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MAKING A LASTING IMPRESSION ON A JOB INTERVIEW

A STUDENT GUIDE

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MAKING A LASTING IMPRESSION ON A JOB INTERVIEW

A STUDENT GUIDE

Making a positive lasting impression on a job interview is essential. People often forget that you only get one chance to make a good rst impression and it only takes a couple of seconds for a hiring manager or recruiter to form an image of you in their mind. You essentially want to come o as someone who is friendly, polite, positive and enthusiastic about the potential of working at the company or organization. There are a few tips that every student should know when going on interviews for entry-level, part-time or summer jobs. Interviewers are trying to assess some basic information about you in order to nd out if you are the right t for the job. Your answers, and behaviour, give them the clues that they need to determine how equipped you are. Making a great rst impression on an interview is about more than what you say it also has a lot to do with how you act, particularly your body language, which people often overlook when theyre nervous. Dont worry if you are not spectacularly well-spoken, the proper preparation and gestures can leave an interviewer with a positive mental image of you and set you apart from your competition. This guide will show you 10 ways through which you can research your company of interest,5 tips to help you prepare before the job interview, several important tips for the day of the interview and nally some clues about what your body language is saying about you.

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ALWAYS DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE AN INTERVIEW

Often people will assume that all they have to do for an interview is to be on time and look nice. In todays job market, employers and interviewers are expecting much more than that. They expect you to know quite a bit about the company, which means putting in the time doing research. Knowledge about the company, the requirements of the position and the industry are vital bits of information that can be of use to you on the interview. Your goal is to communicate that you know what youre talking

about to the interviewer, instead of giving them the feeling that you just walked in o the street. Knowing the company and industry well is something that will surely make you stand out from the competition. Research suggests that only about 20% of jobs are ever advertised for publically, which means that 80% of the jobs out there are lled internally, most of the time through references made by other employees in the company. These statistics show that people who know people get more opportunities to interview and meet with key contacts than others who have no connections to the company and simply send in a CV and cover letter. Many lucrative positions are lled before hiring mangers even get the chance to place a job ad! According to Marketwire a social communications rm headquartered in Toronto employees hired through referrals are hired 55% faster than those who are external candidates and have no connection to the company. This proves that it certainly pays to know someone on the inside, either working for the company that youre interested in or even working in the industry.

10 ways that you can learn about a prospective company or organization:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Begin by searching the company on Google Visit the company/organizations corporate website Read the companys mission statement/nd out about their business philosophy Read through the companys annual report Look for any reviews, press releases or news releases on the company Look up the organization onLinkedIn, nd out about the people who work there Go on an informational interview with someone working at the company Carefully read through and analyse the job description, including the necessary qualications and requirements of the position 9. Research the interviewer or hiring manager, get to know their background 10. Search through industry, trade and specialized publications for relevant information

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HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW

Make sure you have the skills and quali cations for the position It goes without saying that the employer is primarily trying to assess whether you have the necessary skills to perform the job. To be sure, make sure to emphasize the skills, qualications and personality traits that the employer mentioned in the job description. Also, make sure to highlight your personal strengths and the soft skills that youre the most procient in. Make sure that you communicate why they should choose you Its important to communicate to the interviewer the reasons why they should choose you over another candidate. Its fundamental to communicate how you would be an asset to the company. Be clear about what youre career goals and objectives are for the futurebefore you arrive at the interview. If the organization ts well with your career aims and goals, and if you support their philosophy and mission, you will be a likely perfect t for the company. Prepare answers to possible interview questions This is a crucial part of interview preparation. You need to be able to have well-constructed and thoughtful answers to some basic interview questions. You should also come to the interview being ready to answer questions related to the requirements of the role you are applying for. Begin by researching some of the standard questions asked in an interview and write down your answers to them. This will help you to be more relaxed on the day of the interview. Be prepared to discuss your past job experiences, your strengths and weaknesses, the challenges that you have had and how you resolved them, and what your most valuable learning experiences have been. Its important to be able to back-up the things that you say you can do on your CV. Remember to be specic and give examples when describing your strengths, experiences and successes. Prepare your own list of questions for the interviewer Having your own questions to ask not only helps keep the ow of the conversation going, it also shows that you have really done your homework and are truly serious about the position. Prepare your own list of questions regarding the particular job position, the company, the profession or industry, the job expectations and demands, the workplace environment, or even for the interviewer themself. Asking and preparing questions helps you to gain access to key information and better prepares you to answer questions throughout your discussion. Doing research on the position and company beforehand will help you to devise these questions.

