The most important question to ask yourself before trying for a job is ‘Are you employable’. Do you have the
right credential for the position you seek and do you have adequate academic
qualifications? Answering these questions should be the first step towards paid
employment.
It is possible to bluff your way
through an interview and get employed. Taking the right job and doing the right
interviews would provide an advantage over other job seekers.
You have a very good university
degree but the reality is that many people have degrees even better than yours.
Many have toiled and burnt the midnight oil, so getting a job is not textbook, ‘Finish
College then get employed.’
Like most things in life snagging a
good job requires dedicated planning and insight. Your academic credentials
alone cannot get you that dream job. Consider a job interview where over 100
people are vying for 10 positions.
That is only 1/10 will have a chance
at employment but the statistic drops even further if someone in the
establishment has a preferred candidate such as a relative.
Factors That Affects Job Placement
Punctuality
Did you know that punctuality alone
is a factor between employment and unemployment? The management might be
discretely timing applicants as they arrive for interviews.
Consider such a scenario whereby you
are adequately qualified and arrive after several candidates had finished their
interview and gone. A company taking into account punctuality will disqualify
you even before granting you an audience.
Research
Do your home work on any company you
wish to work for. It is not enough to acknowledge the blue chip rating of the
company and imaging the fat salary you stand to make but knowing their back
ground is important.
What are their corporate strategies,
management structure, achievements desire and want? Who are their competitors
and what are you bringing to the table when employed. These are very serious
considerations before going for an interview.
Adaptability
Be very adaptable because no matter
the amount of preparation there is no cut and set rule. Anything can happen in
a conference room. You might find yourself confronting an angry interviewer out
of no fault of yours. The person could have domestic problems or other personal
issue.
All you can do is make the most of
the hand dealt, be patient cautious and maybe reach some synergy with the
person.
Leadership Consideration
What will you do if an interviewer
already sees you as a potential treat to his job. Try to be honest and
approachable could reduce the hostility.
You can't beat yourself up because
of an unreasonable Peron. Do your best and leave the rest. You might be
surprised that the same person would be the one that recommends you for that
job.
How
to Pass Any Job Interview
Personality
Your personality is one of the most
important reasons may people fail to get their dream jobs. What ever situation
you find yourself you must put up you best behavior during interviews.
During the interview they might try
to rattle you with unexpected questions. They would study your reaction, body
language, the way you respond. And
immediately form opinions on what they think you are all about.
Mind you they may be totally wrong,
but consider this it took several years to decide on a particular person as a
best friend. What influenced your decision was compatibility. The same applies
for business organizations they what compatibility.
You should fit in with their
business image to sail through one stage of an interview. Look at the dress
culture what are their staff wearing and on that day dress appropriately and
put up a pleasant forbearance.
Dress Code
As explained your dress code is
important for first impressions. Don’t go over the top but dress appropriately.
If you attend an interview with sappy cloths or nice cloths not compatible with
their image they may not see you in the role they want.
Neutral colors work best with a
splash of color, skirt suits, white shirts on nice skirts. Try wearing business
suits for men, clean well cut shirts with neat pants. A good mid range wrist
watch would do nicely. Imagine wearing an expensive watch and the interviewer
cannot afford such luxury that alone could impact negatively.
Resume
Your resume should be carefully
edited before tendering it for appraisal. It should be formal, insightful, work
experience and qualifications. The more experience you look the better your
chances.
If you have changed jobs too
frequently this might become a focal point in you interview. They would be
interested in why the frequent changes, and if you are there for the long haul.
They would not what to hire you and in two years start looking for another
replacement or job search.
Things
to Considerations When Searching for a Job
- Appearance
- Mannerism
- Diction
- Academic
qualifications
- Experience
- Awards
- Company profile
- Retirement plan
- Promotional
prospects
Understand the Company
The company has an identity that
dictates’ its cooperate social responsibility. Is it a family owned or a family oriented
establishment. Does it favor young driven achievers, forceful marketers, team players?
Do they require Individual
brilliance or total commitment to their product or services? Whatever identity
characterizes the company first decipher what makes then tick.
Knowing this gives you an added edge
over you fellow candidates. Position yourself to fit into their ideals and you
already have a foot in the door to become one of the family.
