being on time, and sending thank you note afterward are very important.
It is as important on a job interview are on how we’re going to answer the interviewer’s questions. We got to be prepared. Job interviews are tricky!
Follow this link for some helpful tips that could and/or would land us our dream job.
http://6c84boji9205gt0frrsb5elocl.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=H15XZ7FY
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Another good tip is to prepare answers ahead of time to those tough questions you know they’re going to ask:
Tell about a time when you worked with a team.
Tell about a time you had a deadline.
What is one of your weaknesses? (Be honest, but don’t put yourself down either! Try to give it a positive spin.)
Where do you see yourself in five years?
(I got asked that last one and I was caught totally off guard. I ended up blurting out “Working for you guys!” Kind of silly, but hey, I got hired!)
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@sir jorge – Seriously? If you interview someone and they have goals, maintain eye contact, bring extra resumes and a notebook, and have passion for the job, you won’t hire them? I can’t say I’d want to work for your company. Those things are not “conforming” or preventing people from being unique. There are plenty of ways to be a unique individual and still be prepared to take notes or give out an extra copy of your resume to a second interviewer.
I do disagree with #9, though. It should read “only make jokes if the interviewer is receptive to them, and then keep them clean”. I’ve always joked around a bit at interviews, provided the person interviewing me displayed a sense of humour of their own.
#7 should be “dress for the job you want”. While I do tend to err on the side of being conservative, in some industries, it may be inappropriate to show up in a suit. Research the company and find out what would be appropriate for them, and then clean it up a bit for the interview.
Incidentally, for my last interview I wore what would be considered “formal business wear” but I had bright blue hair. Now I have my best job ever.
I send thank-you notes, and while it may not be the final determining factor to hire me over someone else (though it was in one case), my bosses always comment positively on it. YMMV depending on the industry; I work in a molecular biology laboratory.
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#19, all the way. With the economy being what it is, there’s pressure to take any job you can get, but the interview is also an opportunity for you to see if you’d be happy at that company. Especially with small companies, where you might be interviewed by the owner or manager who will be your direct supervisor.
I learned my lesson while back when I took a job at a coffee shop run by, as I described it to friends, “a bunch of hippies.” I waited a good 20 minutes for the owner to be ready for the interview, and the entire conversation she was unfocused and inattentive. She didn’t seem to have any real questions for me. While discussing the position and its duties I got the impression she didn’t really know what she was talking about. I ended up taking the job because I’d just moved to a new city and was nervous about finding work, and left six months later because I was miserable. The frustrations of the interview were the same frustrations I experienced as an employee. If I was in a better situation, or faced a similar choice today, I never would have taken that job.
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If that site isn’t fake, it’s completely unethical. Videotaping people with consent obtained under false pretenses is no better than videotaping them without consent. Appalling, and makes me disinclined to trust any of his “research”.
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Re #9 – You certainly don’t want to come across as a clown. However, my dad used to interview people for jobs in the software engineering field. He believes that a great sense of humor is conducive to a great work environment, so one thing he looked for in interviews was some sign that the interviewee had a sense of humor.
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JD-I love this guys site. It amazes me how many people have no clue when they go in for an interview. The interview is critical and if you prepare it is easy to nail it. It does take some time and practice but it is well worth it…unless you like going to a ton of interview without a job offer.
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This is a good list for quick, general interviewing tips.
A couple of comments:
#8 Clean up your online presence – This is often easier said than done and my advice would be to keep it clean initially.
#21 Practice, Practice, Practice! Have a friend interview you, interview yourself in front of a mirror, videotape yourself, go on other real interviews
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I’m 4 months in to my new job. A month ago, my boss told me that of the 20 interviews they conducted for my position, I was the only person to send a thank you note. During my 4-month review yesterday, she told me she still has that note. It’s not THE reason I got the job, but it certainly spoke something of my character.
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JD -
This might make you a few extra bucks. Get percentage of subscription fee for your blog feed if people download.subscribe to it with their Kindles:
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Hmmmm.
I had a manager once who told me that he automatically disqualifies anyone who sends a thank you note after an interview.
I do agree with some previous commenters:
- a joke is good if appropriate
- sometimes a suit is inappropriate
I have been a hiring manager and interviewed many people. Sometimes during an interview I have asked people if they have any good jokes to see if they have a sense of humor. People with no sense of humor are usually not wanted where I work. (Don’t tell me it is because I need people around who would laugh at my jokes
)
About what to wear: one time many years ago I made arrangements to go on an interview for a job. Trying to find out what to wear and not be too over-dressed or under-dressed, when I ask to hiring manager what to wear, she said: “clothes”!
