How To Have A Great Job Interview
You did it; you’ve earned your college degree and are ready to hit the job market. Whether you went to an online university or spent four years on a traditional campus, you’ve soaked up all the knowledge you can consider yourself a perfect candidate for jobs in your field. Even if your suit is clean and your resume is error-free there is still something left to be done…prepare for some tough questions:
1. Have you experienced teamwork in your background? Chances are you have, even if it’s not obvious to you at first. Have you played sports? Participated in a study group? Even experiences in a large family can be valuable lessons in pulling together if you spin it correctly. If you were a team captain or showed any particular leadership, make sure that you mention it.
2. How did your last job come to a close? If you’ve left a job on bad terms, be honest, but don’t vent about former employers. Explain that there wasn’t room for personal growth or that the corporate culture wasn’t a good match for you, but keep your conversation positive about the future.
3. How do you see yourself down the road? This is not the place to discuss how many children you’d like or that you love to hang out on the beach. Discuss the kind of responsibilities you want to take on and the kinds of work environment that you’d like for yourself. Employers want to know that you are ambitious and fully intend to dig your heels in and work for a living.
4. What are your salary requirements? This subject should always be introduced by the interviewer, not you. Do your homework and know what people in various regions make for similar positions that you are going for. Make sure that you communicate that you are flexible, but competitive in your expectations. Another thing to remember is that benefits such as 401k, insurance and education reimbursement could go a long way toward filling in the gap of a slightly lower salary.
As long as you’ve thought these kinds of questions through, you can go into the interview with confidence. Keep your responses on the subject at hand and let the person across the table from you lead the conversation. Know the company, know yourself and walk away from each interview feeling as if you’ve done the best that you can do. The rest will take care of itself. Good luck.
Alan Greene is an educational counselor in New Jersey. He specializes in helping adults review their online education options and select online colleges which meet their needs.