Interview Checklist

Stakes are high during job interviews. That is why it's important to be well prepared. First and foremost, you need to research the job, the industry and the employer. You'll also need to pay attention to details like personal appearance, punctuality, and demeanor.

The interview is the most crucial stage of success when getting the job and is the determining factor on making the job interview to an offer. Labtopia's interview checklist is a handy tool to help you increase your success in getting the job. Discover successful strategies and techniques that will help you can make a powerful impression.

Be Prepared.

Find out as much as possible about the company through your active recruitment team, newspapers, annual reports and websites. Your preparation will let a prospective employer know that you are motivated, hardworking and proactive. Practice for your interview the way you would for a test or a major presentation.

Have Answers For The Most Common Interview Questions.

Practice your responses to such questions as, "What are your strongest skills?" and "Why would you like to work for this company?" You may even find it helpful to write down your responses, a process that helps you to thoughtfully organize them and compose them in an articulate fashion. Don't hesitate to interject your own ideas or insights. Successful interviews are the result of two-way conversations.

Prepare Several Questions To Ask The Employer During The Interview.

Prepare a few good questions from the research you've conducted to demonstrate your interest in the company and the position. Avoid questions where the answer is obvious or readily available, or when the topic has already been thoroughly discussed in the interview.

Sell Yourself.

Identify five or six of your main attributes, accomplishments, or skills and be prepared to talk about them in very specific terms. The strengths you focus on should be aligned with the traits the employer is seeking for the available position. In addition to job-related skills, prepare a list of skills you have acquired during any activity in your life – jobs, classes, projects, parenting, hobbies, sports, virtually anything – that are transferable and applicable to the job for which you are interviewing.

Offer Brief, Focused Responses.

Answer questions briefly, yet thoroughly, providing specific examples about your experience, skills and qualifications. Stay on target with your answers, maintain eye contact with your interviewer and offer enthusiastic responses whenever appropriate.

Dress Appropriately.

In job-hunting, first impressions are critical. Remember, you are marketing a product, yourself, to a potential employer, and the first thing the employer sees when greeting you is your attire. Ask your recruiter for insights about the company to ensure that you have the proper dress for the type of job you are seeking.

Arrive Early.

Arrive 15 minutes early to allow for parking and to find your way around the building. You should also give yourself a few minutes to relax before the interview. Remember, your punctuality tells a prospective employer that you're conscientious and dependable.

Make A Good First Impression.

Stand straight, and make good eye contact. (Note the color of the interviewer's eyes.) Connect with a good, firm handshake. Sit erect and lean forward in the chair, appearing interested and attentive. (Slumping denotes a lazy attitude.) That first impression can be a great beginning, or a quick ending to your interview.

How to listen and respond to the questions.

• Listen carefully to the question.
• Feel free to think a moment before answering.
• Answer the question directly first, with any supporting experience later. "Yes, because when . ."
• Do not talk, talk, talk, talk. A good interview is like a good tennis match.
• Answer the questions thoroughly. Make sure you have supporting background and experience to your answers. "Yes" or "No" is not enough information for a client to understand the depth of your experience.
• Focus on your experience. It is irrelevant what is your age, gender or nationality, so please refrain from any of these comments so the interview may be focused on experience and skill.
• Do not speaking poorly of your past employers.
• Do not be too dominant. This is a fact finding mission for the client.
• Do not watch the clock.
• Give precise facts. Use numbers if you can, like years of experience or total amount of budgets or projects.
• Do not give fuzzy facts. Trying to muddle through an answer is not going to impressive the client. They know their business and can detect when a candidate is not experienced.
• Give the wrong answer. There is nothing wrong with saying "say "I am unsure of the question." Or "I really don't know if I have that experience yet, but I'm willing to learn quickly." You will earn the respect of the client and they will continue on to the next question.

The first interview is not the time to discuss salary and begin to play "hard ball".

When a candidate is scheduled for the first interview, your minimum salary requirements have already been discussed with you and sent to our client. The first interview is a time in which our client is interested in the depth of your experience and background, and if you fit into the corporate client. Most of the time during a first interview, salary nor benefits will be discussed. At most, the client may ask for you to confirm your salary requirements as you provided, and feel free to confirm them. Dependent on how the interview went, if the client continues to show interest in your candidacy, either another interview may be scheduled or salary discussions will begin. Our job is to find the best salary for you and the company at that time within the parameters set by you and the company.

Be Friendly, Enthusiastic and Positive.

Smile and say hello to company employees - support staff, often influence hiring decisions. And always maintain a positive attitude. Never talk negatively about prior employers or co-workers, regardless of your experience with them. A positive attitude shows that you're a team player.

Ask For The Assignment.

Make sure you ask about the next step in the process – or even ask for the job – before the end of the interview. Asking a question such as, "Do my qualifications match the needs of your company?" gets right to the point and lets the interviewers know that you're serious about employment. Reiterating at the end of the interviewer that you believe your experience is synergistic to the needs of the company and how you might be able to bring value to their organization can be helpful in showing your interest for the position. Just remember, keep it short and to the point.

Don't Forget The Thank-You Letter.

It's a very rare employer who isn't pleased to get a thank-you letter. Most consider it common courtesy. It's also a way to differentiate you from the pack, show that you're really interested in the position, and keep your name in front of them. It is acceptable to email a letter; however a short hand written note demonstrates professionalism and interest. Be sure that the note you send is neat and well written with no typos, misspellings and grammatical errors.