Identify with the Interviewer
Finding a common ground during the interview
process and connect with the individual would be beneficial. Discreetly study
the person’s mannerism and try to decipher what he or she likes. Does she have
family portraits all over the office?
Understanding the character behind
the face and making a connection is a very big step to getting that job. Develop a keen sense by reading people and
studying their mannerisms. Study the clothes, way they walk, talk and interact
with the world around them. Intelligence Agents and writers have developed this
skill and have a kin sense of observation.
Be Interactive
That is the main purpose of an
interview they have seen your credentials but they want to see the face behind
the numbers. Be bold and don’t only answer question ask your own within reason.
Talk in a factual way and don’t just reel out answers.
Show some excitement and a lot of
enthusiasm. Answer truthful and as best as you can. Let them make up their
minds that you have something new to bring to the table. Job interviews are not
about putting people through uncomfortable positions but by finding the right
candidate that they needed for that particular position.
When going for interviews don’t view
it as a stressful process but as a platform to announce your presence to the
organization. Examinations are merely to test your knowledge of the subject
matter.
Examinations are not meant to fail
the student but to find out what he or she knows. Once you understand this
universal truth you would be eager and excited at take any test. While others
are apprehensive or frightened you feel excited, especially when you are
adequately prepared.
Wages
and Salary
Some time the interviewer wants to
know what type of salary scale you want. This is a trick question because if
you call something below what they are willing to pay then they may feel you
are not what they need. But if you call something higher they may feel you are
greedy, Issue of salary should be left until you get employed.
Believe me they already have a
salary structure and know what they pay. So if confronted with this question
tactfully dodge the bullet. Sidestep the query because there is no satisfactory
answer.
Be Employable
Are you employable? This depends on what
you can bring to the table. Your credentials, knowledge of the job, skill and
training are good parameters. Company’s select new employees based generally on
their skill and attributes.
What added benefit would you bring
to the company. Knowledge of the market place in which you are going to operate
is your greatest advantage over your fellow candidates.
Even if you do not possess adequate
knowledge you can brush up on it before going for the interview. Understand
other external issues like micro economic demand, job placement levels,
employer’s recruitment and other factors should be considered.
Pitfalls
and Traps
The interviewer may try to find out
negative things by asking clever questions. Don’t fall for it. The reason they
do this is to see the man behind the mask. It is not malicious but to test if
you are lacking confidence.
No matter what he asks he does not
know you and is only trying to form a picture of what makes you tick. Talk in
terms of can and not can’t, resist any impulse to deviate from the subject
matter.
Embrace Technology
I wonder how you intent getting the
job when basic skill like using a computer becomes an issue. Embrace new
technology so as to enhance your employability.
Without adequate knowledge of new technology you can kiss that job
interview goodbye.
Companies are competitive and they
have no choice but to leverage on technology to remain relevant. As an employee, knowledge of changing
technological trends is mandatory. Companies are not stagnant they change with
time, be flexible adaptable and employable.
If you do not get hired after all of
the above don’t be discouraged use every experience to improve on you employability
by improving on your technique.
Job
skill versus Qualification
Skills
So you have the qualification but
what skills do you possess. Do you have lifetime skills, opportunity awareness,
are you a natural leader, team player or transition skills.
Can you work for several years in the same
position with the view of promotion? We read somewhere the life history of a
top general manager of one of the largest blue chip companies and were
surprised to find that the man started his carrier as a clerk.
He rose through the ranks to become the
managing director. He is now retired but had stayed in the same job for 40
years. The man had acquired all the skill and insider knowledge of the working
of that company more than anyone.
What are your Career Goals
Knowing your career goals is
important because it is one of the frequently asked questions in job
interviews. Knowing the persons ambition or lack is a pointer to what the
person is capable of achieving.
In the job market women have found
this question frustrating because most women need to start a family before
menopause so some organizations have to take this into consideration
In the past woman struggled with
gaining full employment but employers today are willing and eager to hire
women.
Truth or Lies
Stressing your good attributes is
expected at interviews however refrain from embellishments or overemphasis a
qualification. Always try to be truthful
as best you can. Prepare you CV along these lines and you may include
commendations, awards you received by previous employers.
No matter your experience there is room
for improvement and training. Most companies invest heavily on training their
staff what you need to achieve is first get that job
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