Use and Evaluate a Mock Interview

In order to polish your performance in an interview you can engage a person to ask some tough questions.

As a job seeker, you have to practice for your upcoming interview.  This practice interview, or mock interview, provides the opportunity to gain experience fielding questions for the purpose of polishing your answers and professional presence.

Maximize the benefit you gain from this valuable exercise by creating a rubric from which to assess your mock interview performance.

See the criteria for an assessment in the full article here

How To Calm Your Mind For An Interview

Job interviews are stressful business, but they do not have to make you crazy with worry if you focus your thoughts on three main things: 

• preparation
• positive thinking
• presentation

The thought of a job interview can make your head spin. There can be much anxiety prior to an interview– What will they ask? Will I know the answers? Do I look okay? What if I just freeze? Will they like me? Will I like them?

For more details on the three key factors see the article here.

Address Long-Term Unemployment in Interviews

For the long-term unemployed feelings of despair and bitterness are understandable. It is important to deal with those feelings privately, and not carry them with you into a job interview. It is human nature to respond to positivity and avoid negativity – employers want to hire someone upbeat and positive.

There is no sure opportunity killer than expressing your views about the economy or job market in your interview. Employers know the market setting, but in the interview setting, all they care about is finding the right person for the job. 

For thoughts on answering questions related to frustration long job searches see the article here.

Polish Interview Skills at Job Fairs

At any stage of our job search you can take advantage of Job Fairs. Even as you are preparing your resume, which of course you want to be perfect, use a job fair as a dry run for interviewing. This includes dressing for the occasion, and a 30 second summary.

Use the Job Fair in parallel with your other preparations – practice for the final event of a real interview. This interview will be very short, so the pressure will be less.  The handshake, eye contact, speaking and responding are all valuable experiences to have been through prior to receiving a real interview invitation.

For more details see the complete article here.

Make a Positive Impression in Seven Seconds

It is said that your resume may get 10 - 15 seconds before warranting the wast basket or the 'read again' stack.

If your resume is solid enough to warrant an interview, there is another short time frame that is critical. It is your first impression.  Whether it is in an interview or in nearly any other situation of a first meeting, first impressions are critical.

That time frame is around 7 seconds.  Review four points to make the most of first impressions here.