How to Prepare for a Job Interview: Level 2
/How to apply… and hopefully get a job interview
Make a great impression from the first time they hear from you. This means your resume and cover letter have to be impressive.
You may not have loads (or any) work experience. That is OK. You are not applying for the CEO’s job (yet). But you still have lots to offer and show them.
You still want to create a polished and well-written resume and cover letter. A one- or two-page resume will be fine. This means you have to pay attention to what resume and cover letter says and how well they read. Sentence structure, punctuation and spelling are important.
For both your resume and cover letter, use key words and acronyms for each job you are applying for and for each company and include them throughout your descriptions of your education and experience… but don’t force it; it has to sound natural and it has to be true. Key words are important to make your background real / relevant for anyone who reads your resume or cover letter. Key words and acronyms will also be important for you to be recognized when the employer or a recruiter they use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), to screen and prioritize applicants.
Here is how to create a polished and well-written resume.
Include in your resume:
Informal work
Volunteer experience
What leadership opportunities have you been exposed to in clubs or on teams?
What are your academic achievements?
Be sure to reference your technical skills on the first page.
If you have work experience, name the company. Also, be sure to specify what that company did.
What are your hobbies or particular relevant experiences that may make an impression?
Who are your mentors… and have you ever mentored someone else?
What are your values?
What are your goals / vision?
Do not include anything you cannot easily prove or talk about.
Do not include your photo, age, Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Social Security Number (SSN)
Include a one-page cover letter. If it goes beyond four short paragraphs, it is likely too long:
Why you are interested
What you offer (not a resume summary)
Mention you look forward to the opportunity
Three last notes about your resume and cover letter:
Use a font and font size people can easily read
If you are emailing the potential employer (versus using an online submission system), send it from a meaningful and professional email address. JJGParty02@yahoo.ca is not a good email to use, however JeffryJGraham02@gmail.com is. Create on if you don’t already have one.
When you are done, put everything away for a day if you can. Then, when you are rested and can focus, proofread everything. Take your time and pay attention to everything. You do not want to send anything that has a typo or worse, talks about a different job or company you applied to.
Double check the spelling of the name of person you are sending it to. I cannot tell you how many times I receive correspondence with a typo in my name. Not Good!
Double check the spelling of the name of the company.
When You Have An Interview
Prepare Yourself for an In-Person Interview
Expect to be nervous. It’s OK. And any reasonable interviewer will expect you to be somewhat nervous and should try to ease your anxiety. Here are some tips on how to prepare for your interview:
Dress appropriately. Often a bit more conservative than expected is fine. I recommend do not wear anything with a logo… especially a competitor’s logo.
Even if the job and/or the interview will be casual, iron your cloths, shine / clean your shoes and be clean from top to bottom. I remember being on a panel once and the candidate had dirty fingernails. It was disgusting and distracting.
If you may perspire a lot, dress in layers and choose dark colours that will not show.
Have a clean recycle water bottle with you that is easy to open and drink from. The sport bottle you use at the gym is likely not the best choice. Use water, not a carbonated drink that may make you burp.
Do you have a nervous bad habit? Perhaps you use one word over and over? Perhaps you bounce a leg? Maybe you are a pen twirler or clicker. If you are unsure, ask someone who knows you. If they tell you, believe them… and watch for it during your interview.
Be sure you are early. If travelling, give yourself a buffer. I recommend planning on being there at least 30-minutes in advance:
Arriving on time is your responsibility – nobody else’s.
Bring a pen and paper so you can take notes. Make a note of each person on the interview panel. I suggest you write their names in the same order (clockwise) as they are sitting.
Prepare Yourself for a Live Video Interview
It’s important to put as much preparation into a video interview as if you were interviewing in person. Here are twelve things you should prepare or prepare for in advance.
Test your connections and signal strength with a friend or family member in advance.
Days in advance ask what video software they use. Will you have to download it? If so, do it in advance.Zoom, Teams, GoToMeeting, Skype, and Google Hangouts are some of the most common.
