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There are several types of interviews: initial interviews with recruiters, telephone interviews, and in-person interviews. Whether your dream job is trading stocks on Wall Street or an adventurous job in Alaska, you need to know as much as you can to successfully complete each round of your interview. It is rare these days to get an in-person interview without first going through a telephone interview. As you know, the purpose of a telephone interview is to screen potential candidates and further pare down the list to a shortlist of individuals who will be asked to interview in person.
Interview Tips You Need to Know:
1. You’re in control
One aspect of the interview many people don’t fully realize is that the interviewee should be in control of the conversation. Job interviews always contain open-ended questions that can be used to discuss a wide range of your qualities. Go into your interview having identified a few topics about yourself you’d like to cover and steer the conversation towards them when it feels natural.
2. Prepare One Mistake Story
In every interview, there’s always a question that goes something like: “Describe a flaw or mistake you’ve made in your past.” It’s crucial to go into your interview knowing how to respond to this. Be truthful, but always tell a story of a time you made a mistake but learned a valuable lesson that has actually made you a stronger candidate.
Whether your dream job is trading stocks on Wall Street or an adventurous job in Alaska, you need to know as much as you can to successfully complete each round of your interview.Click To Tweet3. Let them get to know you as a person
Another important thing to remember is that while your resume and qualifications have gotten you in the door, the hiring manager also wants to get to know you as a person and how you would fit into the workplace. Be polite, friendly, and demonstrate your desire to work for the company (without going overboard, of course). As long as you act like yourself, you’ll have no regrets about how you handled it.
4. Sound confident, but not arrogant
While it’s important to talk about your better qualities if you sound too confident you’ll talk your way out of a job. As long as you don’t go out of your way to discuss your accomplishments, you should do fine. Focus on your accomplishments and how they pertain to the job opportunity.
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5. Dress the part
Even if you know the workplace has a casual dress code, you should dress up for your interview. Wearing nice clothes is a great way to demonstrate your desire to get the job. It’s OK to over-dress for an interview, but being under-dressed could deliver a crushing blow to your candidacy. Not sure what to wear? Take a look at the following resource.
6. Write a thank you note
You’d be surprised how many people forget this step. Writing a short note to your interviewers thanking them for their time and interest in you is one of the best ways to make yourself stand out. A thank you note is your opportunity to let the interviewer know you heard what they said and to let them know why you are a perfect fit for the job. Don’t forget!
It’s no secret that job interviews are nerve-wracking, especially if you feel the position is a much-needed stepping stone into a fulfilling product management career. Take a look at CareerAlley's interview resources to improve your interview skills and nail your next interview.
