Going to an interview? Great!

If you can, always visit the place before going to the interview. Learn what you can. The interviewer will sense your company knowledge, your determination to do well. As Hallmark Cards would say:

"Take the time to do your very best."

The library is your best friend in Job Hunting. The Reference section of the library has many trade indexes that have interesting details on every company. For example, the Industrial Trade Index contains information for all manufacturing companies. There are also trade indexes for all industries and businesses.

The information includes all upper management names and titles, what the company does, what equipment they have, number of employees etc. This is valuable information to know while writing your job specific resumeand covering letter. Try and incorporate some of this knowledge in your Resume. Have it memorized for an interview.

Head to the library and find out everything you can about the company. The library has information on all types of companies. As in war, it pays to know your opponent. And this is war. The more you know about company, the better you can answer questions. Also you can ask intelligent questions based on your new knowledge.

Visit the plant or office before the interview. If it is a stand-alone facility have a good look around. If it is an office, go to the Reception area. Just tell the reception you are waiting for your partner and sit down. Check out the magazines. If you are questioned simply tell them no, you do not know who you are visiting, your partner has the name.

Most magazines will be discarded trade publications of the industry the company is interested in. Get a feel for the industry. Slip some in your brief case for study at home. Is the company annual reports there? Heaven!

Hang around for as long as you can. Listen to what is going on. Is it a happy place? Is it an uptight place? Learn what you can. When you are finished simply leave or say you are going out to look for your partner.

From personal experience, legal “industrial espionage” has it's exciting moments. Many times I have walked through open factory doors and had a good look around without ever being questioned.

Few plant people will challenge “suits.” Leave a door open and I will walk in "by mistake." It takes a bit of nerve but hey; who said getting a job is easy?

Questioned by someone? Telling them you are looking for the parts department or you were to meet someone outside and you just wondered if they were already here are good answers. Use your imagination and have a good explanation ready before you enter.

Is it ethical? Yes. Whatever information you gathered you hoped to use it to benefit them by getting a job there and doing a good job. It would only be unethical if you used the information in an attempt to harm them.

Do the obvious: hair cut/done, clean nails, showered, shoes shined, clothes cleaned and pressed, and all those things. “Wear your Sunday best” clothes.

The few times I went job hunting I bought two new suits, ties, shoes, shirts, underwear, ties, tie clips, cuff links, and socks. I only wore them for interviews until I had a job, one for the first interview and one for the second interview. They became known as my lucky suits.

Where Preparation Pays Off

Are you going to be nervous during the interview? Certainly you are. Accept the fact and carry on. Don’t worry about it as the interviewer expects you to be nervous. Even the most experience person will be nervous. Just waiting for the interview is nerve wracking.

Its at the interview where all the preparation pays off. Never chew gum, smoke or drink coffee even if offered. The last thing you need is to spill the coffee or offend by chewing gum or smoking.

Do the not so obvious: Wear neutral clothes. Nothing wild. You do not know the views of the interviewer. If they are "way out" they will accept conservative dress. The reverse may not be true for conservative people. Never swear. Swearing is an indication of a poor vocabulary and therefore limited education.

One thing few people do at the end of the interview is to ask for the job. Tell them you really want the job. Tell them you will do a good job for them.

When being interviewed have no opinion about unions. At least not until you find out about the interviewer's position. Then agree with them. Never, on any subject, disagree with the interviewer. In general, keep your opinions on controversial issues to yourself. This goes down to the sports level. Never support the Jays until you determine they support the Jays. Never lead off into different topics. The interviewer leads and you follow and agree.

Consider:” How about those Jays!" you ask. Now you are trapped. "Do you like the Jays?" they ask. You reply yes. If they support Detroit, strike three for you. However if they ask about the Jays you ask if they like the Jays? No matter what the answer, you know what team to favor.

Changing the subject is a must have skill. Always have a pad and pencil ready. They are the key tools required to change the subject. Assume you have been asked a question you would prefer not to answer. Simply do not answer and say “Oh, excuse me while I jot a note down before I forget it.” You then restart the conversation by asking them a question on a completely different subject.

Few can resist the temptation to talk and asking a question is perfect opportunity to talk.

You may just get away with changing the subject. It’s worth a try! However, a skilled interview will not be put off. So, the answer is to have ready made answers for those difficult questions.

If you get questioned about your family life, answer all questions with this assumption in mind:

• · You love your mother,
• · you love you father
• · but you love you mother
• · just a bit more than
• · you love your father.

There is no deceit in avoiding answering an improper question by giving answers they want to hear.

The Questions

Remember, the purpose of the interview is for you to be questioned. The questions are pretty standard. It’s the answers that are killers. These are tough questions. If you think your school exams
were hard try these:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Are you goal oriented?
• Tell me why you are qualified for this job.
• How do you deal with high stress?
• How do you deal with conflicts?
• Tell me what you know about this company?
• Why do you want to work here?
• Tell me where you took the lead to accomplish a project.
• Why did you leave your last job or want to change jobs?
• Tell me about an assignment where you were not that successful or failed.
  
  It is a certainty you will be asked these questions. Now is the time to develop the answers. It is too late to dream up good answers during the interview. Far too late.

While the questions are designed to learn about you, there is an inbuilt trap, an invitation to mess up. The questions are test of you ability to work under stress. But there are major opportunities for you to shine.

When asked one of these questions try to incorporate answers to some of the other questions. For example when you are asked to describe yourself do not talk about yourself but talk about your abilities. for example:

• You enjoy challenges, as you do not like to just wander through the day.
• Some people seem difficult to get along with. I find going slow with them and in a short time they warm up as they come to understand I am not a threat or an annoyance to them.
• Give an example of working with people
  
  All this and more can be worked in as a common answer to many of the questions.

Your task is to develop solid answers to each question. You are not expected to be Superman. Show your strengths via accomplishments, minimize your weaknesses, all in a cohesive statement. Expect to spend at least five hours search for answers and formulating them into meaningful statements.

Asking Questions

On the first interview only ask questions about the job. Don’t waste the interviewer’s time asking about benefits, pay, etc. Save these question for when you are offered the job.