Thursday, January 29, 2009

Take Control of Your Job Interview

By Ian Bennet

Feeling nervous is normal before you attend an important interview, but with proper preparation you can easily turn this into genuine passion and confidence to meet the challenge up ahead. Some form of research is necessary to ensure that you shall display some form of genuine interest to contribute to the organization mission and goals and not merely to satisfy your own. The truth is, you will never know what questions will be asked, and it is best to be prepared. The one who comes prepared will most likely be the one who will triumph.

Surf the company's website and learn all you can about the organization, starting with its history, the products and services it offer. To be a part of an organization, it helps if you learn about its culture, the goals and mission and how it is formed. There is a lot you can learn by becoming a good listener so simply by listening to the questions they ask, you can very well detect the type of person they are looking for. Make sure you're alert to what they are looking for, not every organization needs a champion, most would prefer effective members who can become good team players.

If you are applying for a sales position, then some role playing is expected, which you can easily fulfill if you have learned about the company's products and services. For every action you take to research the company, you will be presented with some unexpected opportunities to display your knowledge, and it will undoubtedly impress the interviewers. You can make an effort to ask questions about the position you are applying for, this generally is regarded as showing interest, which will be considered as a positive trait. Rather then being offensive, it actually lets the interviewer see the seriousness you have for the job and the desire to be a part of the organization.

Another way to prepare for a job interview is to complete a practice run with a friend or family member. Visualize being interviewed and practice the role until you feel comfortable. There are several typical questions that are common in job interviews and practice makes them easy for you to answer. Now, many companies will ask for real life scenarios where the desired trait they are looking for should be displayed. This is the question that will determine the outcome of the interview. - 16089

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