Three Job-Interview Myths

Three Job-Interview Myths

By Charles Purdy, Monster+HotJobs Senior Editor

Think you know all there is to know about interviewing for a job? According to career coach David Couper, there are many surprising myths surrounding job interviews. In his book Outsiders on the Inside, Couper lists several myths that, if you believe them, may prevent you from landing your dream job. 

So here's the truth about three of those myths -- as well as several tips on making the most of a job interview:

Myth 1: The Interviewer Is Prepared
"The person interviewing you is likely overworked and stressed because he needs to hire someone," Couper says. "He may have barely glanced at your resume and given no thought to your qualifications."

What You Can Do: Think of a job opening as a set of problems to which you are the solution. Prepare for an interview by identifying the problems hinted at in the job ad (if there's no job ad, research the company and industry) and preparing examples of how you'll solve them. For instance, if one of the primary job requirements is to "write press releases," the problem the employer has is a lack of effective press releases. For the interview, you could prepare a story about specific results you've achieved with press releases you've written. Show how you can solve that problem.

Myth 2: The Interviewer Will Ask the Right Questions
Many interviewers prepare no questions beyond 'tell me about yourself,'" says Couper. And in some cases, you may be interviewing with a human resources representative or a high-level manager who doesn't have a lot of specific information about the open job's duties.

What You Can Do: Prepare several effective sound bites that highlight your past successes and your skills. A sound bite is succinct and not too detailed, so it's catchy and easy to remember -- "I was the company's top salesperson for eight months in 2008," for example.

Reference letters are another great source of sound bites. If a former manager wrote something about how amazing you are, quote her (and offer to leave a copy of the reference letter when you leave the interview) -- for instance, "Company Z's art director called me the most thorough and well-prepared project manager she'd ever worked with -- and that ability to plan for any possible problem is something I pride myself on."

Myth 3: The Most Qualified Person Gets the Job
No one believes this myth any more, right? As Couper says, "Less-qualified but more outgoing candidates may win over an interviewer's heart."

What You Can Do: If you're on the shy or introverted side, practicing your interview techniquesbeforehand is key. Work with a close friend or relative until you're comfortable with your interview answers. You never want to be stuck with a short, one-word answer -- so prepare explanations and examples to discuss.

Also do some research about the interviewer. Find her profile on LinkedIn for instance, or look for recent news about the company. To set the tone for a friendly interaction, find a reason to compliment her for a professional accomplishment or her company's success. And don't forget to smile and make eye contact.

And finally, keep in mind that looks matter: You should be well groomed and dressed to impress. If you're not sure how formal your attire should be, ask the human resources person you've been dealing with what's typical. Alternatively, find someone inside the company to ask, or check out the About Us page on the company's Web site. If the management team is pictured in dark suits, neckties and so on, you'll likely want to dress as formally as possible. If the CEO is pictured in a T-shirt, business-casual clothes are fine (but you'll rarely want to dress more casually than that).

10 Tips to Boost Your Interview Skills

10 Tips to Boost Your Interview Skills

By Carole Martin, Monster Contributing Writer

Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these 10 strategies to enhance your interview skills. 

Practice Good Nonverbal Communication

It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a good, firm handshake. That first nonverbal impression can be a great beginning -- or quick ending -- to your interview.

Dress for the Job or Company

Today's casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as "they" do when you interview. It is important to look professional and well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the interview.

Listen

From the very beginning of the interview, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not hearing it, you are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills includelistening and letting the person know you heard what was said. Observe your interviewer, and match that style and pace.

Don't Talk Too Much 
Telling the interviewer more than he needs to know could be a fatal mistake. When you have not prepared ahead of time, you may ramble when answering interview questions, sometimes talking yourself right out of the job. Prepare for the interview by reading through the job posting, matching your skills with the position's requirements and relating only that information.

Don't Be Too Familiar 
The interview is a professional meeting to talk business. This is not about making a new friend. Your level of familiarity should mimic the interviewer's demeanor. It is important to bring energy and enthusiasm to the interview and to ask questions, but do not overstep your place as a candidate looking for a job.

Use Appropriate Language

It's a given that you should use professional language during the interview. Be aware of any inappropriate slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics or sexual orientation -- these topics could send you out the door very quickly.

Don't Be Cocky

Attitude plays a key role in your interview success. There is a fine balance between confidence, professionalism and modesty. Even if you're putting on a performance to demonstrate your ability, overconfidence is as bad, if not worse, as being too reserved.

Take Care to Answer the Questions

When an interviewer asks for an example of a time when you did something, he is seeking a sample of your past behavior. If you fail to relate a specific example, you not only don't answer the question, but you also miss an opportunity to prove your ability and talk about your skills.

Ask Questions

When asked if they have any questions, most candidates answer, "No." Wrong answer. Part of knowing how to interview is being ready to ask questions to demonstrate an interest in what goes on in the company. Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to find out if this is the right place for you. The best questions come from listening to what you're asked during the interview and asking for additional information.

