Some research was needed to compose a personalized cover letter to accompany your resume which got you the job interview but if you intend to ace the interview and land the available position you’ll need to investigate further. Confidence is an extremely positive influence in any job interview and nothing fuels it better than knowledge. How much do you know about the company, the interviewer, current and past employees? Is the position newly created or will you be filling a position previously held? Was the previous employee promoted or did they resign from the position? How does your experience and education compare to theirs?

Don’t leave anything to chance and pay attention to every detail; time, location, appearance, rehearsed  answers and prepared questions. This is not the time to “wing it”! Above all, listen carefully to ensure you provide the appropriate answers. If you do not fully comprehend the question do not guess at an answer. Rather than simply stating you didn’t understand what they were asking for, try rephrasing the question back to the interviewer to obtain a clear understanding.

Amy Levin-Epstein provides some excellent job interview tips in 5 Things You Should Never Say in a Job Interview, CBS MoneyWatch.com.

A BNET article, Why I Hired Someone Who Showed Up Uninvited as told to Joseph Conway by Michael Shore, CEO, FLS Energy is an excellent read from the employers perspective on hiring practices. Vision, enthusiasm, resiliency, ethic, gutsy; these were the skills that not only secured the position but led to a key, long term role within the company.

The importance of soft skills should never be underestimated, nor the significance of a cover letter. Your professional resume will list both your hard skills and soft skills but it is your cover letter that provides the ultimate tool to sell your soft skills and many employers are interested in hiring the whole package and not just a degree.

Are you customizing your cover letter to the position you are seeking and selling your soft skills? Contact Elite Resumes to obtain a free critique of your cover letter from an executive career management professional to ensure you secure your next job interview.

Of course there are those who don’t think appearance should matter and it is possible that you may walk into your next job interview and sit down with an interviewer wearing an old wrinkled suit and sporting a long grey beard! Seriously, what are the chances? Your opinion of whether your appearance should have an influence on the decision maker is totally irrelevant because we are all human and it will! You will be considered for a postition based on a potential employer’s impression of YOU and not what you want them to think of you! If you want the job, the final decision in landing it will not be yours, it will be theirs!

The value the potential employer believes you will bring to their organization will be evaluated. Do you stay current? Are you innovative? Do you embrace change? Not unlike curb appeal when buying a house, your appearance will influence the decision maker and the answer to these questions. Your ability to move an organization forward in a competitive economy will be questioned if your appearance shows you’re are still living in the 80′s sporting a beard and mustache, wide legged trousers, outdated glasses and a comb over.

Go for the makeover, dress the part, feel good about yourself and exude the confidence needed in an interview to impress upon the interviewer that YOU are the best person for the job! It is a small investment to entice a potential employer to want to investigate further giving you the opportunity to sell them on your many successes and your expertise.      

Is your professional resume getting you in the door but you can’t get passed the job interview? Were you prepared and confident in providing answers to the job interview questions that were asked? There could be many reasons you were not considered as a potential candidate after your job interview and if you are not aware of the reason, ask! If you are unable to obtain an answer, take the time to carefully reassess the interview to ensure you’re not missing something that could result in another lost opportunity. Revisit the job interview with a  friend or colleague willing to help you with reverse role playing and put yourself in the position of the interviewer. Give consideration to the questions that were asked and the answers that you provided. You may or may not discover some valid reasons for being overlooked as a potential candidate and there is the possibility that the reason was beyond your control. In a competitive job market there may be many equally qualified candidates and the deciding factor could be as simple as a “gut feeling”! However, there is plenty that is within your control including that of a professional and confident demeanour, which has been recognized as highly influential by HR professionals and recruiters. Beyond your qualifications and experience, being prepared to answer the job interview questions you are likely to be asked is your best chance of landing your next  job.         

Interview Questions and Answers by Alison Doyle, About .com Guide provides an extensive list of interview questions by category, best answers and the reasons behind the questions being asked.   

You’ll find, Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them, on BNet.com by Penelope Trunk reviewing the 3 basic questions that you are sure to be asked in any job interview.  

Invest the time to review and provide confident and knowledgeable answers for the top job interview questions that are likely to be asked and you will be assured you have the competitive edge in your next job interview! 

“ Understanding and Succeeding With Interviewers of Different Cultures, Generations, and Personalities”

During career transition, today’s executive experiences a world of widely different types of interviewers and these differences can significantly affect your ability to connect and successfully work with this array of interviewers.

