Five Star Résumé Services
"Star Quality Is The Ability That Shines Within Us All"
SOME INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED:
- What did you like about your last job?
- Are you a team player?
- Why should I hire you?
- What do you know about this company?
- What is the most difficult situation you have faced?
- Tell me about your experiences at school.....
- How do you take direction?
- Are you looking for long or short term employment?
- What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
- Tell me about yourself.....
- What are your strengths?
- Why do you want to work for our company?
- Have you ever supervised anyone?
- What do you think is your greatest weakness?
- Can you work under pressure?
- How do you think your friends would describe you?
- What did you dislike about your last job?
- Do you prefer to work with others or alone?
- What do you like about you?
- When could you start in this position?
- What do you do in your spare time?
- Why are you the best candidate for this position?
- If you were a piece of fruit in a fruit bowl, what would you be and why?
INTERVIEW TIPS:
- Go to bed early the night before your interview
- Select what you are going to wear several days beforehand. Try it all on, make sure it fits, and is clean. Ensure your shoes are clean
- Drink water before the interview to stay hydrated
- Make sure you know where you are going for the interview and what the parking situation is. Allow for traffic delays on the way
- Arrive at least 15 minutes early. This gives you time to look around and settle down
- Take 3 deep breaths
- Smile and shake hands
- It is OK to take a notepad and pen into the interview to make notes
- Have the questions you want to ask (and you should ask at least 3), written on your notepad
- Smile and take your time
- Listen carefully to the questions. If you don't understand the questions, ask for clarification
- Smile and thank the Interviewer's for their time. Smile again!
HOW TO DRESS FOR YOUR INTERVIEW:
WEAR CLOTHING THAT INDICATES YOU ARE READY TO
GO TO WORK TODAY!
MEN & WOMEN
- All clothes should be neatly pressed (no wrinkles)
- Clean, polished, conservative shoes – not “open-toed shoes”, court shoes are preferred
- Clean, well-groomed hairstyle
- Clean, trimmed fingernails
- MINIMAL aftershave, cologne or perfume
- Empty pockets – no noisy coins
- No gum, chewing or smelling of cigarette smoke or alcohol
MEN
- If wearing a neck tie, choose a conservative pattern, plain colour is better
- Dark shoes, clean and polished
- Dark socks, black is best
- Conservative 2-piece business suit (solid black or blue), OR
- Tailored trousers (solid black or blue) with plain coloured shirt (white)
- Short hair always fairs best in interviews, clean and groomed
- No earrings or face piercings
- No heavy after-shave or cologne
- No mobile phone
- Don’t forget to wear your SMILE!
WOMEN
- Tailored suit (black or navy) comprising pants/skirt & jacket
- Plain white or pinstriped business shirt (no frills, no cleavage)
- Avoid extremely high heels and platforms & do not wear open-toed shoes, conservative court shoes are best, clean
- If you wear nail polish keep the colour conservative
- One set of earrings only – no noisy jewellery
- Conservative makeup
- No heavy perfume
- No mobile phone
- If you must take one, conservative handbag (no bright colours)
- Long hair is best worn “up”, and should be clean
- Don’t forget to wear your SMILE!
25 THINGS TO AVOID IN AN INTERVIEW:
- Poor personal appearance
- Lack of interest and enthusiasm; passive and indifferent
- Over-emphasis on money, leave salary enquiry till last question
- Criticism of past employer
- Poor eye contact with interviewer
- Late to interview – there are just no excuses!
- Failure to express appreciation for interviewer’s time
- Asks no questions about the job
- Unwillingness to relocate
- Indefinite, evasive answer to question
- Overbearing, aggressive, conceited with “know it all” attitude
- Inability to express self clearly; poor voice, diction and grammar
- Lack of planning for career, no purpose or goals
- Lack of confidence and poise, nervous, ill at ease
- Failure to participate in activities
- Expects too much too soon
- Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavourable factors on record
- Lack of tack
- Lack of courtesy, ill-mannered
- Lack of vitality
- Lack of maturity
- No interest in industry, presenting without research into company
- Sloppy application form, illegible handwriting
- Cynical
- Intolerant, displays strong prejudices
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