Needed tips and advice on passing trough on job interview

[RedFrame]

Well i dont know to be happy or sad cause i soon need to be on job interview to become a teacher(4th May).
I have just finish graduate from high school last year.Considering i need to earn monthly income to support my family,im desperate to get pass this interview.
If i pass this interview i still need to go to teacher's collegeand only after that i will be qualify as a teacher.
The only problem with it only its my first interview,making it worst i need to speak in english while english is only as my second language.Writing skill may not be a problem but communicating is abit difficult (slang ,awkward ) .
Anyway i might be able to become use of it with some hardwork.
The only thing that is left for me is going trough the interview without nervous or any silly mistake.
So im asking everyone who have interview experience to share some tips and advice on passing trough a first time interview .
I hope this will help me and maybe also for other people who are viewing this .....

[Rurik]

Originally Posted by RedFrame

Well i dont know to be happy or sad cause i soon need to be on job interview to become a teacher(4th May).
I have just finish graduate from high school last year.Considering i need to earn monthly income to support my family,im desperate to get pass this interview.
If i pass this interview i still need to go to teacher's collegeand only after that i will be qualify as a teacher.
The only problem with it only its my first interview,making it worst i need to speak in english while english is only as my second language.Writing skill may not be a problem but communicating is abit difficult (slang ,awkward ) .
Anyway i might be able to become use of it with some hardwork.
The only thing that is left for me is going trough the interview without nervous or any silly mistake.
So im asking everyone who have interview experience to share some tips and advice on passing trough a first time interview .
I hope this will help me and maybe also for other people who are viewing this .....

Well Let see:
-Turn off your Cell-phone before the interview.

-Don’t get distracted by anything inside the office, focus on the interview (don’t go off wondering in your mind to a magical place).

-Be secure to the responses you give, never show any sign of been angry or depressed.

-Try to always look the interviewer in the eyes when responding.

-Don’t do any nervous type of movements, like this: Bite Fingernails, Pick on your nose, shake continually your feet or legs, amongst other.

-Keep Hand gestures to a minimum.

-And last of all do the Interview Naturally, you are not going to get killed if you fail to respond something or are not given the Job.

With all of this said, the first impression is the most valuable part of the interview, keep it in mind- try not to use strong colors like red or yellow, rather than classic/smooth colors.
Good Luck on that Interview!

[cheyannew]

And most important:

Appear confident

Even if you're nervous, don't show it. You're there to sell yourself, and no one wants to buy insecurity!

Just as an odd peeve, don't have the first thing out of your mouth be "I'm sorry for my English"; just talk as you normally would (slang usually isn't used in interviews, I'd think) and appear confident, it goes a LONG way in the business world; English you can improve on with practice, confidence and personality, you're pretty much born with.

Good luck!

[lavielove]

I think to impress the interviewer with your skills is much more important.Just trying to show off whatever you are good at and make him/her falls for your talk =D that's the way to go I think. Good luck Red Frame kanbate ne =D

[Xellos-_^]

You need to look them in the eye.

Eye contact is very important. It denote confidence and honesty.

Since English isn't your first language. Don't try to speak fast. Take a bit of time and give them concise and clear understandable answers.

Ask questions, doesn't matter if you know the answer already but ask questions.

And try to get the interviewers business card. After the interview send the interviewer a Thank You card for their time. It doesn't cost much and will keep you name on the top of their head.

[AnimeFangirl]

Originally Posted by Uchiha_Rurik

With all of this said, the first impression is the most valuable part of the interview, keep it in mind- try not to use strong colors like red or yellow, rather than classic/smooth colors.
Good Luck on that Interview!

I agree with this It's always better to dress more conservatively than less conservatively at a job interview. Wear your classic black suit and tie with a plain, simple shirt, black shoes (Protip: always wear a suit), hairstyle as normal as possible, no piercings, cover up tattoos if possible, the whole drill. In addition to wondering whether you can do the job, employers are often also concerned about you fitting into the workplace environment and getting along with your coworkers. If you want to show how fun, wacky and crazy you are, you can do that AFTER you get the job, not before.

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

Ask questions, doesn't matter if you know the answer already but ask questions.

Be careful about the questions you ask, though. If you ask something very stupid and obvious that you should already know (like "When was the school founded" or "What will I be doing at my job"), you'll come off looking ignorant and lazy. Try to ask insightful, pertinent questions, bonus points if they get the interviewer to talk about him/herself, e.g. "What's your favourite part of this job?" - asked with a smile - is a legitimate question.

