Interviews.

[Malintex_Terek]

I'm horrible at interviews it seems, will someone give me some pointers? I've had two interviews over the last year for internships and I failed to get the first and I think I've failed to get the second, since I was expecting an email on Wednesday and I was supposed to start work tomorrow.

What kind of personality/mannerism is necessary to do well in an interview? I've always asked questions of the interviewer and tried to project interest in what they do; I also try to remember what they say.

Also, should I send an email to my interviewer from last week asking if I got the position or not? I was going to anyway but I'm not sure if it would jeopardize my chances of getting this internship in the future, should I get to the interview process again.

[FireFistAce 0]

By all means, send the email. Showing an interest in the job you're applying for gives you a much better chance at it. I used to think the same way; that badgering them only makes the situation worse. But showing an interest is exactly what they want.

[King Kobra]

Well, be yourself. It's not like you want them to get pissed off when they find out you were just acting all the time during the interview. :P

[Malintex_Terek]

Finally got the email. I didn't get the internship. So, I ask of you who have been successful; "be myself" isn't really that helpful a suggestion, since if being myself means I won't get an internship it's pointless to even go for the interview.

I want some tips so as to not anger who I'm interviewing, as well as to communicate I'm really interested in the job. I THINK I'm being rejected on a credential basis, but I'm not sure because all my internships feel as if the interview went poorly.

[FireFistAce 0]

Be polite and professional. Dress professionally, even if they tell you the interview is casual. Make eye contact at all times and give them the answers they want to hear. Don't ask too many questions unless it really needs to be answered; most employers like people who can figure things out on their own and not have to depend on others for the solution/answer.

Other than that, just be calm and polite. That should nail you the job. Works for me.

[Malintex_Terek]

@Fire Fist:

Be polite and professional. Dress professionally, even if they tell you the interview is casual.

In this interview, I went there wearing sandals but I was dressed in a suit and tie, since I have to wear a suit for my normal work, which is actually another internship down the road. At this internship, we're encouraged to dress professionally but not so prim as to scare our students, so I went with my shirt un-tucked and in sandals. My sandals didn't get noticed until right at the very end of the interview. Good or bad thing?

@Fire Fist:

Make eye contact at all times and give them the answers they want to hear.

I made eye contact, but I don't know what you mean by "what they want to hear". This particular internship was for an investigative position at a legal firm.

@Fire Fist:

Don't ask too many questions unless it really needs to be answered; most employers like people who can figure things out on their own and not have to depend on others for the solution/answer.

How many is too many questions? I asked about nine over the course of the two-hour interview.

[Ms. Suave Debonair]

Try to expand on the points you made in a CV or application. Do some research on the company you are applying for. When the interview comes talk about your skills and make them fit the job.

If the job talks about 'explaining data clearly with staff'. Talk about previous experiences with this. Don't talk about your Microsoft office skills if you aren't going to touch a computer, for example.

Eye contact is definately a plus. If you aren't keen on it, suck it up. No one is going to hire someone who doesn't have confidence in themselves.

The interview is basically you selling yourself. Just go for it. You only get that one chance.

[DeadJustice]

@Fire Fist:

Be polite and professional. Dress professionally, even if they tell you the interview is casual. Make eye contact at all times and give them the answers they want to hear. Don't ask too many questions unless it really needs to be answered; most employers like people who can figure things out on their own and not have to depend on others for the solution/answer.

Other than that, just be calm and polite. That should nail you the job. Works for me.

NO NO NO!

Ask questions. It makes you seem interested in the position. Ask about the job, benefits, the upsides/downsides, and the environment. Don't be a robot. Loosen up and engage your interviewer if prompted. Sometimes you get asked open-ended questions just so they can gauge you, most people will try to keep it too short. Don't get wordy though. Don't fall into those traps.

Eye contact and dressing right is obvious.

When you're asked about your old job, make sure you point out something that made you stand out.

For example:

"What did you do on your old job?" Most people would give some cookie cutter job description. Try to personalize it, like "I was a cashier, the other cashiers looked to me for help when they were confused. I was often the go-to guy on busy nights since I was the most reliable." Something along those lines.

Don't back down from something you say if you get put on the spot. If an interviewer questions a certain trait/skill/experience after you have told him or her about it, most will try to downplay it or deny it. Stick to your guns, but don't be aggressive. Just assert your position on the subject and you'll be alright. Its worse to be passive than aggressive though.

All this is assuming this isn't some minimum wage job, but you probably don't have to worry about that anyways.

Also, when you gets news about a job you didn't get, reply or ask the person why and tell him or her one last time that you DO DESERVE THE JOB.

