Sunday, October 2, 2011

Job Interview Questions: How can I be ready for a job interview?

Tomorrow I have my first job interview at Finish Line. How should I dress? How should my makeup and hair be? Would jeans, a fitted t, and nikes work? I was thinking simple makeup and a side ponytail.

How should I act? What should I do? What questions should I be expecting? Please help!

Five Powerful Body Language Tips to Ace Your Next Job Interview



Recommended Answer:
If you know the name of the person who will be interviewing you then use Whoozy.com to find out some information about their background. It can really give you an edge knowing their background before your interview. Feel free to check out this post to learn how to properly use the tool.

blog.cisocialnetworking.com/2010/05/social-networking-job-search-tools.html

Dream Job Interviews - How to Crack the Tough Questions


  • Never ever wear jeans to an interview.
    Wear Black Pants, your nikes, and some shirt that says professional but fun. Don't wear a fitted T unless you have a nice jacket you are wearing over it that says you are a professional.
    You want to dress for success even if it is just a job at Finish Line

    Don't go overboard with make up, you want to be more natural wear very light eyeshadow, no eyeliner, some blush and mascara (of course on top of foundation). You want to look professional, not like you take an hour in the bathroom getting ready. Have your hair pulled back in a pony tail. Most people I see at the finish line have their hair back, it is a sporty place after all. Just make sure you look good with it up.

    They will ask you questions and just try to guess what they want to hear. If they ask about if there is a problem with an employee they want to hear that you would talk with the supervisor about it, not keep it to yourself (even if you will, just say what they want to hear) Keep a smile on your face and be personable. You don't want to seem closed off.

    Do not sit back in the chair, sit on the edge leaning forward like you're seriously interested, KEEP EYE CONTACT that is the biggest thing, shake hands with your interviewer both before and after your interview and never cross your arms (shows being closed off) be energetic so you want to sleep well and eat well before you go. If what happens to you happens to me I went in for an interview and they said theyd give me a trial hour so I could test out the job (at the same time of the interview) so be prepared to start right then and there.

    Best of Luck to You,
    Alex

  • People will tell you to dress ... well.. dressy, smile a lot, be overly polite, and tell them what they want to hear.

    *I* say.. be yourself. I went to my job interviews (and my college interview) wearing my every day clothes.. to both of my jobs and the school (3/3) got hired/accepted right away.
    However, if "yourself" includes being mean, rude and disrespectful... then don't worry about getting the job. You don't seem to be that person though.

    Act: Yourself

    You should do: What it takes to get the job if you really want it. To a lot (if not most) people, this includes the following: Be (overly) cheerful, lie to them about how you work.. Say if they asked "If a costumer asked you for something and you didn't know the answer, what would you do?" ... Respond something like, "I would send them to someone who did know the answer, if nobody is available, I would find the answer for them." Something like that ... even if your real answer would be more like, "I would tell them I didn't know, and continue working." ...
    !NOT! to say you would be that type of person, I just mean choose the most obvious, top-of-the-line caring answer available.

    Questions to expect: Why do you want to work here? Have you had any job experience before? How well do you deal with others?... stuff like that... though these questions are generally on an online (or paper) exam.. Questions they ask are never really though-provoking, so you shouldn't be caught off guard or anything if you're nervous.What you plan to wear should do fine!Disclaimer: This is for a part time job I'm assuming with no real authoritative power (ie. CEO, Manager, etc.) If that's the case.. wear a suite, etc. etc.You sound like you'll do fine, I wish you the best of luck! [:

  • Hi,

    Just put in your mind that any employer looks for a person who has the enough self-confidence to fit the empty space, try to follow these steps..

    1- be calm and sleep enough.
    2- be on time and don't be late.
    3- prepare yourself very well, and revise all the personal information you have e.g. your birthday, graduation day... etc. expect the question: Talk about yourself?
    4- try to give the employer a positive impression. Enter the room with a smile and keep eye contact. expect the question: What is your strengthness?
    5- Try to be honest and realistic.. don't exaggerate just be yourself..
    6- Try to have enough information about the place you are going to work in, the history of the company, tha work .. etc.
    7- wear something simple.
    8- don't show the employer that you are very happy or that you need to work in their company.

    Hope you the best of luck :)

  • Make sure you know how to answer this question. "Tell us about yourself?" You need to just tell them about where you are from and where you goto school. This will get the interview off to a smooth start and the rest should be easy.

  • Questions you may want to ask:

    • What are some the responsibilities of the position offered?
    • Is there mobility within the organization, a possibility to grow within the company?
    • What are the career paths in this department?
    • What would you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?
    • What are the skills and attributes you value most for someone being hired for this position?
    • Could you describe a typical day or week in this position?
    • The typical client or customer I would be dealing with?
    • What are the most immediate challenges of the position that needs to be addressed in the first three months?

    Clothes is also an important part for job interview preparation. First impression is made with your appearance, before any words are spoken. You want to dress properly and professionally. Here are some tips on what is considered appropriate interview attire for both men and women according to Career Services at Virginia Tech University:

    • Suit: A two piece matched suit is always the best and safest choice.

    • But what if the job is in a non-suit-wearing work environment: Even if you would or could wear jeans on the job, or the work environment is outdoors and very non-suit, wearing a suit to the interview shows you take the interview seriously as a professional meeting. Dressing well is a compliment to the person(s) with whom you meet. If you think the industry in which you're interviewing would frown on a suit, or the interview will involve going to a work site where a suit would be inappropriate, look for advice through professional organizations, your professors who have been employed in that industry, and/or by asking the employer directly and politely.

    • Conservative colors / fabric: Navy, dark gray (and black for women) — are safe. Other color trends may come and go; avoid the extremes. Solids or very subtle weave patterns or plaids (the kind that look solid across a room) are safest. Wool, wool blends, or good quality micro fiber for women only, are generally the best fabrics in all seasons. Avoid acetate / rayon blends.

    • Cost / quality: You are not expected to be able to afford the same clothing as a corporate CEO. Do invest in quality that will look appropriate during your first two or three years on the job. One good quality suit is sufficient for a job search if that is all your budget allows. You can vary your shirt/blouse tie/accessories.

    • Details: Everything should be clean and well pressed. Carefully inspect clothes for tags, dangling threads, etc.

    Practice answering questions: You will be asked a lot of questions and the more you answer with confidence and eloquence, better the chances are that the position will be given to you. It is the job of the interviewer to find out as much job-relevant information about you as possible, so some of the questions will be easy to answer and others might be a bit more difficult (i.e. why did you leave your last job?) You can't foresee every question the hiring manager is going to ask you, but there are common questions asked by most hiring departments. Here is a list of some of the most common employment interview questions:

    • What are your major weaknesses?
    • What type of work experience do you bring to this job?
    • What do you see yourself doing in 5-10 years?
    • Why do you want to work for us?
    • What assets do you bring to this company?
    • Discuss a project or undertaking in which you have been successful, why do you believe you succeeded.
    • Discuss something at which you did not succeed, what you learned from the experience.
    • If you have supervised others, how do you think your staff would describe your management style?
    • How do you feel about working in stressful situations?
    • Would you describe yourself as a thinker or an action taker?
    • Describe a goal you have set for yourself in the past and the steps you took to accomplish it.
    • Pick someone in the business or professional world that you admire- why do you respect this individual?
    • What do you do for fun? What are your personal interests?
    • Describe the type of manager you would like to work for.

    Listed below are three articles that gives in-depth details on how to prepare for an interview, what to do during an interview, and what to do after an interview. Good luck!

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