“Understanding and Succeeding With Interviewers of Different Cultures, Generations, and Personalities” is a practical, research-based presentation that will provide you valuable insights into understanding and successfully connecting with interviewers of different cultures, generations, and personalities.

Bill Dennis is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.

Over the past 35 years, Bill has held significant sales and marketing positions at major companies including KPMG, Canadian General Electric, Bell Mobility, and Westinghouse Canada.

Bill also held key management positions at medium-sized firms which were leaders in their industry.

Bill has provided over 4,500 hours of training to Continuing Education students at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. He is their most experienced Continuing Education instructor in professional selling skills and strategic marketing.

His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) and MBA (Strategic Marketing and Finance).

Bill also recently passed with distinction the “Certified Sales Professional” set of examinations from the Canadian Professional Sales Association.

 Bill Dennis & Associates,

Oakville, Ontario,

905-599-6365,

www.billdennisandassociates.com

bill@billdennisandassociates.com

Here are ten tips that will help you get ready to get interviewed:

1. Conduct a thorough investigation of the company or organization, current and past employees and the position you have been invited to interview for. Your time may be limited but with the wealth of information available online, it should be manageable.
2. Keep notes on any questions that you may have in case there is an opportunity to bring them up during the interview. Take a copy of your resume as well as it will allow you to be on the same page as the interviewer. If the interviewer is not using your resume as a reference you have the opportunity to leave your copy with them.
3. If the position noted a preferred educational requirement, be prepared to share your desire and ability to achieve the required designation.
4. If you are not completely familiar with the location of the interview, take a test drive. Yes, you can google it but it won’t show the closure of a street due to construction and this is not an appointment you want to be late for.
5. Look in the mirror. If you had planned to get to the hairdresser last week but didn’t get around to it, do it now. Being well groomed, donning professional attire and shined shoes are not options, it is expected. Inspect the suit and shoes you are planning to wear before the day of the interview just in case you forgot about the broken shoe lace or the blouse you just got back from the cleaners has a stain on it!
6. The opportunity for a job interview is likely a result of extensive networking, a professional resume and a significant online profile. Be sure to google your name to be sure of the results as you can be assured the potential employer has done the same.
7. Introduce yourself at reception upon your arrival and confirm the name of the individual who will be interviewing you in case there has been a change and to ensure you have the correct pronunciation of their name.
8. Being prepared and knowledgeable will increase your confidence and comfort level entering into the interview and a firm handshake, eye contact and a smile will ensure the best first impression and set a positive tone for the meeting.
9. Your attention, interest, enthusiasm, knowledge and general preparedness will all be critical factors during your interview. Avoid talking too much which is often a common nervous reaction. By listening closely you will discover the most influential factors in their decision making process.  
10. At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for their time, for answering your questions and if it was a pleasure to meet them, say so. Again, a firm handshake, eye contact and a smile.

Qualifying for the position you are preparing to interview for was established prior to the opportunity for a job interview and although an interview will include some elaboration of skills, it is the impression you leave with the interviewer which will be influenced by your appearance, demeanour and level of confidence that will most strongly impact the success of your job interview. If you believe salary could be a make or break issue seek out available resources to assist you in a successful negotiation including Jack Chapman’s book, “Negotiating Your Salary: How to make a $1000 a minute”.

Get ready to get interviewed and your chances of receiving a firm offer will increase substantially!

Elite Resumes provides exective career management services. Contact us today for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

For further information in preparing for your job interview review the following professional advice from other members of the Career Collective, Collaboratively Helping Job Seekers:

Sit Down and Panic. The Interview is Yours @GayleHoward

How to Stand Out in a Job Interview @heathermundell

Avoid These Reference Mistakes @DawnBugni

Unspoken Secrets of Job Interviewing Prep: How Your Nonverbal Presentation and Behaviors Impact the Impression You Make @KatCareerGal

Prep for Interviews Now: Snuff out the Elephant in the Room Later! @chandlee

What Should Job Seekers Do Now to Prepare for an Interview @erinkennedycprw

Take a Ride in the Elevator Before You Interview @barbarasafani

Are You Ready for the Elephant in the Room? @WorkWithIllness

“Tell Me About Yourself” (Oh, Yikes!), @KCCareerCoach

The job interview as a shared narrative @WalterAkana

Prepare your references for job search success @Keppie_Careers

No Pain No Gain In Job Search and Interview Prep @ValueIntoWords

Job searching? Take a cue from the Boy Scouts @LaurieBerenson

Preparing for Career Success Starts with Interviewing the Employers @JobHuntOrg

The Interview: A Well Rehearsed Performance or Hacked Improv? @careersherpa

If you’ve made it to the job interview, you have successfully sold yourself in your resume, impressing upon a potential employer that you are a valuable candidate worth interviewing. So don’t stop there! You could just as easily be eliminated in the interview process as in the resume process. Both systems are based on elimination and the goal to find the right candidate is no less important than finding a reason to eliminate you to establish a manageable number of candidates for consideration.

