Introduction

• Most interviewers take the first ninety seconds or so to    set you at ease and give you a fast "once over." • The early dialogue, facial expressions, small talk, and    your responsiveness all help set the mood and tone for    the following twenty-five minutes. • The establishment of good rapport in the first few    moments of the interview is crucial to achieving a positive    outcome. • Begin from the onset to personalize the interview. What    makes you better or different? Why you? Remember    your small talk; you may want to build on that when you    wrap up. • Greet with eyes and smile. • Use a firm handshake. The interviewer may or may not    offer to shake hands. • Present a pleasant, relaxed, confident approach. • Be assertive, but not obnoxious. • No first name unless asked to ("call me Janet"). • Personalize and humanize the exchange.

Giving Information

• An interview may start with "tell me about yourself." You    should practice doing a brief verbal résumé. This is a    request for your initial "pitch." While delivering your    background information, highlight key skills or    accomplishments you want them to focus on. Remember    to connect your experiences with the employer's needs! • Prior to interviewing, you should go through your résumé    entry by entry and tailor key points that relate to the job    objective. • Keep yes/no answers to a minimum. It is a good rule to    give the interviewer more information than is asked for    each time you respond, i.e., "Yes, I went to the GSM    because it had a fine reputation in Finance." • Usually toward the end of the interview, the interviewer will    say: "Is there anything else I should know about you?"    Cover salient points that the interviewer has not explored    which show how you fit the job requirements. Put yourself    in the interviewer's chair: what else would I want to know    about me? This is your opportunity to "close" the    interview with your sales pitch again. Reiterate your    interest in the job and how you will contribute to the    organization. Leave no doubt in their mind that you want    this job! • Keep your responses concise and no longer then one to    two minutes in length. Focus on the key points and    answer the question that is asked. • Be sure to use "I" statements about your role in a group    activity. Don't assume the interviewer will know your    degree of participation if you say "we." Take ownership of    what you've done!

Getting Information

• Most good interviewers at some point will provide you with    an opportunity for questions. Here are some tips in    preparing your questions. Be sensitive to time pressures    by focusing on only the most relevant questions in the    first interview. • Begin your questioning in the first half of the interview. • Questions should be sincere (not staged) • Show that you have investigated the company and job. • Don't ask questions easily answered in the job description    or corporate literature. • The more specific your questions, the better. • If interviewing with a functional manager, explore his/her    career path. • Stay away form salary, benefits, vacations, etc. • Query about recent news items, stock performance, etc. • Establish the next step in the recruiting process.

The Close

• If you are interested in the job, LET THE INTERVIEWER    KNOW! Reiterate your relevant skills directly. "Connect    the dots" for the employer. The closing, done correctly,    can have a powerful and very positive impact on the    interviewer-you will leave them with a final impression of    how much you want the job, and how much you will    benefit them. YOUR INTERVIEW IS NOT OVER UNTIL YOU    HAVE CLOSED. • The pleasant enthusiastic tone you set should continue    with a smile and sincere thank you for the opportunity to    interview. • Establish what will happen next and try to get a time    frame. (When may I expect to hear from you? If I don't,    may I call you?)

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