Don't Appear Desperate

When you interview with the "please, please hire me" approach, you appear desperate and less confident. Maintain the three C's during the interview: cool, calm and confident. You know you can do the job; make sure the interviewer believes you can, too.

Six Interview Mistakes

Six Interview Mistakes

By Michael Neece, Monster Contributing Writer

It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure what they are. Here are six to watch out for. 

1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation Most candidates expect to be interrogated. An interrogation occurs when one person asks all the questions and the other gives the answers. An interview is a business conversation in which both people ask and respond to questions. Candidates who expect to be interrogated avoid asking questions, leaving the interviewer in the role of reluctant interrogator.

2. Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive

Interviewers frequently ask candidates, "What are your weaknesses?" Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight a weakness like "I'm a perfectionist," and turn it into a positive. Interviewers are not impressed, because they've probably heard the same answer a hundred times. If you are asked this question, highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and describe what you are doing to enhance your skill in this area. Interviewers don't care what your weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle the question and what your answer indicates about you.

3. Failing to Ask Questions

Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you have any questions. The worst thing to say is that you have no questions. Having no questions prepared indicates you are not interested and not prepared. Interviewers are more impressed by the questions you ask than the selling points you try to make. Before each interview, make a list of five questions you will ask. "I think a good question is, ‘Can you tell me about your career?'" says Kent Kirch, director of global recruiting at Deloitte. "Everybody likes to talk about themselves, so you're probably pretty safe asking that question."

4. Researching the Company But Not Yourself

Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company. Most job seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of their experience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a list ofaccomplishments prepares you to immediately respond to any question about your experience. You must be prepared to discuss any part of your background. Creating your talent inventory refreshes your memory and helps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise have forgotten during the interview.

5. Leaving Your Cellphone On

We may live in a wired, always-available society, but a ringing cellphone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off before you enter the company.

6. Waiting for a Call

Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a thank-you letter to every interviewer, follow up a couple of days later with either a question or additional information. Try to contact the person who can hire you, and assume that everyone you met with has some say in the process. Additional information can be details about your talents, a recent competitor's press release or industry trends. Your intention is to keep everyone's memory of you fresh.

Ferguson admits Berbatov could leave United for big-spending French giants PSG

Dimitar Berbatov’s troubled years at Manchester United look set to come to an end after Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he could be on his way to Paris Saint-Germain.

The newly rich French club have been keen on Berbatov all summer and have finally made contact with United in recent days.

Asked on French TV after a United XI lost a charity match 8-2 against Marseille in Monaco if the Bulgarian could leave for France, the United manager said: ‘Yes, he might. That’s possible.’

Wanted: Dimitar Berbatov (right) is on the radar of Paris St Germain

If Berbatov does leave, United can expect to receive in the region of £20million, a loss of £10m on the amount they paid Tottenham three summers ago.

After two difficult seasons at Old Trafford Berbatov was United’s top scorer last season and joint top in the Premier League with Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez, with 20 apiece. 

But, in large part due to the impact of Javier Hernandez, he found himself left out of the team for crucial games, including the Champions League final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley when he was not even named among the substitutes.

His departure would appear to indicate that United are confident of signing another attacking player before the close of the transfer window, in all likelihood Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder.

For charity: Tom Cleverley (right) challenges for the ball against Marseille

United are hoping to reopen talks about signing Sneijder this weekend but Inter Milan coach Gian Piero Gasperini expects his midfielder to play in Saturday’s Italian Super Cup in Beijing. 

Sneijder has been linked with a £35m move to Old Trafford with reports suggesting a deal could be done this week, and he said: ‘There is always a chance something will happen but we will see.’

United's match in France was organised by former Marseille goalkeeper Pascal Olmeta in aid of his charity for gravely ill children, of which Ferguson is a patron. 

The United boss managed a side featuring Park Ji-sung, Patrice Evra, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2021754/Dimitar-Berbatov-leave-Manchester-United-PSG.html#ixzz1Tvjxat9I

Chelsea's Alex wanted by Juventus after being snubbed by Uruguay defender Lugano

Juventus have their sights on Chelsea defender Alex after failing to lure Uruguayan centre half Diego Lugano away from Fenerbahce.

Lugano looks set to sign a new contract to keep him in Istanbul and the Italians are lining up a £10million move for Alex, who moved to Stamford Bridge from PSV Eindhoven in 2007.

Andre Villas-Boas is looking to freshen his squad by selling some of the players he does not expect to feature in the first team, and is unlikely to stand in the way of Alex.

Feeling Blue: Alex has been heavily linked with a move away from Chelsea

The 29-year-old’s sale for an eight-figure fee would represent a big profit on a defender they originally signed from Santos and ‘parked’ in Eindhoven as he met the work permit criteria to come to England.

Alex missed the first four games of  pre-season with a knee injury but returned in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy last Saturday.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2021662/Chelseas-Alex-wanted-Juventus.html#ixzz1TviSek5P