Every aspect of your job interview must be taken into consideration and taken seriously right down to your arrival time! Don’t be too early, as the Interviewer may not welcome the interruption especially if they scheduled a task to complete prior to beginning interviews. Of course if you are late and keep the Interviewer waiting you will probably put yourself at the top of the elimination list. Your appearance and your handshake will create the first impression. If you do not look professional or are unable to put forth a confident handshake, how will you represent their organization? Prepare yourself well. The more knowledge you have about the organization the more confident you will feel. It will also show the Interviewer that you have done your homework and will lend credibility to your assertion that given the opportunity you will exceed their expectations as their new Senior Sales Manager!

What is in it for you does require your consideration but if you want to be considered by the employer, you must convince the interviewer what is in it for them!

Jessica Holbrook, a former Executive Hiring Manager for Fortune 500 companies and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast has an excellent article posted on the Happen Blog sitecourtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, So Tell Me About Yourself – STOP! It’s a Trick Question. Included are many reasons you do not offer personal information in a job interview.

A Hiring Professional has a long list of requirements necessary to fill a position and you can be assured that their list will not include sexual orientation, how many children you have, if you are single, married or divorced, which sports interest you or if you prefer red or white wine. And everyone knows to avoid religious and political affiliations! While reviewing professional resumes, the objective is to look for any reason to reject it in an effort to reduce the list of resumes from potential candidates to a manageable number of qualified individuals. A reference to irrelevant, personal information may be reason enough to discard your resume. Beyond lacking professionalism, the potential employer may have some concerns regarding your inclination to take days off work to go to the golf course because you have said you are an avid golfer.

A professional resume and job interview should include your qualifications and notable accomplishments throughout your work history. The HR Manager has a responsibility to hire a professional with the ability to fulfill the needs of the company and those needs will not include your personal interests! Offering personal information will likely leave the same impression as showing up for an job interview in blue jeans and running shoes.

This is just one piece of advice from Challenger, Gray & Christmas in their recent report, “How to find a job in a Jobless Recovery”. Although qualifications are important, the report states you won’t be hired because you are the most qualified, you will be hired because the interviewer likes you the best. 

Most people, whether the job interviewer or a new acquaintance will decide within the first few minutes whether or not they like you. So remember, first impressions count! Dress appropriately, listen and learn and follow the lead.  

Maintaining a consistent and professional name for each of your online profiles is important. Unless you have a very unusual name, it may not be in your best interest to use only one initial with your last name as you could end up lost in a sea of people with the same handle or possibly mistaken for someone with a less than stellar reputation. Consider establishing your online presence using your full name, Harold J Smith, rather than H Smith to differentiate yourself. Eliminate all of the dots and dashes and numbers that are often automatically generated and use your proper name. Most online networking sites give you the option to customize your URL and generate one based on the user name you choose. How does this relate to your resume? A resume written in 2009 must contain your Linkedin address with your contact details.

Also included in your resume is your email address. The question to ask in 2009 is not whether or not you have an email address on your resume, but how old is your email address and is it professional? Today there is no excuse! Email addresses are easily acquired and they’re free. If you haven’t updated yours in years or you’re still using the one you created using a nickname, create a new one that can be used professionally. Recruiters are interested in forward thinking individuals who stay current. An AOL address is perceived as outdated and a Hotmail address lacks professionalism so update your resume with an appropriate email address.

First impressions are key to your success and the contact information you provide on your resume is your first impression on paper, or rather, on the computer! Without an impressive resume it is unlikely you will be given the opportunity for a job interview. If you want to be taken seriously in your pursuit of an executive position and increase your chances of a job interview, submit a professionally written resume with at least one online address and a professional email address.

Not sure if you have a resume that will get your foot in the door? Don’t take any chances! Contact us for a free resume critique today!