How to Dress for an Interview if You Want the Job

Do you know that most people develop a lasting impression of you and what you're like based on the first few seconds of meeting you?  That's way before you've said anything important…you've barely said "hello."  Some of that impression is based off your body language and handshake, true, but the rest is based off how you look—what you're wearing.

Your interviewer is even more focused on you than most people.  They're really looking for clues to base their hiring decision on.  So, when you really want that job, it's important to keep ‘professional' at the top of your mind when dressing for the interview. A good rule of thumb is to dress one step above what you would be expected to wear on the job. In other words, dress for success.

Suit
For men, this means wearing a full suit rather than coordinates. A full suit shows respect and attention to detail. The suit should be dark in color over a white shirt. The tie should be conservative.  At the first meeting, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Besides color, women need to also consider whether a skirt suit or a pants suit is more appropriate. While most hiring managers prefer women in a skirt suit, they tend not to penalize women for wearing a pants suit. It's important for both men and women to remember that the suit should be professional and comfortable.
Comfortable, in this case, is not synonymous with "comfy" which implies sloppy. Since what you wear reflects your attitude, "comfy" clothing will reflect a relaxed attitude that could hurt your chance of getting the job. What comfortable should mean:  clothes that fit; that allow you to move easily and not feel restricted. You do not want to adjust your clothing during an interview.

Accessories
Your interview outfit doesn't end with the suit. Coordinating shoes are also important. Women should wear low heels with closed toes and sensible hose and men should wear clean, black leather shoes with black socks. Never wear tennis, or sports shoes. Hiring managers also notice if your shoes are clean and well-cared for.

As for accessories, you want to keep your look conservative: men- a muted tie is a ‘must' and a watch is appropriate, but remove earrings and facial piercings. If you are emotionally attached to your beard, keep it closely trimmed and neat. If, however, you have had several interviews but haven't been offered a job, you might want to consider a clean-shaven look and see if that makes a difference.

Women, be sure your jewelry is not too flashy: earring posts or simple hoop earrings are fine, but be careful of other facial piercings that could be distracting and get in the way of landing the job.   Speaking of distractions…absolutely NEVER show any cleavage.

When deciding on what to wear to your interview, remember to leave off wearing cologne or perfume. "Clean" is the only smell that should emanate from you during an interview.
Being ultra-prepared (good resume, 30-60-90-day plan and brag book) and appropriately dressed for the interview means the hiring manager can concentrate on your skills and abilities, and you'll have an excellent chance of landing that DREAM position. Your appearance says it all.


Article Source:articlesbase.com

Perfman HR - How To Handle Panel Interviews

In some circumstances—especially campus interviews and work-group interviews—you may be interviewed by a panel of people. Each person might take a different focus, or the panel may work well together because the members are a cohesive team. But in some circumstances they won't have decided beforehand who should focus on what, and the interview may become quite chaotic. Members of the panel may compete with each other for airtime for their questions, or one panel member may dominate the questioning to the annoyance of others. You may or  may not get time to clarify your answer to one question before another, entirely different question comes sailing your way.

For these reasons, it's especially important in panel interviews to make your brief presentation right up front, so that the group members can focus on what you have had to say about yourself. It's also vital to make sure you (and others on the panel) really understand each question so your answer will be on target and have maximum effect. Ask for clarification if necessary. Also try to remember the panel members' names so that you can address each person by name and perhaps ask any who have not asked a question if they would like to do so. Take care in panel interviews to include everyone in your discussion. Only one person has asked the question, but they're all listening. You don't need to be obvious about it, but instead of focusing only on the person who asked the question, give at least some attention to the others in the group. If one panel member seems to disagree with or be confused by your response, you might ask—if it seems appropriate—if the person has a comment or a question about what you just said.

In screening interviews, such as campus interviews, or preliminary interviews  with human resources people, you should try to stick to the group's preset agenda. But in work-group panel interviews, your objective is to break out of the formal structure into a conversation about the work the group does, the prevailing culture, and the challenges. If the panel members feel that their first conversation with you was informative and enjoyable, they are likely to support your candidacy.
indian recruitment firm perfman hr is headquartered in mumbai our aim is to connect, engage, retain and develop talent we offer the following services recruitments, industry data mapping, devising performance bonus systems, psychometric test development, framing policies, drafting hr policy and procedures in the hr manual, hiring support


Article Source: articlesbase.com

Green Card Interview - Do Your Homework So You Don't Mess Up The Green Card Interview Questions

If you are nervous about your green card by marriage interview you are not alone. Several thousand other people are feeling the way you do right now. The truth is that several legitimate spouses face a more forceful interview than ever to make sure the USA is protected from individuals that may want to cause harm to the country and its people.

