I Suck At Job Interviews But I Get The Offer

TL;DR

1. many interview techniques test skills that are at best irrelevant to real working life
2. you want somebody who knows enough to do the job right now
3. or somebody smart and motivated enough that they can learn the job quickly
4. you want somebody who keeps getting better at what they do
5. your interview should be a collaborative conversation, not a combative interrogation
6. you also want somebody who you will enjoy working with
7. it’s important to separate “enjoy working with” from “enjoy hanging out with”
8. don’t hire assholes, no matter how good they are
9. if your team isn’t diverse, your team is worse than it needed to be
10. accept that hiring takes a really long time and is really, really hard

Video

Silly Questions

The next way to suck at the job interview is to ask a silly question.

At the end of each interview there’s usually a time where the panel says something like:

“Those are all the official questions we have for you, but do you have any questions for the panel?”

How often have we managed to completely unravel a really good interview process by asking a silly, or stupid, or dumb question at the end of the interview?

Examples of silly questions are questions that show you really haven’t done your basic research. Such as what are the rosters for the job, or where will I exactly be working, or who will I be reporting to? Or questions that might give the impression that it’s not really the job you are interested in, but something else. Like questions about salary.

There are a number of ways of correcting this problem and avoiding sucking right at the end of the interview. One is to think about whether you really need to ask a question at all.

You can often just answer that last question by saying something like. “No thanks. I’ve had enough opportunities to ask questions already. Thank you very much for the opportunity”.

If you are really intending on asking a question then do your research and prepare a question that will dazzle them or wow them.

How to make a Great First Impression During an interview

Many job-seekers prepare hard for the tough questions they may be asked during the interview and the response they want to give because they believe that is what the interview is all about and that is all they need to get hired.

The funny thing that most job-seekers don’t understand is that psychology plays a big role during your interview process. Most times before you get the chance to deliver all your well-practiced job interview question and answer, the interviewer is accessing you to see how you will fit into the job and company. The moment you work through the door, the interview has started already, that is why it is important to make a great first impression.

Take a look at these tips and make the best first impression that will land you your dream job;

• Arrive on time: Creating a great impression starts from the time of your arrival. Showing up late for an interview sends the wrong message to the interviewer, it shows that you don’t pay attention to details and you are unreliable.

You should arrive at the interview venue about 15 minutes before the scheduled time of the interview. Being at the interview venue an hour before the set time is also not cool, because it may feel like you nothing else rather sitting down waiting for a prospective employer. To get the timing for the interview right, it is good you visit the venue and determine the exact distance before the interview.

• Dress Properly: Your dressing may not be the final basis of the interviewer’s final decision on whether you will get hired or not, but it plays a vital role in how you are first perceived. When you come in looking really neat and smart, the interviewer will see you as a professional and it will affect if you will be given the right audience or not. People judge your first impression not only by what you say but also by what you wear. Dressing appropriately affects your first impression to a large extent.

• Be Confident: Like we said earlier, your judgement starts immediately you walk through the door. As a result of this. It is then important for you to be confident from the moment you about to work through the door. Your personality is already perceived the moment you walk through the door. To make sure you don’t pass the wrong information about yourself across, be confident greet everyone you come across, smile and keep your head up.

• Be Interested: When you appear disinterested, there is a possibility that the employer may also not be interested in you.You will have to behave like you are interested in the job, that doesn’t mean that you have to fake interest. The truth is that you may be interested in the job, but your actions may betray your intentions that is why you have to make sure you appear and sound interested in the job. Acting interested can help you engage the interviewer.

• Be prepared to talk about Yourself and the Company: One of the best ways you can make that great first impression is to be prepared to answer and ask interview questions.t Be ready to engage in conversations about yourself and the company. At this stage, you are not supposed to act like you know everything else you will look arrogant. It is necessary to visit the company website to learn about their goals and values. When you have a strong knowledge of the company it shows that you are ready and interested in the company. Practice your response to interview questions and answers.

These tips will certainly get you closer to getting the job of your dreams. Starting your interview with a great first impression will help you stay confident through the whole process of the interview.

Top 10 Tough Interview Questions and Answers and How to Answer Them

Preparing for a job interview means preparing to get a new job. To ensure you get that dream job from the interview stage means you must be prepared for the question that the recruiter may likely ask.

Job-seekers often prepare for common questions that the recruiter may likely ask, but the funny thing with the interview session is that the recruiter is likely to ask a tough a question.

As a job-seeker, it is important for you to know that the interviewer is not asking these questions just to be mean to you, but they ask tough questions to get a deeper understanding and find out if the candidate is the best hire. Below are top 10 interview questions and answers to help you prepare better:

1. “What is your greatest weakness?”

This is one of the trickiest interview questions and there are lots of risks involved in  answering this question during the job interview process because you want to be as honest as possible at the same time you don’t want to say something that may cost the job. That is why you are advised to be careful when answering this question.

Saying something like “I work too and that is something I want to stop” the recruiter will obviously not pleased to hear something like that because it will affect your productivity. So, it is important for you to pick a weakness that is already obvious to the interviewer and address it. Remember to follow up by talking about the strengths that make up for that weakness.