And be confident! The tricky part is getting an interview in the first place. Once they've asked you to come for an interview, they probably want to hire you. They're hoping you'll be "The One" so go ahead and show what you've got. Good luck!

[Superchop]

Just to add...make sure that you do most of the talking

If they ask a question don't just give a simple "yes" or "no" or anything that's real short and simple. In an interview you're really expected to be doing about 75% of the talking.

A good question to ask is right when the interview is over and before you leave you can ask "When should i expect a call hearing from you?" Or word it however you like...a simple question like this is something that shows your interested in the job.

If a couple days pass by and you hear nothing from them...it never hurts to give them a call and asking them about the status of the job and if they have come up with an answer for you. Or if you prefer...you can always stop by and pay the boss a visit and ask him personally. Just be prepared for whatever he may say.

[Bandersnatch]

I saw a list somewhere of some questions interviewers sometimes ask that might f00k you up if you don't prepare beforehand. I only remember a couple.

1. Why should we hire you?
2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
3. What is your greatest strength?
4. What is your greatest weakness?
5. Have you ever been a part of a team? Describe
6. Describe one time you overcame a problem while on a team.
7. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? -- Ok this one isn't real

If you are an introvert then you have probably heard that it is ok to be an introvert from a loved one or a teacher. Thats a load of crap, especially in a job interview, they don't want your antisocial ass coming to work and shooting the place up. So fake it as best you can, smile, and at the end thank them, even though your thanking them for putting you through one of the most stressful life events.

[RedFrame]

Thanks everyone
Im starting to practice speakingfrom this day to the interview ay.its not easy but i will try it .
Getting suit might be impossible though ...^^;
act Naturally ,eye contact,confident ,im the one who talking,Take time speaking... and more .... It might be hard but im sure i will give them with all that i got with the help from everyone

[RedFrame]

umm.. what should i do first when entering the interview room?
Go to the interviewer and greet them or i should just wait untill they told me to sit down

[Jinto]

Entering room... Hello... Go to the person's desk. And wait what the person is going to do. If he/she gives you the hand for greeting, greet the person...Nice to meet you... if the person offers you a seat, sit down on the seat... usually your dialog partner will guide all these actions.

If you look the interviewer in the eyes... avoid staring though

Try to inform yourself about the company you'll work for. You show your interest in the company in a rather good way, if you can integrate some company facts into the conversation.

10 basic rules for application:

1. Be well informed and up to date in your field of activity in the company.

2. Inform yourself about the company.

3. Give clear reasons why you want to work for this company.

4. Try to sound enthusiastic if you talk about the activities involved with your work.

5. If you have any doubts regarding the position, don't let the dialog partner know about it.

6. Never create an impression that this occupation is your last sheet anchor.

7. Concentrate on functions, not on titles (to say you are a doctor/phd is important, but more important is... what did you do as doctor/phd )

8. Show that you know the necessary IT related stuff concerning your occupation.

9. Don't pretend to know about something if you actually have no idea.

10. Always be positive regarding changes (in life/work and so on).



Here are some questions that might be asked by a person who hires personal (it is just a poor translation from german into english... I still hope the idea of the question can be determined)

Anything regarding occupational history...

Here is a set of questions that might be asked:

How did your occupational history proceed?

Why did you choose your profession?

Which are your concrete tasks at the moment?

Describe the course of events of a typical workday.

Why did you change your employer often/rarely?

What marks a good supervisor/colleague in your oppinion?

...


application motivations...

Why did you apply for the position as ... in our company?

What makes you interested in this position/work?

Why do you want to work for our company?

How well are you informed about our products/services?

What do you expect from us, what do you wish for?

Where did you heard about our company?

Do you have other applications running?

Are there any conrete results (regarding the last question)?

...


effort motivations:

What is most important in your work?

How do you think your work will ideally be?

What do you think are pros and cons of the offered position? How do you plan to deal with it?

Which of your occupational prosperities do you regard as important?

What are you planning for your future?

Where do you see yourself in X years?

What are your goals?


private background:

We want to get to know you, so please tell something about yourself.

How would you characterise yourself?

What are your strengths/weaknesses?

What was you biggest failure (occupational/privat life)?

What was the worst experience in your life?

What would you value as positive in another person's personality?

Do you take a leaf out of someone's book?

Why should we hire you?

What are you doing in your freetime?

How important is teamwork in your oppinion?

Do you like to work with other people?

