INTERVIEW: FINAL INVENTORY CHECKLIST
Just
the way you are analyzed by the interviewer,
corporate's strength is decided on the basis
of its financial assets and liabilities. Each
organization wants to achieve a stable and powerful
economic position if it wants to survive. However,
it does not stop there. Beyond money matters
is a great concern as to the kind of staffing
it has - its greatest asset. Hence, it assigns
an interviewer who is a sense works like an
auditor. (S)he checks every aspect of what you
can offer and what you can't. (S)he does not
expect you to be perfect but (s)he has to make
sure that there is a check and balance on each
element; or if there is a weak spot (s)he needs
to know that something can be done about it.
Whether you like it or not, somehow during the
interview, the interviewer will try to find
a way to bring to the surface your strong and
weak points. To prepare for this, you should
do an accounting of your own self before the
auditing time. The whole idea of doing this
is not to focus on your limitations but rather
to prepare you to answer unpleasant and surprising
questions with sincerity, maturity and calmness.
As I have said, interview is the time to bring
out the best about yourself, so before you go
to an interview, it's worth the time to check
the following.
(This
checklist also contains questions which are
commonly covered during the interview.)
YOURSELF
Do
I have a positive attitude about the interview
and abut myself?
Am
I mentally prepared?
Am
I physically prepared?
Am
I neatly and properly dressed?
Check
these Out....
Accessories
not too many that may distract your overall
professional appearance?
Perfume
or shaving lotion not too strong?
Did
I brush my teeth? Put on deodorant. Clean my
nails?
Are
my shoes in good shape?
Do
I have a pen and paper with me? Do I know where
to go and who to see? A phone number of the
person you are meeting with and a complete direction
to the location may help... just in case?
OBJECTIVES
Have
I set my personal and career objectives clearly?
What
type of job will I accept?
Do
I want a staff or supervisory position?
What
are my real interests?
What
type of salary do I expect; how much do I really
need?
How
about benefits?
How
far do I want to commute?
Do
I like a production environment or do I prefer
an office atmosphere?
What
type of company do I want to work for?
ULTIMATE
GOALS
What
are my future plans?
What
do I want to be now?
What
do I want to be five to ten years from now?
What
are my career plans? How do I intend to achieve
these?
Will
the position I will interview for lead me to
what I am aiming for in the future?
RELATED
ACHIEVEMENTS
What
are the things that I have done that give me
a sense of pride?
What
are all of my accomplishments?
How
do I relate these achievements to the job I
am applying for?
What
qualifications do I have that will make me successful
in the job I am applying for?
SKILLS
What
are my skills and abilities?
What
are the requirements of the job I am applying
for? What are the skills required?
Are
my skills suited for the job?
Have
I practiced my typing? Have I reviewed the subjects
which may likely be covered during the interview?
EMPLOYMENT
HISTORY
What
are my work experiences?
Chronological
arrangement of my employment
What
are the exact dates of my employment? My responsibilities?
Who
were my supervisors? How about their telephone
numbers and addresses? Can they provide good
references about me?
LIABILITIES
What
are my major weaknesses?
What
are the areas I need to improve on?
How
do I deal with questions relating to the problems
I had in the past, i.e. involuntary termination,
employment gaps/unemployment, etc.?
How
do I compensate for my lack of experience or
knowledge?
FORTE
What
are my strong personal characteristics?
What
areas do I excel in?
What
special abilities do I have?
What
is unique about my self?
HOW
TO MAKE THE INTERVIEW A "PIECE OF CAKE"
Now,
you are ready for the interview. If you keep
in mind the elements discussed in the preceding
and foregoing pages and commit yourself to putting
actions to the rules that apply to you, you
can turn a nervewracking interview into a "piece
of cake"! The kind and amount of preparation
you exert for each interview and your ability
to prove that you possess the desirable traits
necessary for the efficient operation of the
job you are applying for will yield a successful
interview. Generally, the following are the
important factors that you need to exhibit during
the interview.
CHARM
KNOWLEDGE
ABILITIES
ENTHUSIASM
SKILLS
CHARM.
By this, I mean that you should be able to create
a good first impression. How well and how properly
you present yourself can make a big difference
in attracting a prospective employer. Like icing
on a cake, overdecorating and lousy presentation
are not advisable. Such can ruin ones appetite.
Dress neatly and appropriately. Being aware
of the kind of environment you are going in
to and what type of job you are applying for
is very helpful. If you are uncertain, the best
bet is to dress conservatively. While you are
not going to a party, remember that an interview
is a social interaction. You'll be more confident
and you'll find yourself more at ease if you
know you are dressed for the event. The look
of confidence and good physical impact is created
if you choose the right attire. The kind of
personality you exude during this face-to face
event is magnified during the initial stage
of the interview. The interviewer's task is
to pick up as many clues as he or she can get
about you. Regardless of whether you are being
interviewed by the staff in the personnel department
for screening purposes or by the supervisor
who makes the hiring decisions, you should be
able to convince the person that you have the
traits and qualifications that the employer
is looking for. Blending personality is a n
important factor in the work environment and
you should be able to prove that you have the
chemistry to harmonize. Presenting yourself
favorably does not end with a neat appearance.