For example, if the job description says that an experience in graphic design is a plus and you don’t have that experience, but you meet all other requirements, you should say something like; My graphic design experience is very basic, however, it is something I can learn, I am a fast learner. According to the job description, this job focuses on writing and I have years of experience. I would love to be in a place that fosters employees’ development and encourages them to learn new skills. Answering this question this way shows that your weakness does not affect you performing the role.

1. “Why should we hire you?”

To answer this question well, you need to pre well for it. Go back to your CV and cover and take note of three to five of your outstanding qualities and try to see how they fit into the job description.

For example, they are looking for someone with 5 years job experience but you have only 2-3 years job experience, but they also want someone with a track record of generating sales lead and you have been generating more leads in your former place of work. Now that is what you have to focus on to make care less that you are lacking some years of experience. Identify what they value most and talk about your skills and qualifications that solely relates to those attributes.

1. “How much do you think we should pay you?”

 This is one very tricky question that can make you lose or get the job and you need to be very careful when answering this question. Stating an outright figure can put you in a disadvantaged position. When answering this question it is important for you to wait for the employer to give a range, because you may give a figure that is below the employer’s expectation. If the employer insists on you giving a figure, you can give a figure that is a bit higher than the median.

The person who states the salary is the loser,” says Denham, explaining that if you are the first to throw out a number, the number you give could be less than what the employer was planning to pay. Wait for the employer to give a range, and when it does ask you for a figure you expect to be making, choose a salary that is higher than the median they provide. Also, don’t talk salary on the first interview.

When tackling this question, be careful not to be the first to throw out figures first, rather postpone the salary negotiation for later after getting to understand each other better. It will show that you are not just about the pay and that you take your time to understand things.

1.  “Why are you leaving your current job?”

This question could be really tempting, because you might be tempted to go about ranting and complaining about your previous job and how much you needed to leave. Avoid doing that. The essence of this question is to find out what is wrong with your work-place. Interviewers usually ask this questions to find out if you are mature enough to cope with any form of dissatisfaction.

If you are all about complaining about your former employer and work-place, then you will be giving the employer the notion that you are immature and that you will do the same thing to him when you are not happy about something.

When tackling this question, remember to be respectful. You can start off by saying “I really appreciate the time I spent there, because I learned a lot and I think it is time for promotion, and I look forward to finding a job that will bring new challenges. “Try your best to avoid personal attack and always remember to keep it professional.

1. “Can you explain the gap in your work history?”

Having a gap in your employment history could be that barricade that can cost you your job if you don’t handle it wisely. You have to answer this question in a way that it will emphasize how you have used your skills during your time of unemployment. You should also be able to explain the reason for the gap even if you were doing something during that time.

If you were raising a child or taking care of a sick relative, you can still tell them this reason as honest as possible. The most important thing is that you were not totally ideal during the period of unemployment.

1. “Tell me about yourself”

This question sounds like one of the easiest interview questions, but it is also one of the most tricky interview questions. When asked this question, don’t be in a hurry to answer because if you do, you might be tempted to start giving unnecessary details about yourself.

Interviewers ask this question not because they really want to know everything about you, but because they want to see if you are a good fit for the job. To answer this question properly you can just use your elevator pitch that you may have practiced, also make sure that your elevator pitch should be more of professional achievement rather than personal information.

1. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Employers usually ask this question not because they want to hear about all your dreams and aspiration but because they are looking to see if you have a sense of commitment. When you are trying to answer this question try and make sure your answers show that your goals align well with that of the company and how you wish to grow and achieve those goals with your current position and working in the company at large. Remember to state with an example what you are doing currently to achieve those goals.

1. “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with your boss or colleague”

The reason why employers ask these question is to see how you are able to manage conflict. They also look at how you react to conflict and the steps you took to manage and resolve conflict situations.

To answer this question, don’t focus on what the other party did that was really wrong, because there is no point playing the pity card. The employer is not asking you this question to know who was wrong or right (the employer is not a judge).

When answering this question, it is important for you to focus on how you able to resolve the conflict and what you learn from the situation.

1. “Why were you fired?”

This question is one question that many candidates don’t like to answer. It could be really difficult if your fire was not on a pleasant note. However, you have to be really positive about the whole situation when answering this question.

Don’t speak negative about your former employer or slam your previous company. Tell the interviewer what you learned from the experience, how it has helped grow, and how the experience will shape how you will tackle your new job.

1. “Do you have any questions for us?”

Some candidates dread this question because they think they are supposed to be interviewed and not to be interviewing someone. The truth is that an interview should be a conversation, so you are supposed to be communicating with the interviewer. You should be careful not let the opportunity to ask questions that can help you determine if the job is right for you. This question will help you know the kind of work environment that you will work in.

You can ask questions like; “What is the good thing about working here”, “what do you enjoy working here”, you can even ask about a new project that the company is working on. This shows that you interested in the company and you want to know well you fit into the company.

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