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Interviews |
| Try to find out
as much as you can about the place where you are interviewing. Learning
about the company and what products they make, who the customers are, and
how big the company is, are some examples of things you can research
before the interview. Knowing more about a company will help you decide
if you want to work for them and to also impress the interviewer with you
interest in their company. Try looking on-line for this information, in
the library or by talking with people who are already working at the
company. |
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Making a Good First
Impression |
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Be neat, clean and
conservative |
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Dress a step above what
the best employee for that job would wear |
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Avoid a lot of jewelry,
perfume or cologne |
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Stay away from clothes
that are really trendy |
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Get a good night's sleep |
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Wear clean and pressed
clothes |
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Avoid smoking before the
interview |
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Your personal appearance makes an immediate statement. Dressing
properly and having good hygiene - you are saying to the employee
that care about the job and want the job! |
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Interacting with Employers at Job
Fairs |
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Youth Job Fair Tip List =
Click
here
to download a tip list designed for youth visiting job
fairs.
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Going for the
Interview |
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When you enter the place of business, introduce your self and say
that you are there for an interview. If you know who it is that
will be interviewing you, ask for that person by name. |
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When the interviewer approaches you: |
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Smile and make eye contact |
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Introduce yourself and
what position you are applying for |
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Shake hands firmly |
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Wait for an invitation to
follow them and to sit down |
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Interviewing
Checklist |
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Bring a pen and notebook |
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Arrive at the interview a few minutes
early |
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Bring a list of questions to ask the
interviewer |
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Know what hours you are available for
work |
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Bring any letters of recommendation |
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Bring a few copies of your resume, if
you have one |
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Bring a completed application, unless
you have already returned it |
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Bring a list of references |
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Get directions and a telephone number
in case you get lost |
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Be sure to be dressed appropriately |
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Have a great attitude! |
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Questions |
| All interview questions are
really asking the same question: Why are you the best person for the job?
There are so many different interview questions and it would be impossible
to memorize each one. The following is a list of potential questions for
you to look over and think about. |
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Tell me about yourself. |
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When are you available for work? |
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What do you consider to be your
greatest strengths? |
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What are your weaknesses? |
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What are your plans for the future? |
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What did you like about your previous
job? |
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What didn't you like about your
previous job? |
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What qualities do you feel make a good
supervisor? |
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How do you take criticism? Give
me an example. |
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How do you handle disagreements with
others? Give me an example. |
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How do you handle stress? |
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Why do you want to work for this
company? |
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When can you start? |
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Do you have any questions for me? |
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Tell me about
yourself. |
| This is a great
opportunity for you to sell your strengths. Start off by saying a little
about you, your interests, and your activities in school. Next you should
mention your job history if you have one and a little about your skills
and abilities. Close this response by telling the interviewer what your
long term goals are – maybe going to college or owning your own business. |
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What are your
greatest strengths and weaknesses? |
| In each case you
want to present yourself as someone who can do the job. Name a strength
that applies directly to the job and name a weakness that you can show has
hurt your performance but that you are aware of and have taken steps to
correct. |
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Describe your most
and least favorite bosses or supervisors. |
| What you really
want to describe here is your REACTION to different management styles. The
interviewer doesn't really want a personality profile of your old boss; he
wants a personality profile of you and your performance in different
environments. Resist at all costs the temptation to criticize a former
supervisor. Resist, too, the temptation to praise too highly an old boss.
You don’t want your next employer to worry that he might not measure up to
Ms. /Mr. Wonderful. |
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What is your biggest
accomplishment? |
| People who can
answer this one too easily have a tendency to dwell in the past. Still,
you should be prepared with a brief description of a major work-related
accomplishment, or even a series of related accomplishments. Stress,
however, that your finest work is yet to come, that this job will bring
out your best. |
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What
is the biggest problem you've ever faced and how did you handle it? |
| What you want to
relate here is not necessarily the BIGGEST problem but any big
work-related problem you faced and handled well. Emphasize factors that
you feel will play well with the interviewer; stress skills gained and
lessons learned that will have a direct bearing on the job you are
seeking. |
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The behavioral
question |
| Increasingly
popular is the behavioral question. Usually these begin with the words
"Tell me about a time when you…" In these instances the employer
believes that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.
If you prepared success stories, you should have no trouble weaving them
into your answers. |
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Questions for the
Interviewer |
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The last question an interviewer will probably ask is "Do you have
any questions for me?" Although jobs have been won by candidates who
do NOT ask questions, you would be wise to have a few questions
prepared ahead of time. During the course of the interview it will
become clear which questions are most appropriate to ask. You can
ask things like: |
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When will you be making a
decision? |
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When can I expect to hear
from you? |
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What kind of training will
be available? |
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What is a typical day
like? |
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