You should pass an interview with the employer. It is the most important stage of getting a desirable post which results have crucial importance.

What will you be asked?

How to make the best impression and to win over your competitors?

What you should speak about and ask?

How is it necessary to be dressed, to brush the hair and be decorated?

How to find an individual approach to the employer and to make him like you?

How to find a way out from inconvenient situations?

What criteria of the estimation of the candidate plays the main role?

How to finish conversation correctly and to say goodbye?

You will get answers to these and other important questions in this article.

Let’s consider the first.

The structured interview

Interviews are carried out in a free form and as structured interview with standardized questions.

The purpose of the interview is the estimation of your professionally important business and personal qualities.

Foreign experts in the field of selection of the staff for many years of work have formulated and have selected more than 400 questions of the structured interview. However in practice an interview includes, as a rule, no more than 15 - 20 basic questions and 10-20 additional.

The basic questions and desirable answers:

Question 1. Tell a little about itself.

Mistake - formal and dry statement of your biography, more or less similar at different candidates, excessive excitement or the underlined indifference, confusion in simple facts, stresses on insignificant details, verbosity.

It is necessary to lay out the advantages before other candidates similar to you at once (experience of successful work, special achievements in the professional area, natural abilities etc.), emphasizing the desire and full readiness to get this position. Speak quietly, confidently, briefly and precisely.

Question 2. How do you see your life: what complexities you see in it and how you cope with them?

Mistake - gloomy perception of the reality: complaints to destiny, bad luck, injustice and constant unsoluble problems, accusation of all of other people and external circumstances.

It is necessary to express life positively: life without problems does not exist, difficulties are surmountable, the destiny and career of the person is in his hands, people are benevolent and ready to cooperation, failures will mobilize forces.

Question 3.What attracts you in this position?

Mistake - standard phrases: “This interesting job attracts me… Prospects of growth… Good salary “.

It is better to give concrete reasons that only this post will allow you to realize your abilities, knowledge and experience.

Question 4. Why do you consider yourself worthy to hold this position? What are your advantages over other candidates?

Mistake - weak arguments of your advantages, the indication of formal biographical particulars.

It is necessary to show your “trumps” without false modesty if you have not made it till now.

really acceptable for you.

You have to keep in mind that: you will not have another opportunity to
make the first good impression. Remember the 80% of your success it is
the first impression you made. And you should know that you have only
15 seconds for doing it. That is why to be successful you should think
about your:

Style of your clothes.

When choosing your clothes for the interview, remember the position you
are applying for. Manager with a ponytail and glittering earring is
good for the manager of the rock-star and this style is not appropriate if
you apply for the position of a manager in a head office of respectable
bank.

If it is difficult to make an appropriate style for the interview,
dress conservatively. There is an office style. This very style for men
means dark tie and costume; tie should suit the color of your shirt. For
women it is popular to put on a costume and white blouse. The length of
the skirt should suit the aim of your visit+

When choosing your costume for the interview, try to avoid bright and
extravagant colors. If you do not have enough money for buying expensive
clothes emphasize your natural beauty, modesty and neatness. As many
interviewers say the neatness in clothes means neatness in doing tasks.

Color palette.

The color of the clothes you have chosen plays a very important role.
Each color and hue creates a special mood. And it is, as you remember,
very important for the first interview.

So, blue is a color of order, discipline and being a part of a group of
people united by special aim.

Red is a color of eroticism and violence.

Clothes of black color is used either for solemn occasions or
demonstrate the ability of a person for self limitation.

White color is a color of chastity and clearness that is why this very
color is used for wedding ceremonies, but at the same time the eastern
nations think that this color symbolizes lamentation and mourning.

Some of psychologists say that you should not put on costumes of brown
colors but nowadays this rule is not strictly observed.

Yellow is not appropriate as a color for the costume for the first
interview.

Pay much attention to your footwear.

According to the researches 90% of women and 70% of men pay attention
to the footwear of their partner. It sounds simple but your footwear
should be clean. If you do not have enough money to buy new costume and a
new pair of shoes, I advise you to buy a new pair of shoes. It is
desirable to have footwear of a good quality but not exotic or extravagant.
Colorful and bright trainers, sandals and flip-flops are not suitable
for the situation. Women should avoid bright high-heels or leather
boots.

Language of gestures and body language.

According to the opinion of the most psychologists only 5-7% of the
information you want to say is in the words you pronounce. The rest of the
information is scooped from your gait, mimics, bearing and so on. This
information is taken subconsciously and it is very difficult to control
it. Your gestures, the way you move, put your hands and legs forms the
first impression. Remember that the popular saying that cheekiness is
the second happiness is not your style. But the pose of a mean person is
not better. Your task is to sit in a confident pose with dignity. If
only believe in yourself you may share this belief to your interviewer.

Keep smiling.

Do you know why it is important to keep smiling? When you smile you
radiate the warmth and doing so you attract other people. Even when you
talk on the phone your smile softens your voice and gives it a mild
timbre and charm. It is very important to have an open smile. You should not
put on a clown mask. Do not think about your time; try to make your
smile charming in front of the mirror. Smile to your relatives, friends
and even to strangers. Feel the advantage of having a white and shiny
smile.

Shaking of arms.