Of course, if you are reading this I'm confident you are an authentic loyal resident who simply needs a bit more self-confidence for interview day. That's all right and by reading this article you will hopefully pick up a lot of information that will help you and cut your stress levels a couple of degrees.

It is worth remembering what is at stake on interview day. Ultimately the worst case scenario is refusal by the I.N.S to hand out a green card to the interviewee. What repercussions' would this have on your marriage, children (if you have some), future plans, job prospects etc? A scary thought isn't it?
Your interviewing officer will be very well trained and will take this interview very seriously. It is very important that you think of it the same way and don't be complacent in any way.

The questions you will be asked will cover a broad spectrum of you and your spouses' private life. The aim of the interview is to ensure that the marriage is not a fraud and that you have a legitimate right to obtain citizenship.

You will be asked open questions. An open question requires more than a yes or no answer. The first questions are likely to focus on the time ahead of your marriage and are likely to include the circumstances of your first meeting, what month did you first meet, who introduced you, how long after did you go out on your first date, where did you go, who met each others family first,

The next set of questions will concentrate on the time leading up to your marriage and the marriage service itself. Several of the questions you will be asked will be related too, who proposed, where did it happen, was the engagement ring bought before the proposal, did you have any financial assistance for the wedding or honeymoon, if so who assisted you, how many guests attended, did you have a reception after the ceremony,

To finish, you will be asked questions about your residence. Common questions are what side of the bed do you sleep on, who wakes first in the morning, what are the housing costs for your home, how many televisions do you have in the home, what is the color scheme in the lounge, what day does the refuse get taken away, where do you routinely do your food shopping, what did you do yesterday evening, what did you eat yesterday evening, etc

Please don't forget to take all ID requested of you for the interview. It will aid the process a lot if the interviewing officer has documented evidence that clearly shows a legitimate marriage which is the complete point of the interview.

The green card interview is vital to your future happiness so make certain you are as well prepared as you can possibly be. How would you feel if you failed the interview because you didn't do everything to get ready?

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Do You Know How to answer behavioral interview questions?

When you get enough qualification then the next step that you have to take is to get a job that can give you personal and professional satisfaction. It is important for success. But before getting any good job you have to go through an interview. Here you may be bombarded with some difficult questions but with a little intelligence and deep patience these difficult questions can be answered very easily. For this, you need to know how to answer behavioral interview questions . In such questions you are cross checked with your behavioral qualities. Here are some points that should be included in the personality when anyone goes through an interview. These will definitely prove to be helpful. You can answer such question with:

• • Confidence: it is a key factor that is counted first. If you don't have this, you can't grab the opportunity. It is important to involve it in the behavior. Confidence is all about destroying your fear of interview or job or anything. You can read any motivational book or can take inspiration from famous people for this. Your confidence will let the interviewer to believe in you. It helps win his faith and also tells about your potential to handle any situation.

• • Eye contact: know how to answer behavioral interview questions and these can be answered properly by making eye contact with the interviewer. You can make people to believe in you through this attribute. Through eye contact you can keep the interviewer alert. He will listen to you more attentively. It's important. Eye contact will reflect your confidence and leaves a good impact over the mind of the people. It also shows that you have good knowledge about the topic. You can make others comfortable too.

• • Honesty: it is well said that honesty is the best policy. When you are asked with any sharp question like why you leave your previous job or any others then stay honest and give them solid reason and clear your point of view it will be better to clear your side rather than just giving a reason. The interviewer can get impress with this quality and to succeed in any profession it's important also.

• Communication skills: Communication skills are also important to know How to answer behavioral interview questions . Every company wants to keep such people in their team who can mix up easily and can create a positive aura. Communication skills are noticed very much so when the interviewer asks questions stay cool and think before speaking anything. Besides this, a good smile is also important.

These few skills can play important role if adopted during interview. Positive and optimistic approach is also necessary for winning the heart of the interviewer.


