Page 10 - 101 Dynamite Answers to Interview Questions

No More Sweaty Palms! 3

But it’s now a whole new ball game. While writing resumes, following
job leads, and contacting employers are very important job search
activities, the job interview is what really counts. Indeed, the job
interview is the prerequisite to getting the job. No job interview, no job
offer. No job offer, no job. You simply must perform well in the job
interview if you are to land the job.
The slulls you used in writing, distributing, and following up your
resumes and letters, researching companies, and networking helped get
you an invitation to meet hiring officials in person. You now have a
personal invitation - the door is open for
you to meet those who have the power to The job interview
hire. Nowvou must demonstrate another
set of important slulls once inside that is the prerequisite
door - your ability to conduct an effec- to getting the job,
tive interview. This means knowing how No job interview,
to best handle the interview situation
and the interview process. It involves no job.
everything from greeting the hiring offi-
cial, engaging in small talk, both answering and asking questions, and
following up the interview within 48 hours.

Who Really Gets Hired

It’s an old observation, but it’s well worth repeating as you prepare for job
interviews :

The person who gets the job is not necessarily the best qualified candidate.
It’s the person who knows how to best nail the interview! For in the end,
employers want to hire individuals they feel will be a good “fit” for the job
and the organization. They hire people they like both personally and
professionally.

The person who wins the job lunows how to best present himself or herself
both verbally and nonverbally in critical face-to-face interview settings.
Whether dealing with multiple interviewers or different types of inter-
views, he or she has acquired a set of attractive behaviors centering on
positive answers to questions that serve as important indicators of future
performance. As you will see throughout this book, these are behaviors
you can learn and practice with success.