Posted in : Job Interview Advice
Interview Tips Lesson Two - Preparing Your Interview Dialog
By Julie Bonner
Dec 30, 2007 - 5:52:23 PM

Saying the right things in your interview is the most important factor to consider.  In the second part of this series tips 5-7 will tell you what you need to think about when deciding what to say to your potential employer and ideas on controlling bad habits.

Tip #5 - Try to play up your strong points and downplay your weaknesses.   Weaknesses in your resume will stand out to an employer.  Although there is no way to avoid having to discuss these weaknesses, such as being let go from a previous job or having an unstable work history, you can overcome them.  The best way to do so is to put your strong points in the spotlight and refer to them as much as possible.  For example, if you were let go from a job 5 years ago but since then had another job in which you received great promotions from the company, you can briefly explain why you were fired from the first job but spend the rest of the time highlighting what you did for the second company that encouraged them to continue to reward you. 

Tip #6 - Give thorough examples of what you can bring to the company.  A company needs a reason to hire you.  A reason that will set you apart from the other candidates and make you unique.  Your job, before you leave for the interview, is to determine what that reason is and figure out how you will make the company feel as though they have to have you for this job because of that reason.  Basically, you need to sell yourself.  You need to sell your reason to this company and make them want to buy it.  You need to look at yourself, your skills, or your education and discover the one (or more) things that you feel you possess that will make you a great employee.  It can even be a personality trait that you feel makes you uniquely qualified to do the job.  Make sure you go in with some type of selling point.

Tip #7 - Try to hide the fact that you are nervous. Being overly nervous can be a character flaw that may signal to a manager that you are not right for the job.  This is especially important if your job will include public speeches, meeting with clients, conducting staff meetings, etc.  Some nervous habits, such as stuttering, can even make it difficult for the manager to complete the interview.  If you get overly nervous in situations such as this, you will need to formulate a plan of action.  You may want to explore relaxation techniques to incorporate into your plan that can help you re-focus that nervous energy.  Simple things like having a glass of water to sip from to holding on to a small object may help your turn your attention to the task at hand, getting the job!

These tips are intended to help you prepare your interview dialog and control any nervous habits you may have.  Your goal is to make the best overall impression and what you say and how you say it is the biggest factor a manger may consider in his final determination.

In the next section we will explore what non-verbal actions may help you score the perfect job, or read the first page on how to prepare for interview.