Article source: articlebase.com

Interview Tips on How to Secure the Job As a Air Hostess

Millions of youngsters worldwide want to join airlines as cabin crew. Few will succeed and many will fail in the interview process. One of the reasons for the failure is the lack of preparation.
This short article shares the tips based on the personal experience of an ex-cabin crew who had succeeded in the interview with an international airline.
The key to success is early preparation and positive mind set. After submitting the application and even though you are not sure whether you will be called for the interview, the preparation has to start. This is because, the gap of time between receiving the notification and the actual date of interview can be very short.
These are the tips she likes to share:
1. Resume: Getting a well written resume is the most important start as it the document that will be used to decide whether you will be called to attended the interview or not. A good resume will highlight your strong point and covers the important areas. If you feel that you need helps, then an investment in professional writer can make the different between getting a job or not.
2. Early preparation will enable you to research deeper into the relevant topics. It will also develop the confident in facing the interview panel. Start your reading on the company, its background, the top management, the vision and mission and the achievements of the company. Maintain a positive mindset all the way.
3. Build rapport with existing staff and find out more about the interview questions and the job. This can open up the channel to know the relevant person in the airline and understand the airline better.
4. Keep yourself updated on the current issues, both at the national level and the international level. Cabin crews are expected to maintain a certain level of knowledge on current issues to unable meaningful conversations with the passengers.
5. Ensure that your are computer literate. This is because cabin crew is part of the airline's absent workforce and the working documents and internal communication will be done through e-mail and portals.
6. Make sure you are early for the interview, If you are not very familiar with the location, it will be a good idea to survey the place before the interview day.
7. Be properly groomed and dressed for the occasion. Avoid wearing clothing that easily wrinkled. For a gentlemen, make sure your shoes are properly polished, and for girls, do not wear excessive accessories.
8. Travel light. Do not bring too many things with you. Suffice to have one handbag and a file for your resume and certificates.
9. This is especially important for the ladies, avoid wearing sexy dress and the perfume need not be too strong. Your hair should be neat and tidy.
10. Do not allow your negative emotion to interfere, keep your personnel problem to yourself and attend the interview with positive outlook.
11. Do not be overdone to show you skill and capability but at the same time do not be too modest about yourself.
12. At the closing and before you leave the seat, do not forget to give them your attractive smile and say "thank you".
It is suggested that you practice the interview with friends who are familiar recruitment exercise. You may have to brush up you presentation and public announcement skills.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

How To Conduct A Telephone Screening Interview?

More and more employers are using telephone interviews for their initial screening of candidates. Job candidates should be prepared for such interviews just as they would for an interview in person. In other words, they should:

• Be ready to interpret and sell every achievement noted on their resumes.
• Have available a clear, appealing outline of their research, if they are graduate students or practicing scientists.
• Offer a well-rehearsed presentation of their work and academic achievements.
• Understand their goals, abilities, skills, and developmental needs, and their expectations of an employer.

A telephone interview can be a relaxed and effective experience. In some ways, it can be more comfortable and natural than a face-to-face interview, especially if you have access to a speaker telephone to free your hands for note taking.
Telephone interviews have other advantages. Interviewers and candidates can schedule the interview based on their mutual convenience - conducting only morning interviews, for example, if that is their best time. They can also avoid back-to-back interviews, and concentrate more closely on each interview, increasing likelihood of success.
A telephone-screening interview operates as follows:
Set the stage. Contact the candidate by e-mail or telephone to explain the job opening, elicit the candidate's interest, and schedule a screening interview to occur within the next three business days.
Conduct the interview. A good interviewer starts on time, stays on time, and ends on time. Since you and the candidate have already met once by telephone, the usual small talk to get an interview rolling may be kept brief.
The outline of the interview. Use the candidate's resume to formulate specific lines of questions, and take notes during the interview to document key information. Research by the National Association of Colleges and Employers and by Dr. William Swan, a leader in interviewer training, advises probing a candidate's background in the following order:

1. Work experience. For a new graduate, spend about 25 percent of the time on this topic; for an experienced candidate, up to 50 percent. The work history may consist of summer and part-time jobs dating back to high school. Start at the beginning but spend most of the time exploring recent experience. Try to learn what the candidate actually accomplished, liked or disliked, and learned in each job. If teamwork was involved, determine the candidate's role. How were obstacles overcome? Your goal is to grasp the candidate's various talents, growth in experience, productivity, interests, and transferable skills. Since undergraduate and graduate research, as well as cooperative assignments, are part of education, many recruiters include those topics as part of the discussion about education.
2. Education. For a new graduate, devote 30-35 percent of the time to education; for an experienced candidate, perhaps 20-25 percent. Start with college, including how the candidate selected his or her institution and major. Explore areas of academic achievement, interest, and challenge. Include extra-curricular activities. If the candidate is a new Ph.D. or a postdoctoral scientist, request a fifteen-minute review of graduate (and postdoctoral) research. This is a challenge but can go smoothly if the candidate truly owns the research. Be politely firm about limiting the presentation's time. This is an opportunity to measure the candidate's output, creativity, independence, drive, maturity, and, sometimes, the direct applicability of the work to a current job opening.
3. Outside activities. Productive people have scant free time. How they spend it can reveal their deep-seated values. These may include desire for advancement, autonomy, balanced life, challenge, security, and service to some important goal. An interviewer who devotes 10 percent of the time to explore outside activities and their meaning to the candidate can often gauge how the candidate's values are aligned with the employer's.
4. Self-assessment. Now test your impressions of the candidate. Ask the candidate to state three leading strengths and, for each, give an example of how that strength led to a success. As you listen, check what you hear against your impressions. Next, ask what specifically the candidate is doing for self-improvement, to advance to a higher level of performance. Investing 8-10 percent of the interview this way can reveal much about the candidate's maturity and ambition. Conclude your part of the interview by asking if the candidate wants to bring up anything else. If so, cover it quickly. Then ask, as your last question, what the candidate wants to do next in a job and what he or she wants from it. Now invite the candidate to present questions to you.
5. Candidate's questions. Candidates want jobs where they can succeed and employers where they can be happy and fulfill their goals. Their questions are important to them. Allot 10-15 percent of the time to address them. If, at this point, you are trying to attract the candidate, give truthful and enthusiastic answers to persuade him or her to come for a site interview. Otherwise, give truthful but matter-of-fact answers. Every candidate deserves respect and should feel treated fairly. If they don't work for you, they will likely work for a supplier, customer, or competitor. You want their good will, no matter what.
6. Conclusion. Briefly explain what comes next in the review process and when to expect a reply. Thank them for investing their time with you, then hang up. Finally, complete your interview report while the information and impressions are fresh.

The telephone interview is an invaluable tool to the recruitment process. The primary advantage of telephone interviewing is cost-effectiveness: you can screen a wide pool of candidates and select the right few to invite back for a site interview. Another advantage is timeliness, when you are trying to fill immediate openings. While the telephone interview lacks the benefits of seeing candidates in person and assessing them visually, by listening carefully you can still make confident predictions of future performance from your evaluations

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Job Interview Body Language - 6 Things You Can Say To Get The Job Without Speaking a Word

Job interviews are your opportunity to communicate to the prospective employer why they should hire you. During a face to face job interview, you want your spoken words to match your unspoken words. And gestures and facial expressions can say a lot. Your overall presentation, which includes your body mannerisms, can be just as important as the verbal answers you give during your face to face job interview.
If you want your body to say:

1. "I am interested..." Lean forward a little with your head slightly tilted when the interviewer is speaking, particularly about the company, the job description and duties. This can show the interviewer that you are 'physically' listening and interested in what is being said. This is also an opportunity to show you know the importance of your listening skills and using your 2 ears over your 1 mouth.

2. "I am comfortable..." Have a genuine smile. A fake, plastered on smile just won't do. Imagine how good you will feel your first day on the job or after receiving your first check. That is the smile you want to convey during your face to face job interview.

3. "I am trustworthy..." Maintain good eye contact. It is an opportunity to establish trust with the job interviewer. But, be careful to avoid intense eye contact. Instead, aim to maintain eye contact about 75% of the time.

4. "I am happy for this opportunity and I appreciate your time..." Give a firm hand shake at the start of the interview and at the end of the interview, if your culture allows. Think of your handshake as a piece of uncooked spaghetti, as opposed to a wet noodle.

5. "I am alive and energetic..." Use hand gestures to express yourself . But only to bring home certain points or for emphasis. Don't overdo it. You don't want to look like a spastic chicken.

6. "I am confident, prepared and alert..." Sit up straight with your shoulders back . Do not sit with your arms folded across your chest or with your hands. Instead you want to exhibit a an 'open' posture. Sit still and do not fidget. You do not want to make your interviewer sea-sick.

Your self- awareness of your job interview body language can be uncovered through the practice of your nonverbal communication skills prior to your next job interview. You can practice in the mirror, with a friend or family member or video tape yourself to see how you will really come across to the job interviewer.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com