INTERVIEW PREPARATION & TIPS: Questions Often Asked - Before the Interview - Why Didn't I Get the Job? - Be Prepared

Be Prepared

• to explain reasons why you left your last employer. Savvy employers understand personality conflicts, etc. If you left for a negative reason, turn it into a positive learning experience.
• to tell where/how you obtained your skills

  Having one semester of word processing won’t impress the employer who will require you to word process most of the day. Best to say, “I took the semester – 5 hours/week, then did papers and reports on it after that. I also took Business Writing, Dictaphone, and Proofreading at the same time.” This sells you with additional skills and reminds interviewers how busy you were (i.e., juggled word processing with other responsibilities).

• to explain why you chose the field you’re in
• to explain why you want to work for their company
• know what the company product or service is
• to explain why you want the job
• know how to answer, “Tell me about yourself.” Your response should relate to the job only.

You may ask…

• why the position is vacant
• the position’s turnover rate
• who you would report to
• where the department falls within the organization
• how many contenders there are
• when a decision will be made

Salary Issues:

If interviewer asks you what salary you expect…

Don’t say:

• “I don’t know.”
• “What does it pay?”
• “I hear the going rate is…”

Say:

• “Based on my understanding of the job responsibilities and the research I’ve done on salaries in this area, I believe a fair rate of pay would be _______ to _______.” If you’re good, and even a little off, they’ll say you’re in the ballpark and try to negotiate later.

Negotiating:

If you do, don’t nickel and dime them and lose out on the job. Negotiating is not recommended for entry-level positions.

If offered $_______ per hour or week, and you feel the job is worth more, say, “Based on what you’ve told me about the job, its level of responsibility and its importance to the organization, I was hoping to be offered something upward or $_______. Is there something we can work out?”

References:

Give business references only. List supervisors that know your work.