Interview Tips for First Time Job

Seekers

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Introduction

Job interviews can be stressful for first-time job seekers – you are unsure of what to wear, how early to arrive and what questions to ask.

But take a deep breath, you’re not alone.

Here are some tips from Dave Sanford, Executive Vice President of Business Development at the staffing firm Winter, Wyman, to help you ace that first job interview.

This presentation by Dave Sanford, Winter, Wyman’s EVP of Business Development, originally appeared as an article on Boston.com and has been re-used here with the publisher’s permission.

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Top ten tips

1. Do your homework2. Practice3. Dress for success4. Arrive early5. Be observant6. Know yourself7. Put your best foot – and hand – forward8. Listen first, answer second9. Concluding the interview10. After the interview

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1. Do your homework

• Before the interview, you should do basic research into the company: key people, their products or services, locations, competitors, and the latest news on the industry.

• Start with the company’s website, research databases such as Hoover’s, local newspapers and business publications, and professional associations servicing the industry.

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2. Practice

• If you have never interviewed, or haven’t done so in awhile, get ready by practicing with a friend, parent or mentor.

• Be able to easily answer the typical questions that may be posed to you:– “Tell me about yourself.”– “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”– “Where do you hope to be in five years?”– “Why should we hire you?”

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3. Dress for success

• It is imperative that you dress appropriately for the job and 99 percent of the time that means wearing a business suit.

• Even if you know the company has a casual environment, dressing up for your interview sends the message you are serious about your career and the job.

• Being neat, clean and professional goes a long way toward making the first impression a good one.

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4. Arrive early

• There is nothing worse than being late for your first interview. Even though it’s not your fault a truck turned over on the highway, or you got stuck behind a school bus, arriving late sends the wrong message to your prospective employer, and it puts extra stress and time constraints on everyone involved.

• If you are going to be late, call as soon as you know.• Likewise, don’t arrive too early either. Enter the lobby about

15 minutes before your meeting so you can relax and study the atmosphere.

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5. Be observant

• As you progress in your career, you will become more aware of the importance of corporate culture and clues on how to judge an organization’s climate. For a first-time job seeker this may be more difficult, but not impossible.

• Chat with the receptionist and see why he or she likes working at the company.

• When walking to and from your interview, look at how employees are dressed, their age range, how they are behaving (seeing laughter and smiling is always good!) and if it appears to be a conservative or creative environment.

• In other words, can you envision yourself working there?

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6. Know yourself

• Know what you are good at – your accomplishments, skills, traits – and what sets you apart from other job seekers.

• Right before the interview, review your resume and make sure you know the content and dates so you can effectively answer questions without referring to your copy.

• If you are in a creative field, don’t forget to bring your portfolio, and know how best to show off examples of your work in a timely fashion.

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7. Put your best foot – and hand – forward

• Always present a firm handshake to both men and women, smile, make eye contact and greet the interviewer by name.

• Be positive and enthusiastic and prepared to make small talk – especially during walks to and from interviews.

• During the meeting, stress accomplishments, but don’t talk about yourself for long periods of time and try to relax.

• Be engaging and confident but humble in all your interactions.

• And, if at all possible, refrain from taking notes until after the interview is complete and you are in private.

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8. Listen first, answer second

• Listen carefully and attentively and ask for clarification if you don’t understand a question being asked.

• Don’t be vague or try to bluff your way out of a question. If you need more time to respond or to provide additional information, don’t hesitate to state that.

• Ask the interviewer insightful questions, but don’t pose off-the-wall, lengthy or hypothetical questions.

• Prepare at least three follow-up questions to ask of your prospective employer that will provide more information about the job or working at the company. Not only will that help you evaluate the opportunity, but it will also show you are engaged and interested.

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9. Concluding the interview

• At the end of the interview, be cordial and thank the interviewer for his or her time.

• Be direct in asking what the next step is in the hiring process. If appropriate, ask if you can check back with him or her.

• Make sure you express your interest in the company and the position. The only time you shouldn’t do this is if you are 100 percent sure you don’t want to work there. If that’s the case, it is better to say nothing.

• Also, never ask about benefits or vacation time (save that for later in the negotiation process). Most companies have competitive offerings and by asking too early, you show you are more interested in the benefits than the work.

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10. After the interview

• Shortly after you return home from an interview, e-mail or mail a note of thanks to everyone you interviewed with.

• The note should express your gratitude for taking the time to meet with you and also reaffirm your interest in the position.

• If you haven’t heard from the interviewer in the time frame in which they told you they were making a decision, it is perfectly acceptable to follow-up with a quick e-mail or phone call to again express your interest and gauge theirs.

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About Winter, Wyman

• Established in 1972• An industry leader and one of the largest and most

recognized staffing firms in the Northeast• Service the New England and Metropolitan New York

job markets with national technology contracting capabilities

• Specialize in recruiting permanent, contract and contract-to-permanent professionals

• Specialty areas include:– Accounting & Finance– Creative & Digital Technology– Human Resources

– Information Technology– Investments & Financial Services– Software Engineering

Thank you for joining us.Visit the “Job Seeker” section of

www.winterwyman.com for additional job search resources.