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Go on a mock interview This is a great way to make you feel more at ease about going on a job interview. Interviews with prospective employers can be stressful. Your university or college career center may oer mock interview sessions where you can practice going over the questions and proceedings of an interview. You can gain insight on how to best present yourself. This experience will allow you to gain useful feedback on your performance and learn tips that will enable you to succeed. Practice in this case does make perfect! Some Tips to Remember the Day of the Interview Be on time This is an obvious necessity, but it often gets overlooked. There is really no valid excuse for being late for a job interview. Being late, even just a few minutes, shows that you didnt care enough to conscientiously prepare yourself and arrive on time to begin the arranged meeting. This makes for a terrible rst impression and pretty much ruins all chances of being seriously considered. Make sure that you have the correct address and the correct location of the interview. Ensure that you know the necessary directions and that you take account for possible trac. Career guru Katie Roth, owner of Portico Stang, suggests taking a test run to the location the day before. She indicates that it is normal to arrive 5-10 minutes before the interview begins, arriving too early may make the interviewer feel rushed. Dress appropriately You need to make sure that you are wearing the right clothing. Appearance plays a major role in creating a rst impression. You want to appear polished, professional and clean. Being underdressed for a job interview is worse than being overdressed however you dont want to overdo it either! Dont wear clothing that you are extremely uncomfortable in just to impress the interviewer. Dress appropriately for the position and organization. Try and imagine what the interviewer or employees at the company might be wearing. Most interviews have a business casual dress code; however some positions may allow you to dress more casually or require you to be more formal in your attire. Roth suggests that you should dress one level above what would be required for the position. Dont over embellish its alright to be unique in your appearance, but professionalism is the key here. Remember

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how important appearances are when making rst impressions. Be individual, authentic and honest Its important to just relax and be yourself on an interview. Employers value candidates who are open and honest about themselves and their capabilities. Being authentic also helps to set you apart from your competition and make you memorable to your interviewer. Never lie in order to impress a hiring manager, this often used tactic does not pay o in the long run.If you cant do something, just admit it and emphasize your willingness to learn new skills. You do not need to look perfect on an interview! Sometimes, showing some of your aws will make you seem more honest and trustworthy. If you do mention weaknesses or challenges, emphasize how you overcame them and what you learned from the situation. Dont generalize, or worse, try to completely avoid dicult questions just be honest. Be concise and to-the-point Sometimes candidates will tend to ramble in an interview and go o on tangents instead of actually answering the questions being posed and keeping the interview owing. Its alright to elaborate on critical points, but dont become sidetracked or lose focus. Be specic and give relevant examples, but try and be concise. Be sure to provide an answer to each question asked. Be a good listener Its important to listen as well as speak. Carefully listening to the interviewer and taking notes is a good way to show your attentiveness, focus and respect for the interviewer. Dont try and take over the conversation, you should be doing as much listening as speaking. Come with the right attitude Its important that you maintain a positive and enthusiastic attitude while on the interview. Employers want to interview people who really want the job, are motivatedand ready for a challenge. Employers seek out candidates that are perseverant, condent and high performing. You need to communicate how much you want the job and how much the opportunity would mean to you in a sincere fashion. End on the right foot and follow up with a thank you note Always remember to end the interview positively. Be sure to ask what the next steps are in the hiring

