Wednesday, February 03, 2010
How to handle interviews: A general guide to dos and don'ts during interviews
The Tartan Online: "Even if your résumé is a meticulously crafted piece of art detailing an unbroken chain of accomplishments, most potential employers ultimately rely on interviews to confirm that you are as impressive as the résumé states."
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9 comments:
I definitely have to say that this isn't anything new (we heard about this from Paula Wagner when she visited, and from Joe in PTM last semester), but its always inviting to see the formula for a good interview laid out in front of you in such a comprehensive way. Personally, I worry about the interview process becoming less important with online portfolios and websites. I know that I come off more articulate and creative in person, and replacing that face to face interaction with pictures and bios might be a detriment to the whole hiring process.
It is interview season, but none of this is new information. We've heard the same things over and over again, as Kael said. But it is all very valid information. I definitely used the techniques described in this in an interview yesterday, and i think it ended up well. I think as drama students, we are less worried in general about interviews because we are more comfortable in different situations than other people, so we adapt and converse more easily. Or at least i do.
I think its great that articles like this are out there for us to utilize if we need it. But honestly this is all such common sense, or at least I would hope so. I mean the first thing is to make a good first impression, since you're interviewing for a job I would hope that this would be at the top of your list of things to accomplish. Not becoming a downer is good, not badmouthing old jobs/employers, knowing who youre interviewing for these are all thing that I would consider to be common sense actions to take when preparing for an interview or interviewing. Im sorry if this sounds like Im being a know it all or something, but the last one of be enthusiastic about the job just blows me away, obviously no one is going to hire you for a job if you dont seem to want it
Although yes, this isn't new information, I don't think one can hear it enough. At least for me, nerves set it during interviews, and if by some chance a line or two pops up from one of these articles, I doubt it will hurt me. Our generation is very casual, and will have difficulty measuring up to many standards set by companies. However, as the article said, if one is enthusiastic and knows about the company, then one's chances are not too bad.
I've heard many times that "the resume gets you the interview, the interview gets you the job" but it's something worth repeating yet again. Regardless of the contents and formatting of your resume, if you're going to interview like you don't care then you might as well have saved yourself a lot of time and effort. I've been on both sides, I've been to a lot of job interviews and I've also been one of the interviewers, and the mistakes that people make seem like things that anyone would know you don't do, but I guess "anyone" doesn't know as much as they used to.
I'm having flashbacks from what I was being told about how to act on college interviews. I think that these are really great basic things to remember. I also think that if you keep your mind on these things, then maybe you're not as likely to get as jittery during the interview, I know that tends to be one of my problems. I understand what Sonia is saying about it seeming crazy that "be enthusiastic about the job" is on the list, but you also have to remember that there are a lot of jobs that you might be interviewing for that aren't exactly your first choice. There are times where it's just that you really need a job, and it's important to remember to show enthusiasm even in these situations.
Like most other people have mentioned, not a lot of this information is new. Yep, be yourself, know the company, make a great impression. What are the little tips and tricks that really bring those things home? Also, I would tend to disagree with the statement that a resume can get you a job by itself. Yeah, it would be great to have huge names on your resume, but if you can't communicate with others in an interview (aka conversation) then how are you going to be an effective employee in this business?
I changed my job several times(which is sort of "taboo" in traditional Japanese society...). I think each process of job hunting was a good opportunity to organize myself by sorting out what I experienced and accomplished. Then, at each step I rearranged my plan toward my ideal ultimate life-time career.
All of job application process is about earnest attitude as a professional even before an interview. They take certain amount of time for the interview, and so do we. While they have a right to pick an appropriate candidate, we also have to choose a right company.
Assume that you seriously faced the job interview process with enough preparation. If you lost the opportunity, that is because they judge that the post is not suitable for you, not because you are inferior to others. So, at least, we want to be confident in presenting ourselves to potential employers.
I agree with the stagement "the resume gets you the interview, the interview gets you the job." People say that this information is common sense, but sometimes hearing it from an outside source can both confirm your methods and strengthen your confidence (which I believe is one of the most important elements of an interview). However, I also agree that if your resume is not strong, there will be no interview. I wish there were one single source out there that would tell you exactly what is wanted from a resume, as this is as veriable as the people who read them.
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