Consider updating your software the day earlier. Reboot your device and test.
On the day, close off everything else if you can. Reboot your device.
Check your audio and video work.
Know how to use the interview software.
Have your camera at eye level. Seriously! Nobody needs to stare at your chin or your ceiling.
Check your lighting – make sure you are in a well-lite room. Your face needs to be seen and should not have a big shadow on one side. If it does it means your lighting is not great and you should fix this.
Check your background. It should be professional and uncluttered. Remove items that may distract the interviewers. Use a blank wall or pin up a curtain or sheet if you have to.
Remove things that will distract you or them as best you can (people, pets), or find sitters who can watch them.
Be fully dressed – even if you think they will only see your top part. Accidents happen, and this is not a time to be caught with no pants on. Besides, being fully dressed will make you feel more prepared and take a worry off your mind.
Arrive early – just like you would in-person. This lets you check your connection again and potentially fix any issues that may come up. This also shows you think ahead and plan for the unexpected.
Prove To The Interview Panel You Take This Seriously And Are Motivated
The people interviewing you will determine in seconds if you take this seriously and want to be considered… or not. If you make them believe you are just going through the motions (for whatever reason), don’t expect a call-back. So, to demonstrate you are serious and motivated:
Don’t be late. Have I said this enough yet?
First impressions matter. I recommend planning on being there at least 30-minutes in advance. If you think there is the slightest chance of being bad traffic plan for 1-hour. If you are late you will never be able to regain that first impression.
If you arrive 30-minutes early like I recommend, don’t go into the office / reception area before 15-minutes.
The interview panel should have copies of your resume, but prepare for them just in case. Show you are a planner and are organized by bringing three copies of your resume for potential interviewers and one copy of the job posting for yourself. Don’t do this if you know they are a paperless organization. Consider putting the job posting on a tablet.
Be Aware of Your Body Language
Body language can say a lot whether you mean to or not. To keep from unintentionally sending unhelpful messages, here are a few tips that generally give others a good impression:
Sit up straight with good posture.
Don’t lean back or on the arm of a chair.
Place both feet on the ground to help avoid slouching.
Don’t get distracted looking out a window.
When someone is asking a question, look at them.
When answering, look at different people, but don’t look like you are on constant scan mode.
If on a video interview call, don’t get distracted looking at yourself (it happens).
What Questions Do You Have For Them?
Asking questions shows you are interested, and you will do research on your own – take initiative. Show your interest:
Prepare three company related questions… but ask only one.
Prepare three job related questions… but ask only one.
Just do not ask questions whose answers you could have found on their website. Instead, ask specific questions. Perhaps expand on an article in the newspaper about their work or their community involvement / corporate giving.
After Your Interview
You are not done after your interview. Here are a few suggestions to keep on making a good impression by following up in a professional and thoughtful way:
At the end of the interview thank the interviewer and each person on the interview panel.
Phone your main contact and thank them in a day or two or (not and), send a thank you email to your main contact and Cc each person on the interview panel. If you don’t have everyone’s email, send it to your main contact only.
Recap how interested you are.
Add an additional personal note – perhaps about one of the questions they asked… or the answer they gave to one of your questions.
Thank you for reading about how to prepare for a job interview, level 2. I will enjoy your comments / suggestions of this article.
Bruce
Read How to Prepare for a Job Interview Level 1
Read How to Prepare for a Job Interview Level 3
About Bruce and Bruce Mayhew Consulting.
Bruce is Corporate Trainer, Keynote Speaker and Executive Coach.
Bruce Mayhew Consulting specializes in customized Email Etiquette Training, Leadership & New Leadership Development, Generational Differences, Time Management Training and other soft skills training solutions in Toronto and across Canada. Bruce is also an Executive Coach to a few select clients.
Bruce is an experienced motivational speaker in Toronto and has inspired audiences across Canada and within the USA and the UK. Bruce works hard to always make sure your training event, conference, retreat, or annual general meeting is a success.