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I’ve found #4 & #19 to be very powerful together (know the company and ask questions). Interest and enthusiasm about the company, its structure, its products/clients, its suppliers, the work environment, and its competition will help you stand out from the folks who just want any job.
And just #19 alone (asking questions) will make you seem more confident, because you will come across as a person in a position to make choices. (And I agree with an earlier poster that questions can help you avoid disasters!)
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Good interviews are made on a case-by-case basis. However, I have 3 rules that I follow:
1. My mindset is “Why would I want to work for your company?”
I learned this from the book Feeling Good by Dr Burns (?). Humbly of course, no arrogance but you must play it right. Sometimes we get caught up in wanting the job so much. We need to be cool and show them that we are interviewing them too.
2. Ask questions that will peak his/her interest. For example, at an interview with the Software Giant, I asked about their market share. This added another 30 minutes to the conversation becasue he wanted to tell me how they intend to beat the competition. I honestly thought this was the moment he made the decision to offer me the job. Also offered me the topmost end of the salary range.
3. Branding: You want them to remember you. They will, if you are different. You really have to work on this one. One interviewer asked me what my hobbies are. BINGO! They will surely remember you by what you say (unless of course your hobby is eating or watching movies). Even better, probe (if it comes up) into their interests and find what you have in common. I mentioned that I like photography. He then proceeds to tell me about a project that they did etc…
Use the above with caution. Enjoy!
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When I was about to graduate from college I interviewed with probably 15+ companies that came to the school. I would read up all about them and know every detail I thought would impress them. After about 10 crappy sessions I finally said screw it and I would walk into the room and talk to them as if I could care less if they were going to hire me or not, I would be very relaxed and BS with them as if we were already colleagues. The final interviews went well and I landed a job.
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I’ve been trying to “nail an interview” lately, but I never even get to an interview. I did some investigation, and found out I’m applying for rigged job applications. The jobs already have a preferred applicant, they’re holding the job for that person, but they have to interview people to make the job search appear to conform to fair hiring practices. Lots of people (like me) spend time and effort applying, even doing interviews, but it’s all a huge waste of time because none of them will ever be seriously considered for the position.
So let me add one item before the start of your 12 item list:
0. Make sure the position you’re interviewing for is really open to all applicants.
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@David: I agree. In my experience with interviewing, when I landed the job, I went in relaxed, but the one I didn’t land is the one I prepared too much for. I think the interviewers sense this or something. It really boils down to if they like being around you.
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@Charles: That is true.
Make some contacts within the place you want to work, you’ll land that job!
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I like people that are personable. When I hired for my company, I liked people I could joke with and were not too stuck up.
Another thing, be prepared to be tested. I have asked potential applicants to solve a hypothetical situation to see how they react and also to see how much “out of the box” thinking they can bring to the table.
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Solid advice! People need to remember– a job interview is a performance . . .
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I also question #9, sometimes a joke or witty remark can really make you stand out. I found out 2 years after I was hired that the interviewers still remembered the somewhat whitty reply I made during the interview. They were saying how they wanted someone who could walk and chew gum at the same time, so I told them I could walk and chew gum in heels. I don’t know that I would have said that if I wasn’t as tired as I was. 3 interviews in 3 days in 3 different states, thank you for coffee. I guess they walked out of the interview ready to hire me. Don’t underestimate the power of your personality during an interview.
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I’ve hopped jobs about every 2-3 years and usually interview for 3-4 positions each time. Last time I had 3 companies bidding on me.
I have also done my share of interviewing people for positions I am trying to fill.
There are two things I would add.
1) Be confident. This means know the value you bring to an organization and how to apply it. Don’t sell yourself short, but don’t oversell yourself either. Nothing says hire me more than genuine confidence in your ability to do whats asked of you and then some.
2) Smile. Not like a blooming idiot but a sincere smile on introduction and during the plesantries as well as at the conclusion. No one wants to work with someone with a bad attitude and a simple smile goes a long way to express a good one.
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I receive a lot of resumes and CVs from college undergrads and new college grads. I conduct job searches online so I receive all the resumes etc. via e-mail and conduct interviews over the phone.
Tips I would add:
- A cover letter that discusses your specific competency for the job shows that you have looked into the position a little bit and thought about what it would take to do the work. Plus it helps you sell yourself. Major minuses for cover letters that are too informal or have spelling and grammatical errors, especially if written communication skills are listed as a requirement for the job.
