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[L273]Letter After Job Interview

by Lionel Estridge, Lio

Job interviews can be worrying, and most people feel a large amount of nervousness and pressure about sitting in the hot seat, being questioned over their work history and individual ability. But there is no reason to feel so pressured in a job interview as you can without difficulty avoid the most common blunders people make, and come out of that meeting glowing.

The first error is showing a noted lack of self-confidence in both yourself and your abilities, even if you think you're not showing it, your interviewer will be able to sense your lack of confidence and your interviewer will be unlikely to trust in the abilities of someone who does not show to trust themselves. You should be truthful about your capacities but play up your ability in what you can do when speaking to your interviewer. Do not fret about rubbing your possible employer the wrong way by seeming overconfident. As long as you do not act like a prima donna. Take the possible job seriously, and keep away from demeaning your interviewer or their business, come off as self-confidant, rather than arrogant.

Watch your words carefully to evade letting on the extent of time you really plan to be employed by your interviewer's business. If you are planning to stick around for a while, that's cool. If not, try to reduce the potential damage without been deceitful.

If your work history shows that you've been changing jobs frequently, make sure that you prepare some good reasons for why you've been so wandering in regards to employment, if possible with a good, rational reason for leaving each job.

Pick the right words to leave your interviewer with the notion that you will be there for a long time, but at the same time, do not lie about your intentions. What employers look for is dependability, and they do not want fly-by-nighters. Be ready to answer some hard questions about your employment history, more than ever if it shows that you move from job to job. Have your reasons and explanations for shifting employments ready-at-hand.

A lot of people want temporary work, or are not sure if they will be with the business for a lengthy time. Always try to leave your interviewer with the thought that they will not have to go through the hiring process anytime soon.

Employers look for staff that are reliable, and those who bounce from job to job are not going to have good chance of being hired. If your work history shows that you have changed jobs often, be prepared to answer why and make sure those reasons are solid.

Preparation for a job interview is one more must that a lot of people frequently overlook. If your resume has less than satisfying facts or history on it, you will want to set up for the interviewer to discover those facts and talk about them.

Sweating out a job interview is not the way to land a dream job. All it takes is self-confidence, and excellent pre-interview planning.

One of the most important influence moments in your career is the moment where you must convince someone to hire you. Whether you are just out of college, looking for a change, or a contractor who must convince others of your services almost daily, you will find that a set of simple influence skills will propel you through the interviewing process on your way to a successful career.

Assert

It is imperative that you state your objectives clearly. Most organizations are looking for people who take action and will engage in helping the organization move forward. Your organization will first see your potential for such behavior in the hiring stages.

Jay and Mary are both interviewing for a position at an engineering company. Each is highly qualified for the position and holds some great recommendations. As Jay enters the interview, he is asked a series of questions. He ponders each and answers to the best of his ability. When asked, he pulls out his portfolio and demonstrates his skills to the employer. His work is excellent and the employer is notably impressed with it. He is sure to take Jay's information and informs him that he will be contacted with their final decision.

Mary's interview comes later, and when she enters, she introduces herself and instantly pulls out her portfolio and references. During her presentation, she highlights the portions of her work that seem to fit with what she has seen advertised for the position for which she is applying. When she is finished, she asks the interviewer if there are questions that he has. She ponders each question and answers to the best of her ability.

When the board makes its decision, it is determined that Jay's work was excellent, but Mary's assertive presentation of her work was what the company needed in order to progress in the competitive engineering market. Mary made good use of her first influence skill.

Ask Questions

Your ability to draw your interviewer in through active questioning is another important influence skill. Open-ended questions gather information and find out what the other person is thinking. Focused questions help the other person to focus on alternatives. These questions promote a greater inclusion of the other person and lead to openness and increased rapport, understanding and commitment.

During Mary's presentation, she asks her interviewer, "Is there a specific set of drafts that you would like to see?" Her question prompts the interviewer to indicate that he is most interested in what she has done with mechanical design. Though Mary had intended on showing him other drawings, she realizes by her open-ended questioning that it would be better to focus on what her interviewer is most interested in. She has two sets of drawings in her portfolio and asks the focused question to determine exactly which he would like to choose from.

Summarize

You will want to be sure that you and the other person understand each other. By repeating and summarizing important elements of the influence situation, you will be sure to remain on the same page.

When Mary finishes her presentation, the interviewer asks her, "How do you feel your employment would benefit our organization?" Mary is unsure of the exact response that the interviewer is looking for, so she uses her summarizing skill to clarify the situation. "So what you're asking me is what will change within the organization when I am hired?"

The interviewer responds, "Yes, I would like to know how you feel your set of skills will make a fit with our organization and its mission statement." Mary's keen use of her influence skills brought out a much more specific question where she could determine precisely what type of answer the interviewer was looking for.

Offer Incentives

Make it easier or more attractive for the person to do what you are asking. This will help you further promote agreement and commitment.

When the interview is finished, Mary is sure to express her feelings to the interviewer. "This interview has shed new light on your organization, and I am enthusiastic to begin my employment with you. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed with your decision. I plan to immediately put into action the skills that we discussed and help the company move forward in its objectives." Mary's statement offers concrete rewards that the company will receive by hiring her.

The influence skills listed are only a few of the skills that you can develop which will help you progress in your career. They can be applied in a variety of circumstances; and when used effectively, they can achieve outstanding results for your career development.

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About Author

Both Lionel Estridge & Alan Vengel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Lionel Estridge has sinced written about articles on various topics from Obesity, Interview Questions and Diabetes Treatment. . Lionel Estridge's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.

Alan Vengel has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Interview Questions and Sales and Negotiation. Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negot. Alan Vengel's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.