EDIT: Totally forgot this, research your employer's company. Bring up info about the company that you found interesting. They'll be impressed you care so much. Like "I found out your factory was 3rd in the in the nation for most deals overseas, which drew me to apply for this position"

EDIT: Bring copies of your resume, don't assume your interviewer has read about you in advance.

EDIT: Don't badmouth anyone in your interview, even if you hated your last job. I'm probably going to edit this post a lot until you post here.

[captain usopp]

Yes, sandals were a bad thing. I hate interviews, and I suck at them too. You can't be too perfect. You gotta think of everything. How you look, your body language, What you say, and how you say it. Nothing can be overlooked. They scrutenize everything. They say decisions are made in the first 30 seconds.

definatly, what BB said. research the company. then you have a feel of what they are looking for, and you can formulate answers that are suiting. "what they wanna hear" Also, it shows you are interested and serios. I always have a set of interview questions I always practice before interviews. Preparing what your gonna say ahead of time really helps. I hate that question: what are your strengths and weaknesses. If I don't know what I'm saying before, I always go blank with that question. I bombed an interview for the shopping channel with that question, where all my friends got hired. :\ My fault for thinking it was easy and not preparing.

I always bring an extra copy of my resume. Sometimes they are disorganised and it helps to give them a fresh resume for them to look at. If they say they are looking for somebody mature and responcible, with good math skills, try to answer then stating, how you are good with numbers, or you always show up on time. "tell them what they wanna hear"

yes, follow up. give a few days or so, and then call and inquire. Don't keep pestering them though. Also, as soon as you get home, send a thank you letter. This helps them remember you, and shows you really want the job, and that you are a thoughtful person. (good for hire)

I think it's good that you ask questions, but ya, don't boggle them down too much. Ask important things you need to know. NEVER ask about pay first. I always like to ask "what do you like most about working here" and "if you could improve one thing here, what would you improve" A good working environment is important to me.

I find the more interviews you have, the better you get. The most important thing for me is to be prepared. That's all I can think of atm.

EDIT: DJ just reminded me, when you find out you didn't get the job, ask them what you can do to do better at your next interview. Don't know if I agree on harrassing them that you seserve the job after they've already made their desicion, but there are a thousand answers to how to do interviews/write resumes, and they are all right and all wrong in some way, so use your judgment, and take our advice with a grain of salt.

[Malintex_Terek]

A question I got in both my legal and investment interview was, "You know, right, that this internship is unpaid? How do you feel about that"?

How would you lot respond? For the investment one, I said "Oh, that's alright. I'm more interested in the experience, I value that more than money" and the legal one, "I'm not really too interested in pay, if I wanted that I'd just get a job. This is a unique opportunity to satisfy a curiosity of mine".

My interviewer asked me if I wanted to go to law school, and I said yes, but I wanted to do a post-graduate med-tech crash course first, work for a few years, then apply to law school. I don't know how she took that.

Also, when I'm in career fairs, I tend to act like a little kid, really interested in stuff and asking a lot of questions - that seems to charm people there, but I don't do it in the interview room. I tend to act a lot more mature, and there it doesn't seem to work. Thoughts?

[DeadJustice]

I know "be yourself" is corny advice, and not that helpful for the most part. After reading your last paragraph, maybe there is something to it. If it doesn't work, change it up. Your answer to the unpaid internship was fine, especially if you truly believed that. I probably would have answered truthfully.

Go with captain usopp when she says practice. Look online and take into account what questions you were asked and have someone you know ask them to you. It would be even better if that person has interviewed people for jobs before.

[captain usopp]

i think those are good answers.

let me tell you about an interview i had for working in the ikea resteraunt. The manager stressed that if the customers have any problems with their food, they get it for free. Better for them to be happy, and then go and buy a couch for $5000 than to piss them off over a $2 meal and have them walk out buying nothing. Now I've been on jobs before, where I was told, "these are the rules. this is what you do" only to be told afterwards to do the oposite, or see others Not doing this. So I clarified to make sure, that absolutely what, that that is the polacy. I totally believe in it, I just don't wanna get heck afterwards for giving away a free drink or something, ya know. I think I blew my interview there. I should have just left it, and said "yep no problem" She probably thought, cause I had to ask , I wasn't clear on this.

or it could have been something totally unrelated. Maybe I had a booger hang'n out my nose or something. :P

I totally could have handled that job. the trick is to convince them I can. I'm better at showing I can do a good job, rather than telling. stupid interviews. :\

[Mister_Anbu]

I'll reiterate what has been said. Just be yourself. It doesn't matter if they like who you try to be, it's not you. Find some people who like you the way you are. Work gets done faster that way.

[Zephos]

Pretending to be someone else would require that facade to be up at all hours of work if you get hired.
Which is virtually impossible for you to do unless your Peter Sellers or Daryll Hammond. Don't even think about it.