How to Prepare for a Job Interview

 

1. Get to know the employer.
It only takes 15-20 minutes to learn enough about the employer to be able to speak more intelligently about them than much of your competition.

-Use the employer’s website –at a minimum read “about us” section.

-Get familiar with their clients, work and general approach.

Make sure you can answer these questions: What does this organization do? What are they all about? What makes them different from their competition?

2. Learn the job description like it was your own.
The best way to use the job description to prepare is to go through it line by line. Think about how your experience and skills fit with each line. Write this down for each one, making sure to include examples from your past as supporting evidence that you’d excel at this job.

Now, picture yourself doing the job. What are the likely challenges? What ideas would you bring to the table? If you think through these questions now, you can weave those thoughts into the conversation at the interview.

3. Practice, and then practice some more.
Write down at least 10 interview questions that you’re likely to be asked and write out your answers to them. Cover these basics: Why are you thinking about leaving your current job? What interests you about this opening? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What experience do you have doing ___? (Fill in each of the major responsibilities of the job.)

Now, practice your answers out loud. Practice saying them out loud over and over and over, until your answers fly off your tongue automatically.

4. Come up with questions of your own.
Come up with several questions of your own, because at the end of the interview you’ll be asked what questions you have. Good questions at this stage are clarifying questions about the role itself and open-ended questions about the office culture. You’ll also want to ask about their next steps and their timeline for getting back to you.

Adapted from Alison Green via http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/02/07/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview

Do you have any questions?

Guest post by: Danielle Cook, Career Services - Lansing Campus

In an interview, the answer to this question should always be yes. Given that it’s almost always the last question your interviewer will ask, we want to help you make sure you’re ready with an educated answer. Here are three possible questions to keep in the back of your mind:

What to Say When You're Following up

Frequently asked questions when it comes to following up after applying for a job include:

How long should I wait to follow-up? Should I call, write or email? How frequently can I follow-up?


An important question people forget to ask is "What should I say when I follow-up?

On-The-Spot Job Interviews

Anytime you are applying for a job in person, or even online you should be prepared to be interviewed immediately. If you're applying in person, the hiring manager could interview you right then and there. If you applying online, the hiring manager could call you within minutes.  Keep reading for tips on how to always be prepared.

3 Job Qualifications You Need in 2012

Job outlooks in several fields are now improving. Possessing these qualifications will help you start your new career in 2012.
 

The Career Passport

If you want to be successful in your career search, be sure you have the right road map! Career Quest has taken the experience of the most successful job seekers and compiled it into a Career Passport. Spend time to get a stamp of completion in each  'area' of this passport and you're well on your way. Students who attend Career Quest are guided through each one, making sure those stamps really do mean something.

Here are some of the areas we know are essential to landing in that ideal destination: your new career position.

STILL WAITING? WHAT YOU CAN DO AFTER THE INTERVIEW...

Vickie Elmer understands that waiting for a call back is beyond annoying. But Elmer tells you how you can get some control back between interviews. 
See the article here.
We found her at the blog glassdoor.com

FOLLOW-UP MADE EASY

What's the right way to follow-up after an interview? 
Are there rules for this?
Check out these guidelines.