Looking for a job? Get started with ODAT's "Job Hunting Guide"

Second Installment

102809jobsearch Interviews are always stressful - even for job seekers who have gone on countless interviews. The best way to reduce the stress is to be prepared. ODAT has gathered advice from some of the experts in the field. Below are checklists, advice and sample interview questions designed to prepare you for quality, results-producing interviews.

The following checklists are from the experts at http://www.best-job-interview.com.

The Pre- Interview Checklist

Use the practical interview checklist of what you need to do the day before your interview. You want to be sure that you are properly prepared and confident of getting the job. Here is a list of what you should put in your portfolio or briefcase.

Full name of company, name and position of contact person/interviewer and contact number.

Full address of company and the department or building where your interview is.

Good directions or map. Get these by calling the company, they usually have a standard set of directions they can email you or they can tell you on the phone. You can also obtain a map from an internet map site such as Mapquest or Google Maps. If you are taking public transport have your route prepared.

Details of where you can park.

Put in a couple of copies of your resume. Although the company already has a copy you may need to give another copy to the interviewer or interviewers. Take this opportunity to read through your resume again and note any red flags that will have to be dealt with during the interview. Prepare your http://www.best-job-interview.com/job-interview-answers.html interview answers to tough questions about gaps in employment, reason for leaving etc.

Include copies of letters of recommendation or written job references you have.

Have copies of your http://www.best-job-interview.com/job-references.html reference list ready, the interviewer will ask for this during the job interview.

Relevant work samples.

Pen and paper. Taking a few notes during your interview shows you are listening closely.
Your business card if you have one.

The job advert or any details of the position that you have. You may want to refer to this during the interview.

Include your http://www.best-job-interview.com/preparing-for-a-job-interview.html company background research. Review the research that you have put together about the organization and the job and consider how you will use it in your interview.

Put in the http://www.best-job-interview.com/job-interview-question.html questions you have prepared to ask the interviewer. You should prepare at least five insightful questions about the job, the company, and management. Read through these questions and feel confident about asking them.

Once you have prepared your portfolio, you have a couple of hours to do the following on your interview checklist:

Take out the http://www.best-job-interview.com/dress-for-an-interview.html clothes you plan to wear to the interview. Make sure they are clean and pressed. Shoes should be polished. Select the accessories you want to wear. Lay your outfit out ready for the next day.

Go through your prepared answers to http://www.best-job-interview.com/job-interview-questions.html common job interview questions such as what are your strengths? Why are you the right candidate for this job?, Tell me about yourself? If you are going to be asked http://www.best-job-interview.com/behavioral-interview.html behavioral questions, consider your possible responses. The objective now is not to memorize your answers but to review them and be familiar and confident with them.

Try to practice your responses out loud. Ask a friend or family member to do a mock interview with you. Ask for feedback on other elements such as http://www.best-job-interview.com/interview-body-language.html your body language, communication skills and clarity of your answers.

Make sure you have something nutritious to eat for breakfast the next day, you don't want your stomach rumbling or to feel hungry during your interview.

Gets a good night’s sleep knowing you are fully prepared to ace the interview!

The easiest way to build confidence before a job interview is to be well prepared. Use the job interview guide for the specific job you are interviewing for, go through the sample interview questions and prepare quality interview answers using the recommended guidelines.

For any job the interviewer wants to know, "Can this candidate get the work done and achieve the results I need?"

Draw up a job profile by determining what tasks and responsibilities comprise the job and what knowledge, skills and abilities are required by the successful candidate to achieve these? Each job interview guide identifies the typical knowledge and core competencies (skills and abilities) required for the job and lists sample interview questions that commonly assess these.