This aspect extends to some things which many
applicants fail to recognize as important. These
include knowing where to go and who to see,
arriving early, but not too early (provide allowance
for any unforeseen events to make sure you don't
get there late), and the item which a lot of
applicants tend to forget - a pen and a note
pad! Also, to a make a favorable impression,
you should be aware of some common courtesies
such as knowing when to shake hands, when to
sit down and when to call the interviewer by
his/her first name. Equally important is you
must avoid distracting mannerisms. If you chew
gum or smoke during the interview , the other
party may find a way to say an early goodbye.
Likewise, smoking can irritate an interviewer.
While it is commonly advised that you should
be yourself during the interview, it is always
best to leave a part of you in the privacy of
the men's or ladies' room. Remember that an
interview for a specific job can open other
avenues for your job search. You may not be
able to get the job you interviewed for but
establishing a good image is important and may
pay off not necessarily today but tomorrow.
Every interview creates an opportunity for more
contacts, so my advice is: maintaining your
"charm"! It is an investment.
ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE. This element is a vital
ingredient of a successful interview. A lot
of interviews fail not because the applicant
lacks the work experience but mainly because
of the inability to effectively convey their
thoughts and ideas to the interviewer. Your
ability to express yourself in a clear, direct
and concise manner is a skill which is almost
as important as your actual knowledge of the
job. In some jobs, it is even the most important
element. Depending on the perception of the
interviewer and the requirements of the position,
this job factor usually ranks high on the "must
have" list. Your ability to communicate
is measured not only by the tone of your voice,
but in clarity and cohesiveness. Your ability
to talk in a language simple enough to understand
by a layman is important. Don't try to use highly
technical terms to impress the interviewer.
Interviewers are not necessarily a master of
your field and if you use words that they hardly
understand, you may be giving your chances away.
KNOWLEDGE.
This is an inner portion of you that the interviewer
is trying to uncover. This is mainly directed
toward your work experience, knowledge of the
job, including any related educational background.
ENTHUSIASM.
This is one personal resource that keeps you
lively and going! This is the energy that keeps
everything together. The level of motivation
is always an important factor that you must
be able to communicate to the interviewer. An
experienced interviewer is usually keen in assessing
your sincere interest in the job and in the
company. How prepared you are for the interview
is a good sign. This includes your knowledge
of the company's general operations, the details
of the job and other related information. However,
you must keep in mind that you should not brag
about the extra effort you took in getting this
information nor the preparation you made before
going to the interview. The best strategy is
to let your knowledge of the company and job
reveal itself naturally. The amount and kind
of preparation will some how surface and it
is to your advantage to let it come out spontaneously.
This is more appreciated by most interviewers
that if you persistently show off!
Don't
let your spirits get down if in the process
of the interview you realize that you knowledge,
abilities, skills and personality do not match
the company's needs. Do not hesitate to check
with the interviewer as to other career opportunities
that they may have in the company or its subsidiaries.
Job search in not an easy process. You must
keep your eagerness alive and should be open
to explore every possible way. It is only you
who can make things happen and your success
will ultimately come to you if you keep trying.
Regardless of whether the situation is turning
against you or in your favor, your ability to
maintain an enthusiastic and favorable outlook
can lead to other winning moves. Remember that
your state of mind, your attitude and your ability
to translate these into a positive perception
in the eyes and mind of the interviewer is extremely
helpful.
SKILLS.
There are certain positions that require the
ability to perform a particular function proficiently.
Skills such as typing, word processing and data
entry are est assessed through actual tests.
Obviously, if you are applying for a job requiring
such learned ability, you should be prepared
for testing. More often, if you don't meet the
skills requirement of the job, you may find
it difficult to completely satisfy the to recommend
you to the hiring supervisor. Likewise, there
are other sills that are directly assessed during
the interview. Examples are communications skills,
foreign language proficiency, interviewing,
and problem solving skills Make sure you prepare
yourself for the possibility of being tested
directly or indirectly!
Keep
in mind too, that every position has its own
peculiarities. Each has specific requirements
critical to the performance of the job in question
and not possessing these sets of requirements
may entirely disqualify you for the position.
Likewise, decisions are not only based on the
job per se. Screening and hiring decisions are
colored by other factors such as the interviwer's
own perception. Whether they are objective or
subjective perceptions, make sure you are ready
to deal with them.
To
give you an idea of what some managers think
are important qualities of applicants, the following
is an excerpt of a survey done by the Administrative
Management Society. As you will see, managers
who responded to this survey place high value
on the elements previously discussed. While
weight may vary depending on the job (and also
depending on the employer), making an effort
to achieve what is generally perceived to be
important factors in measuring potential candidates
is putting yourself ahead of the competition.