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process, so you can prepare to follow-up. Thank the interviewer for their time and let them know that you anticipate hearing from them soon. Restate why you would be an asset to the company and why you would like to be oered the position. As soon as possible, send the interviewer a thank you note once again thanking them for their time. Keep the note brief; clearly and concisely recap why you would be a perfect t and why you are eager and still interested in the job position. What Your Body Language Says About You Your body language communicates a lot about you as a person before you actually have a chance to say anything. Although its common to feel a little nervous when youre interviewing for a job, you need to ensure that you project condence. Theres no need to change who you are if youre an introverted person, thats alright, but dont let that come o as disinterested. Body language has to do with your demeanor, mannerisms and overall persona. It is usually unconscious we often dont even realize what we are communicating through our body language. Here are some tips about maintaining good body language on an interview: Smile: Smiling is an easy way to communicate enthusiasm, friendliness and interest. Shake hands and introduce yourself: Oering your hand out for a hand shake is an immediate indicator of condence and self-assurance according to hiring managers. After shaking your interviewers hand, briey introduce yourself and why you have come (what position you are interviewing for). Make eye contact: This may be obvious, but can be dicult if youre feeling nervous or are shy. Its important to make eye contact with your interviewer and actively participate in the conversation instead of looking at the oor, a spot on the wall or your notes. Posture: Posture is important on a job interview. You want to show the interviewer that you are alert, focused and prepared. You want to communicate that you are conscientious. Be friendly and polite: Your interview begins as soon as you arrive at the location. Be friendly to everyone you meet at the company; anyone you meet might give feedback on you to the interviewer

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or hiring manager. You ideally want to make a good rst impression on everyone. Relax: Remember to take some deep breaths and relax. This is an important factor in maintaining a calm and poised persona. You want to come o as condent, but not arrogant. Employers want people who are self-assured, motivated and secure in their ability to deliver on the job. Feeling uncomfortable or tense will undoubtedly make the interviewer feel that way too and will create the wrong rst impression. Remember to be yourself on the interview and dont try and sell yourself as something that youre not. Present yourself professionally: This step has a lot to do with your physical appearance but also your demeanor. You want to communicate professionalism when you walk into a company or organization for an interview, which means acting mature and being polite and respectful. As mentioned earlier, dress appropriately for the position/company and avoid causing too much attention to your physical appearance. This means that you should avoid wearing things like excessive jewelry, provocative clothing and too much perfume or make-up. Depending on the type of position or work environment, you may want to cover up visible tattoos and remove piercings (other than earrings) for an interview. Remember that you are entering a workplace environment; you need to blend in somewhat with the other people working there. The interviewer does not know you; your physical appearance is the rst thing they notice about you and you dont want to give them the wrong idea. Take ve minutes before the interview to check your appearance before meeting the interviewer. Be positive: Positivity and enthusiasm are fundamental on a job interview. You never want to give o a negative vibe to an interviewer, because they just wont respond well to it and you will probably not get hired. Its crucial to show how much you want the position, and that you are grateful for the interviewers time. You dont have to be overly bubbly, but a positive and upbeat candidate will be remembered over someone who comes o as bored, indierent or disinterested. Positivity (and negativity!) can be communicated subtly and without saying a word, someone can pick up these signals just by your aura.

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Dont chew gum, turn of your phone and dont bring anything unnecessary to the interview: Its important to take note of the little things that can create the wrong impression on a job interview. Never chew gum, bring candy or food, or come in with your own drink or coee. Dont wear a hat or sunglasses and dont bring in any surplus items that are unnecessary for the interview. Always remember to turn o your cell phone and dont bring along any mobile or electronic devices that may cause a distraction.

Making a Great First Impression Doesnt Have to Be a Challenge! Making a great rst impression on an interview means taking the time to do the little things that really matter in the end. Go over these tips to help you prepare for your next interview; using the tricks in this guide is sure to relieve any pre-interview stress and guarantee that you make a great rst impression!

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ABOUT STUDENT JOBS INTERNATIONAL INC.

This guide is oered to you by www.student-jobs.ca. Student Jobs is an employment agencyand job board for Canadian Students. Its our mission to nd study related jobs that will give students valuable work experience for their future careers.

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