- Quick responses to any requests via e-mail will score points.
- If you have jobs that were really just physical labor/minimum wage and have no bearing on the position you’re applying for, do not put them on the resume unless you’ve got nothing else in your past. Adding jobs where you were a groundskeeper and your skills included weeding and cutting the grass are not really helping you sell yourself unless you’re applying for something relevant.
- I find stylish resumes that are in PDF format to appear quite polished.
- I always ask the questions “what is your greatest strength/greatest weakness”? Cliched but if a person does not know how to answer those questions in a way that helps to sell themselves, then I subtract points. For example, “my greatest weakness is that I work too hard/am too focused on my career” is the classic answer to the weakness question. A more creative answer that involves a ‘strong’ weakness is even better. I once asked this question though on a job that required a lot of autonomy, and the applicant answered that she could be very immature at times. The rest of the interview was great so I wanted to hire her anyway, but that answer really gave me pause. Don’t give a real weakness, but if you give a real weakness, at least don’t let it be one that really bears weight on whether you can do the job!
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I always send thank you notes. Thank you emails are a lot easier if they give you their business card, but it’s important to make a comment about something that was discussed in the interview. A standard thank you note is not personable at all. Take notes during the interview, and write down who said what. That way your note means something when the person receives it.
Always ask questions. Someone did mention that you are interviewing the company as well. Keep that in mind, and make sure the answers the interviewers give you is something you want to hear, or a place you would like to work.
My coworkers always tell me that they liked when I asked them about the best and worst things about the company. One of my coworkers said “LUNCH!”
In the end, they hired someone they like eating lunch with, and I sit with ALL the people that interviewed me every day in the cafeteria. It’s a great match.
To those looking for jobs, it’s tough, but don’t give up. You’ll get the job you want.
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Interesting post. I’ve been in a few interviews where the candidate is scrambling for somewhere to write notes – bring that notebook!
@Seeking Lemonade – yeah, thank you notes are treated as an irritation where I work also, and at previous employers. They get glanced at and then go straight in the garbage/email recycling bin. That may be industry-specific, I don’t know (white collar jobs in construction). I’ve never sent one. I also find the jokes advice a bit bizarre. Rolling into the interview cracking knock knock jokes would be weird, but a quick funny line about the bad weather or great coffee shop downstairs is totally appropriate ice breaking behaviour. We’ve rejected candidates who display no sense of humour. They wouldn’t fit in.
@Jessie #7 – Great advice regarding being too early. Managers do not like being rushed into interviews or feeling like they have to accommodate your schedule. Sitting in reception with everyone walking past and sizing you up can only make you nervous anyway.
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These are helpful tips. Sending a thank you note leaves a great impression and shows you appreciate the time of the interviewer.
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“job” interviews are rigged; they already know who they want, sometimes the “job” does not even exist–they are fishing for personal info via the CV. Many “companies” already have 1-2 sheeple in mind. Many times, nepotism, cronyism, having right last name, buddyism, and ageism prevails during such “interviews”. USA corporate lackies only care about $$$$$, greed, and HB-1 visa holders. Those american employers will terry nickell dime you, squeeze the lemon dry from employees, and dump you whenever they can for no reason whatsoever. “Interviews”, suits/dressess, glossy shoes, fancy resumes and other american corporate nonsense are meaningless, it is ALL who you know, and who you blow.
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A job interview is very much like going on a date, you need to dress good and make a great impression and if you try too hard, it will reflect badly on you and you will come across as needy. The best thing you can do is chill out and have a good time with the interviewer, joke around a bit and talk about interesting stuff. A sense of humor is very attractive, as is confidence and individuality. Do not panic and think negative thoughts, such thoughts are poison and will kill any chance you have of getting the job.
To all the people who are afraid to joke around;
In my opinion if the boss is a boring, humorless person who doesn’t appreciate your optimistic personality, you do not want to work there!
Go find another place with a better atmosphere, its better in the long run. And remember, don’t change yourself for anybody but yourself.
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I have to agree with william’s comment: during these terrible and corrupt economic times-NO one is hiring other than commission sales, selling vaccuums, or alrms, other junk, strawberry laborers, or the racetrack getting paid practically nothing, etc… jobs are given to people on the buddy system and other fraudulent means. all the interviewing ‘skills’ and other idealistic nonsense will not get you a job. as for the sense of humor, no–unless you are interviewing for a comedian position the name of the game is to get a job-not make jokes by acting what they (corporate swine) want to hear. the best advice is to start your own company because america is a sinking ship economically and morally.
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