Did you have any problems with colleagues/superiors yet?

What would make you angry?

How do you handle criticism?

What are your personal/private goals in life?
(tricky question, especially for women... i.e. I want to have children very soon, won't be a good answer on this question)

family...

What is you current situation?

Could you introduce your family?

What is your husband's/wife's position and where does he/she work?

Does your partner agree with your plans (to work for this company)?

social background...

Are there any fields of activity you get involved with?

...

health...

Have you had a serious illness?

Do you have limitations regarding work that are based on health issues?

Have you been to the doctor more than x times last year?

[aahhsin]

Originally Posted by Jinto Lin

Entering room... Hello... Go to the person's desk. And wait what the person is going to do. If he/she gives you the hand for greeting, greet the person...Nice to meet you... if the person offers you a seat, sit down on the seat... usually your dialog partner will guide all these actions.

NO!!!! You initiate the handshake!!! It shows you have manners and are active. By waiting for his handshake it looks like you don't care for the job, and like to sit passively by. Make sure your handshake is firm.

Use small talk like "How are you today?" or comment on the weather. Makes you look calm and ready.

Don't lie. If they find out, you're boned.

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by aahhsin

NO!!!! You initiate the handshake!!! It shows you have manners and are active. By waiting for his handshake it looks like you don't care for the job, and like to sit passively by. Make sure your handshake is firm.

Use small talk like "How are you today?" or comment on the weather. Makes you look calm and ready.

Don't lie. If they find out, you're boned.

It depends... what would you do, if you initiate the handshake but the other person is not going to handshake with you? You look rather stupid then

[Roopoo]

Originally Posted by Jinto Lin

It depends... what would you do, if you initiate the handshake but the other person is not going to handshake with you? You look rather stupid then

Especially if she is a muslim woman. There is a possibility she may not want to shake the hand of a male.

[LynnieS]

Shaking hands - Up to you and, especially like Roopoo's example, your culture, IMHO. It's very common in the West to shake people's hands when entering a room on business, but may not be the same where you are.

Language-wise, I would, like others had suggested, leave the slang out. You are risking not only confusing the interviewer with something he doesn't know, but also the possibility that he does know what you mean and recognizes that you make a mistake. If you aren't sure of the exact word or phrase, try and explain yourself with, perhaps, an example?

If you aren't sure of where the interview will be and have the time to go along the route before the interview, do so and get to know the roads, bus/train routes, and traffic. Leave for the interview with enough time left to, say, go to the restroom, wipe away the sweat, and generally clean up; you don't want to hurry into the room looking like you just came out of a sauna or have to leave early because of a restroom break.

Bring a notebook and pen/pencil with you - along with copies of your CV if you need to have one with you? - in case you need something to write on for examples and work out answers. If you have any records of why you would make an excellent teacher - recommendations from your own teachers and such - bring along copies of them also.

Lastly, if you aren't sure of what the interviewer is asking you to answer, ask him to explain further. I wouldn't do it every single time, but I would rather ask for a clearer question first than spend 10 minutes answering the wrong question, IMHO.

Originally Posted by Uchiha_Rurik

-Don’t do any nervous type of movements, like this: Bite Fingernails, Pick on your nose, shake continually your feet or legs, amongst other.

LOL. Especially the nosepicking bit if you're going to be shaking the guy's hand. Look at the guy when talking to him, but don't stare or anything like that. You can still look away - so long as you don't appear like you're avoiding something or are uncomfortable.

Best of luck on your interview!

[RedFrame]

What hand movement/position should i avoid ? Should i hold a pen or better left empty handed ?

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by RedFrame

What hand movement/position should i avoid ? Should i hold a pen or better left empty handed ?

Basically anything that said you are nerveous or unsantinary.

Basically just sit there and don't move your hands.

[LynnieS]

I, on the other hand, think it is fine to make small hand gestures while

1. trying to make a point or
2. emphasizing an idea or conclusion.

If you just sit there being still, that might - to me at least - come across as you being really really nervous. For a job interview, a bit of nervousness is usually fine - almost expected - but too much isn't really a good thing.

Gestures that I would avoid and come to mind:

1. dragging your fingers through your hair,
2. chewing/biting something like a pen or fingernail,
3. fidgeting with your glasses/tie/anything constantly,
4. tapping on the table/notebook constantly, and
5. making large gestures, which might knock something off or hit someone.

