Job interview will be OK, just don’t bring MomAre you fresh out of college with your brand new resume all set to go?
Are your palms getting sweaty just thinking about upcoming job interviews?
Well take heart...no matter what you say or do in your job interviews, you'll feel better once you see this.
Well take heart...no matter what you say or do in your job interviews, you'll feel better once you see this.
Robert Half International has collected this information from companies all around the country.
And If David Letterman will forgive us, here is the top ten list of outrageous things job applicants have said and done in job interviews:
10. The candidate said, "I'm so well qualified, if I don't get this job it proves management is incompetent."
9. He brought his mother to the job interview.
8. The applicant took 3 cellular phone calls during the interview.
7. She brought a bag lunch and ate it during the interview.
6. She wore a walkman and said, "I can listen to music and to you at the same time."
5. He demanded after the interview, "Do I get the job or not?"
4. After the interview, she called up and said, "I got a parking ticket while I was in the interview and I want to know who's going to pay it."
3. A job candidate who was bald left the interview and returned wearing a hairpiece.
2. The applicant said if he were hired he'd tattoo the company logo on his arm.
1. The job candidate interrupted the interview to get advice from his therapist.
Can you believe it? I can!Now, how about the top 10 smart things to do in a job interview?10. Practice. In Brian Krueger's book, College Grad Job Hunter, (Quantum Leap Publishing, 1995) he suggests that practicing out loud is done by only 5 percent of college interviewees. He says, "It's not enough to look at an interview question and say, Yeah, I know the answer to that one.' You need to practice your answers live in front of someone else. This is not the time to talk to yourself in front of a mirror."
9. Use "CAR stories." Generalities don't cut it because you'll sound like everyone else. The acronym CAR stands for What is the CHALLENGE you faced? What is the APPROACH you took? What were the RESULTS? If you have a CAR story prepared for every major qualification for the job, you'll improve your chances of getting a second interview by over 50 percent.
8. Find an inside contact. Through your networking with alumni, friends and business professionals, seek out people who work in companies in which you're interested. When an interview happens, you'll be able to call upon your contacts inside the company for information and mock interviews.
7. Use questions if your mind goes dead. For example, if you get stuck on a question, stall for time by asking them to clarify. For instance, "Yes I am a team player. But before I get more specific, would you mind telling me the kinds of teams you have in your company, so I can give you relevant examples?"
6. Ask job-related questions as a strategy to talk about your biggest strengths. As soon as the subject is on the table, you can insert your rehearsed CAR story about past results.
5. Don't act like you're on "60 Minutes." The cameras aren't rolling and you don't need to be perfect, so just answer the questions the best you can and if you stumble, just be yourself and keep on going.
4. Don't forget to smile. Sounds simple and stupid, I know, but trust me, the smile is the first thing to go when you're nervous and it's vitally important to establishing rapport.
3. Practice shaking hands. Most college students aren't used to shaking hands and so they come off as unpolished and insecure. Shake hands with parents, neighbors, friends, professors and ask them for feedback.
2. Psych up! "The night before the interview, spend some time with a friend or family member," advises Krueger, "telling why you would be best for that position. Use superlatives galore! It will put you in the right frame of mind for the interview."
1. Have a great attitude. Nothing will impress your interviewer more than a can-do attitude and a friendly personality. Tell your interviewer how you went beyond what was expected in the past and how you made a difference. Every employer would trade two of their technical whizzes for one employee who is willing to go the extra mile.
10. The candidate said, "I'm so well qualified, if I don't get this job it proves management is incompetent."
9. He brought his mother to the job interview.
8. The applicant took 3 cellular phone calls during the interview.
7. She brought a bag lunch and ate it during the interview.
6. She wore a walkman and said, "I can listen to music and to you at the same time."
5. He demanded after the interview, "Do I get the job or not?"
4. After the interview, she called up and said, "I got a parking ticket while I was in the interview and I want to know who's going to pay it."
3. A job candidate who was bald left the interview and returned wearing a hairpiece.
2. The applicant said if he were hired he'd tattoo the company logo on his arm.
1. The job candidate interrupted the interview to get advice from his therapist.
Can you believe it? I can!Now, how about the top 10 smart things to do in a job interview?10. Practice. In Brian Krueger's book, College Grad Job Hunter, (Quantum Leap Publishing, 1995) he suggests that practicing out loud is done by only 5 percent of college interviewees. He says, "It's not enough to look at an interview question and say, Yeah, I know the answer to that one.' You need to practice your answers live in front of someone else. This is not the time to talk to yourself in front of a mirror."
9. Use "CAR stories." Generalities don't cut it because you'll sound like everyone else. The acronym CAR stands for What is the CHALLENGE you faced? What is the APPROACH you took? What were the RESULTS? If you have a CAR story prepared for every major qualification for the job, you'll improve your chances of getting a second interview by over 50 percent.
8. Find an inside contact. Through your networking with alumni, friends and business professionals, seek out people who work in companies in which you're interested. When an interview happens, you'll be able to call upon your contacts inside the company for information and mock interviews.
7. Use questions if your mind goes dead. For example, if you get stuck on a question, stall for time by asking them to clarify. For instance, "Yes I am a team player. But before I get more specific, would you mind telling me the kinds of teams you have in your company, so I can give you relevant examples?"
6. Ask job-related questions as a strategy to talk about your biggest strengths. As soon as the subject is on the table, you can insert your rehearsed CAR story about past results.
5. Don't act like you're on "60 Minutes." The cameras aren't rolling and you don't need to be perfect, so just answer the questions the best you can and if you stumble, just be yourself and keep on going.
4. Don't forget to smile. Sounds simple and stupid, I know, but trust me, the smile is the first thing to go when you're nervous and it's vitally important to establishing rapport.
3. Practice shaking hands. Most college students aren't used to shaking hands and so they come off as unpolished and insecure. Shake hands with parents, neighbors, friends, professors and ask them for feedback.
2. Psych up! "The night before the interview, spend some time with a friend or family member," advises Krueger, "telling why you would be best for that position. Use superlatives galore! It will put you in the right frame of mind for the interview."
1. Have a great attitude. Nothing will impress your interviewer more than a can-do attitude and a friendly personality. Tell your interviewer how you went beyond what was expected in the past and how you made a difference. Every employer would trade two of their technical whizzes for one employee who is willing to go the extra mile.
Source: www.joanlloyd.com
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