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An interview is the single most important event during the hiring process. It is an opportunity for you to positively present yourself and convince a prospective employer to extend you an offer. Your resume may have opened the door, but an interview will afford you the opportunity to sell yourself and close the deal. The following guidelines below are a few interviewing tips that should give you a competitive edge.

1. Be on time. Make sure that you are where you are suppose to be when you are supposed to be there.

2. Thoroughly be prepared for the obvious questions:

a. What would your past supervisors say about your attitude, technical aptitude, work ethic, problem solving skills, and your ability to work with others?
b. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
c. Why are you looking to leave your current job or employer?
d. Why should we hire you?

3. Thoroughly be prepared to answer any question that is on your resume.

4. Thoroughly research the position and company beforehand.

5. A company will not hire you if your short or long term career goals are not consistent with those of the prospective employer.

6. An interview is not the time to highlight your faults. Remember to stay positive throughout the entire interview. You are there to sell yourself. Avoid talking negatively about past bosses, employers, or positions.

7. Do not allow salary or benefits to dominate the conversation. Remember that you have nothing to negotiate until you have an offer. A company hires people that are genuinely interested in what the company does and how they do it.

8. Typically toward the end of the interview process, your interviewer(s) will afford you the opportunity to ask questions. Be prepared to ask well thought out questions that will give you a better picture of what is required to be successful in the position and will help you evaluate if it is the right opportunity for you. The following is a list of sample questions that maybe appropriate to ask:

á The characteristics of the company - what makes it unique?
á The company's short- and long-range objectives.
á How is one evaluated in this position?
á How often has the position been filled in the past five years? What were the main reasons?
á In what ways has this organization been most successful in terms of products and services over the years?
á What accounts for success within the company?
á What advancement opportunities are available for the person who is successful in this position, and within what time frame?
á What are some of the long-term objectives you would like to see completed? á What are some of the more difficult problems one would have to face in this position?
á What are some of the objectives you would like to see accomplished in this job?
á What are the common denominators of the company's successful employees?
á What does the company excel at? What are their limitations?
á What is most pressing? What would you like to have done in the next 3 months?
á What outside influences, if any, can affect the growth of the company?
á What significant changes do you foresee in the near future?
á What type of support does this position receive in terms of people, finances, etc.?
á Where does the company think you could make effective contributions?
á Why is this position open?

9. ALWAYS send thank you cards to everyone that you have interviewed with reemphasizing your interest in the company and position.

10. Display enthusiasm for the position and the company and have FUN.

PHONE INTERVIEW

If your first contact with a prospective employer is through a phone interview, you must focus your efforts on obtaining a personal face to face meeting. If you can create a favorable first impression on the telephone, your chances of being invited for a personal visit are greatly increased. The following guidelines below are key phone interviewing tips that should give you a competitive edge.

PREPARATION

In preparing for your phone interview, there are several things you can do:

á Have a copy of your resume in front of you so you can refer back to.
á Keep all of your employer research materials within easy reach.
á Have a notepad handy to take notes.
á Place a "Do Not Disturb" note on your door.
á Turn off your stereo, TV, and any other potential distraction.
á Have a glass of water handy, since you will not have a chance to take a break during the call break during the call.
á Turn off call waiting on your phone.

HOW TO PHONE INTERVIEW

á Be enthusiastic and assertive.
á Remember that you don't have the benefits of expression and eye contact to show your excitement and interest.
á Be ready to provide specific examples of projects and accomplishments that showcase your skills.

AVOID

á Speaking too fast
á Having music or other noises in the background
á Chewing or smoking
á Speaking too close to the receiver
á Anything that can create an unpleasant image of yourself
á Asking questions that appear to be selfishly motivated

PREPARE YOUR ANSWERS TO OBVIOUS QUESTIONS SUCH AS

á Why are you leaving your present position? (Have a positive reason for this move)
á What are your strong/weak points?
á What were your biggest accomplishments in your last position?
á What contributions can you make to our company?

RESEARCH THE COMPANY

á Check out the company's web site.
á Do your homework.
á Find out what they are doing and be prepared to point out how you can help them achieve their goals.
á As a parting comment, let the potential employer know that you are very interested in the position and why.
á The enthusiasm you display could be the deciding factor between you and another candidate.