I always bring a notebook and a pen with me, but keep both on the table while I'm being interviewed unless I need to write or diagram something. The emphasis of the interview should be to keep the interviewer's attention on you and not your nervousness. If you are enthusiastic about teaching, then IMHO, show it using your voice (not loudly but put some emotions into it) and how you answer the questions.

A suit... Probably not necessary, I think, since it might be a bit much for an interview when you've only just graduated from high school. I would dress like how a respected teacher of your school would dress, but neater and a bit nicer. You should also decide on what you are going to wear in advance, ask people whose opinions of clothes you trust (and know what is good for your situation), and then put the clothes away. You don't want to scramble around on the day of the interview looking for clothes to wear.

[cheyannew]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

A suit... Probably not necessary, I think, since it might be a bit much for an interview when you've only just graduated from high school. I would dress like how a respected teacher of your school would dress, but neater and a bit nicer. You should also decide on what you are going to wear in advance, ask people whose opinions of clothes you trust (and know what is good for your situation), and then put the clothes away. You don't want to scramble around on the day of the interview looking for clothes to wear.

I must disagree; in all the workplaces I've been at, after discussing with the Human Resources people, etc, if they have 2 people with identical skillsets, one wears a button down shirt and slacks, and one comes in with a suit (with or w/o the tie, but wearing a jacket/matching slacks), the suit gets it. It's the extra mile.
Heck, I work for an ultra casual place, I was interviewed (twice) by guys in cut off denim shorts, flip-flops and tshirts LOL
Both interviews, I wore a suit, they're like "You know it's casual here" and I merely smiled and replied "That's only AFTER you hire me."
I had 2 departments fighting for me

But definately have everything clean, pressed, and set out the night before. Breifcase (if bringin one) packed, etc.

Also, about the handshake, Red, you'll have to feel out the situation, if you're interviewed by a Muslim woman, (I don't think that happens often hehe), and you offer the hand and she doesn't accept, smile graciously and give a little bow from the waist while apologizing; that's a snafu I'm sure many've made, there's no way to know who you'll be dealing with. I got snickered at once for bowing instead of handshaking, but my interviewer was very obviously Japanese (I forget his last name at the moment, was a long time ago), and his brows shot up into his hairline, he smiled and bowed back. Seemed to give me points in my favor, despite others snickering. A firm handshake speaks of confidence, but don't break anyone's hands. Ask your friends to practice on them if all else fails
There're a hundred and one tips we could give you, but there's one we can't do for you, and that's your comfort level. But you're got a lot of people rooting for you here, and so you'll HAVE to let us know how you do!

[LynnieS]

Originally Posted by cheyannew

I must disagree; in all the workplaces I've been at, after discussing with the Human Resources people, etc, if they have 2 people with identical skillsets, one wears a button down shirt and slacks, and one comes in with a suit (with or w/o the tie, but wearing a jacket/matching slacks), the suit gets it. It's the extra mile.

I'll clarify the "probably" in my estimate. For interviews for a corporate job - or even for an interview as a new grad - I would definitely agree with you in that a suit, male or female, is necessary. For a teaching program that pre-interview candidates for jobs after their having graduated from high school and first needing to go to school... I added the "probably".

Side: The program sounds a lot like what people from Malaysia I knew from college had to do; they went through interviews with companies after high school, and after being accepted and had commited to working for them later, were sponsored to go to college in the U.S. Is this like that?

Originally Posted by cheyannew

Heck, I work for an ultra casual place, I was interviewed (twice) by guys in cut off denim shorts, flip-flops and tshirts LOL
Both interviews, I wore a suit, they're like "You know it's casual here" and I merely smiled and replied "That's only AFTER you hire me."

LOL at your reply. The "guys going ultra casual" so reminds me of the dot-com period. Whether RedFrame's chances of getting dinged for not wearing a suit, hard to tell without knowing more about the program first.

Originally Posted by cheyannew

I had 2 departments fighting for me

Good for you. Hope you didn't play them off of one another too much.

Originally Posted by cheyannew

But definately have everything clean, pressed, and set out the night before. Breifcase (if bringin one) packed, etc.

Also, about the handshake, Red, you'll have to feel out the situation, if you're interviewed by a Muslim woman, (I don't think that happens often hehe),

RedFrame's location is given as Malaysia, which has a population of Malays, Indians, and Chinese, and its official religion is Islam. The female interviewer part might not happen, though, without knowing more about the school(s) hiring. RedFrame should have a better understanding for proper business behavior when talking with people in his culture who are also senior to him. Cheers.