It is a very important part of the first contact. It should be
appropriate. Do not give your hand first even if the interviewer is a woman or
a man who is older than you. But be ready to reply for the hand shake.
Do not shake you hand with all your might, the interviewer should want
to shake your hand once again, at least after the interview. If a man
gives you his arm with his palm down it means that he wants to dominate.
And if you do not work with the dominating person try to turn his palm
to show that you offer yourself as an employee but not a bootlicker.
Mind the distance between you and the employer.
Do not invade into the private (or social) zone of your interviewer. Do
not make him stay far from you and do not hide into the corner. The
best distance is about 70-1.80 centimeters from your partner.

Jewelry.

You should take care when you put it on. Both men and women should not
put on tons of gold and silver jewels. The true professional would not
show his wealth this particular way. Accessories are important but do
not put a lot of them on. It is enough to put on a brooch or take a
trendy hand bag. The jewels made of wood; leather and fur are not suitable
for the first interview. And it is not suitable to put diamond
earrings, rings and collier made of diamonds and white gold. The interview
would be unpleasantly amazed and you style would not be approved.

Make up.

Be moderate in doing a make up and do not overdo with cosmetics and
perfume. Remember that the odor of your perfume shout be felt only in your
private distance. Bright color of make up and strong smells of your
perfume shows the sexual aggression which is useful only in particular
situation. And in most cases this situation is not a situation of the
first interview. For men it is also useless to overdo with perfumery.

Keep the conversation.

Let us remind that the researches carried out in a world famous
Carnegie Hall. The result of the research was stunned - even in departments
of big enterprises the development and promotion of the staff depends on
their professional competence. But it is only 15%. And what about the
rest 85%? It is an ability to communicate with your colleagues and
clients.

Before the interview you should think about the style of your clothes. Your appearance and manners play a very important role. If you go to the interview to a big bank or financial establishment choose a conservative style. In the contrary, if you go to the company of design or building society, choose a casual style. Of course you may ask the staff of the company about dress-code of the company, but you would better come to the first interview wearing costume or official style. If it is normal to come to the working place wearing sweater and jeans, but you
should not come wearing jeans for the first interview. Any way you should come in clean and suitable clothes. Women have a large variety of clothes, even larger than men but at the same time, women may make much more mistakes. Do not do a bright make-up and perfume.

Think in advance about the parking area for your car and accurate address of the company. Leave your house in a good time.

Come 15 minutes before the fixed time. You will show that you respect the interviewer and appreciate his time. If you are stuck in a traffic jam or something of that kind, try to call the secretary and warn him about being late.

Remember that the employer will choose the person who made better impression during the interview even if both candidates have the same experience, good references and professional skills.

Sleep well the night before the interview. The person who would yawn all the time would not make a good impression. Try to go to bed in time, not earlier and not later.

Do not drink too much liquid. You may not find the lavatory in the unfamiliar building and you won’t feel comfortable during the interview.

If you get acquainted with different people try to memorize their names and surnames correctly. If you ask the person by his name you won’t have any problems. At the same time if you tall the name incorrectly the interviewer may get nervous.

It is important to find out the exact time of the interview and follow the time. It will help to spend the time in proper way and define the time before questions and answers. Knowing about the time of the interview you will be able to prepare answers which are neither short nor long.

Be polite and affable to all the people you meet at the office. Do not forget to smile entering the room of the interviewer. Mind your body language. You hands should be soft and dry and hand shake should be confident and firm. But do not overdo with all these things. Everything should be natural.

Do not forget to take all the documents proving your qualification, skills and references.

If you are asked to fill some forms you would better take them with you and fill them at home. Filling them at home, try to fill he draft copy first. Everything is very important, your and writing, spelling, clearness and style of writing.

When the interview is finished do not forget to thank the interviewer.

Do not sit down until you are asked to do it.

Greeting the interviewer, do not give your hand first.

Listen carefully. Follow the direction of the conversation set by the interviewer

Before asking the question, think about the aim of asking the question. Think how you may emphasize you strong and hide your weak points.

Describing your colleagues, do not criticize either them or your previous boss.

Do not start to talk about payment questions and your private life, in case you asked about it.

You may say the salary which may satisfy you but only when you are asked about it.

How to get ready for the interview.

There are the most important recommendations.

Getting ready for the interview it is very important to carry out
preliminary investigation. You have to collect as much information about the
company you are going for the interview and people you are going to
meet.

All the necessary information you may get using different ways. If you
want to work in a big enterprise you have to get to know the services
and production of the enterprise. Most companies promote itself
spreading colorful leaflets and brochures about their work. It can be useful to
find the articles about the company in magazines or newspapers.
You may talk to a person who works for the company or worked in it. He
may tell you a great number of interesting details, but you have to
take into account the subjective point of view of the narrator. Probably
the consultant of the agency may answer some of your questions.

What you should know about the company you want to work for.

What production and services does the company offer to the customers?
Who are the customers and where the production is sold?
How many years does the company exist?
Has the company changed its initial strategy?
Is the board of directors stable or it changes very often?
What is the legal status of the company?
Did the company make the attempt to absorb other companies?
Did the company get a profit last year or last three years?
How many people were fired the last year? Or three years and why?
Does the mass media pays much attention to the company and why?
What are the responses of mass media?
What is the attitude towards the staff of the company?
What new projects does the company work on?
Does the company based on the organizations on the territory of the
country or have the partners abroad?
What are the perspectives of the field which is the company based on?