Reflect on your experiences and abilities and prepare your best answers using the recommended interview answer guidelines. Anticipating the interview questions and planning your answers beforehand ensures that you walk into your interview confident and ready for success.

http://www.best-job-interview.com/accountant-interview-questions.html
Accounting Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/call-center-interview.html
Call Center Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/customer-service-interview-question.html
Customer Service

http://www.best-job-interview.com/help-desk-interview-questions.html
Help Desk

http://www.best-job-interview.com/retail-job-interview-questions.html
Retail Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/internship-interview.html
Internship Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/manager-interview-questions.html
Manager Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/sales-interview-questions.html
Sales Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/project-management-interview.html
Project Manager

http://www.best-job-interview.com/marketing-manager-interview.html
Marketing Manager

http://www.best-job-interview.com/supervisor-interview-questions.html
Supervisor Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/human-resources-interview-questions.html
Human Resources Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/teacher-interview.html
Teacher Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/nursing-job-interview.html
Nursing Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/secretarial-interview-questions.html
Secretary Job

http://www.best-job-interview.com/nanny-interview-questions.html
Nanny Job

The following interview questions and answers are by Alison Doyle at About.com, http://www.about.com.

Interview Questions: Work History

Name of company, position title and description, dates of employment.
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/history.htm

What were your expectations for the job and to what extent were they met?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/expectations.htm

What were your starting and final levels of compensation?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/compensation.htm

What were your responsibilities?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/responsibility.htm

What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/answerchallenge.htm

What did you like or dislike about your previous job?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/previsoujob.htm

Which was most / least rewarding?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/rewards.htm

What were the biggest accomplishment / failure in this position?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/accomplish.htm

Questions about your supervisors and co-workers
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/aboutsuper.htm

What was it like working for your supervisor?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/boss.ht m

What do you expect from a supervisor?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/supervisor3.htm

Who was your best boss and who was the worst?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/bestboss.htm

Why are you leaving your job?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewleave.htm

What have you been doing since your last job?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/lastjob.htm

Why were you fired?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewfired.htm

Job Interview Questions About You

What is your greatest weakness?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/weakness.htm

Is there anything I haven't told you about the job or company that you would like to know?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest2.htm

Interview Questions: The Future

What are you looking for in your next job? What is important to you?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/important.htm

What are your goals for the next five years / ten years?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/answergoals.htm

How do you plan to achieve those goals?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/answergoals2.htm

What are your salary requirements - both short-term and long-term?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/salaryinformation/a/salarynegotiat.htm

Questions about your career goals.
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/aboutgoals.htm

What will you do if you don't get this position?
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/inside.htm

The following tough interview questions and answers are by Alison Doyle at About.com
These are some of the tough interview questions that you may be asked on a job interview.

Review the questions and consider an appropriate response, based on your background and skills. There aren't necessarily any right or wrong answers, but carefully consider the job you are applying for, your abilities, and the company culture before you respond.

Questions About Co-Workers and Supervisors
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/aboutsuper.htm

Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a co-worker who wasn't doing his/her fair share of the work. What did you do and what was the outcome?

Give me an example of a time when you took the time to share a co-worker's or supervisor's achievements with others?

Tell me about a time that you didn't work well with a supervisor. What was the outcome and how would you have changed the outcome?

Have you worked with someone you didn't like? If so, how did you handle it?

Tell me about a time that you helped someone.

Tell me about a time that you misjudged a person.

How do you get along with older (younger) co-workers?

Questions About Your Abilities
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/abilities.htm

Tell me about a time that you worked conveying technical information to a nontechnical audience.

Tell me about a time that you worked with data, interpreting data, and presenting data.

Why do you think you will be successful at this job?

Tell me about a time that you participated in a team, what was your role?

Tell me about a time when you were faced with conflicting priorities. How did you determine the top priority?

Tell me about a time when you failed.

Questions About Yourself
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/aboutyou.htm

What would you do differently if you could start your working life over?

How do you balance life and work?

What is your preferred way to communicate - instant message, phone, or email?

Do you check voicemail and email when on vacation?

What is your favorite book? How about your favorite movie?

What historical figure do you admire and why?

If you could choose anyone (alive or deceased) to have lunch with, who would it be?

What did you do during this six-month gap in employment?

What led you to this point in your life?

Do you consider yourself successful?

What inspires you in a job?

Questions About Your Career Goals
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/qt/aboutgoals.htm

Start with your graduation from college and explain the rationale behind each of your career moves.

Also explain the thinking process that went into making each if those decisions.

How many hours a day/week do you need to work to get the job done?

If you stayed with your current company, what would be your next move?

How do you measure success?

Describe your dream job.

Describe a job that would be your worst nightmare.

Look for Installment 3 in ODAT’s “Job Hunting Guide” on our website, http://onedayatatime.com/ next month.