Job Specifications

Introduction
You will be evaluated from the introduction to the close of the interview. First impressions are created in the first few seconds and the hiring decision is usually made within the first five minutes. The rest of the interview usually justifies the decision.
You can control much of the interview. Your appearance and behaviour will affect the initial impression and your responses will influence the hiring process.

Purpose
Purpose of the interview: The job interview is the most important step in the job-search process. It is usually the final factor that determines if you are offered the position.
An interview involves a two-way process. It provides an opportunity to exchange information between an employer and a job applicant. Employers will provide information about their organization and the position while applicants will provide information about their qualifications.

Employer Objectives
The employer aims to determine your suitability for the position and the organization by finding out more details about your personality, experience and career goals. Specifically, the recruiter wants to know about your:

·Ability to competently handle the duties and responsibilities of the position (what related experience,
strengths and training do you have?).
·Ability to fit in with existing staff.
·Potential for future success with the company.
·Knowledge of and interest in the specific job, what the company does and where the company is
headed.
·Enthusiasm, motivation and expectations for advancement in a professional career.
·Adaptability to new assignments and locations.
·Ability to handle other specific requirements of the position (e.g., working with minimal supervision or
as part of a team; dealing effectively with the public; handling a large volume of work; supervising
others, etc.).

Your Objectives
Your main objective is to convince the interviewer of your suitability for the job by clearly explaining how your education, experience, career goals and personal strengths are related to the specific requirements of the position.

Obviously to be able to market your skills and present yourself in the most favourable light requires that you be both prepared and composed. Probably the simplest and most effective way to prepare is to anticipate questions and to compose answers to be ready for these common interview questions. This will require some time and effort on your part to research the employer, the job and to honestly assess your strengths, weaknesses, aspirations and values but the effort will not be wasted.

Know Yourself
Review your résumé, have details of employment, education and skills very clear in your mind. be aware of your personal qualities and how they make you a good worker. Think about and be prepared to talk about how your skills relate to the position being applied for.
What personal characteristics do you possess which make you a good worker? What transferable skills do you have that you can apply to the position that you are interviewing for? Here are some sample general questions. Be ready for those general questions such as: "Tell us about yourself" or "Why should I hire you?". These and others are best answered by relating your qualifications to those of the job.

Typical Interview Questions
·Tell me about yourself?
·What are your long and short-term career goals?
·Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
·What courses did you like best? Least? Why?
·What is your understanding about the nature of the job under consideration?
·Why do you want to work for our company? What do you know about our company?
·What jobs have you held? Enjoyed the most? least? Why?
·What have you learned from the jobs you have held?
·In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
·Do you prefer working with others or by yourself?
·Do you like routine work? Regular hours?
·Name a major problem you have encountered and how you have solved it?
·What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?
·What two accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
·Why do you believe you should be hired for this job?
·What are your special abilities and strong points?
·What are your weaknesses?
·What parts of the job do you think you would find most satisfying? Least satisfying?
·In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our firm?
·How would you describe your ideal job?
·How would you describe yourself?
·What motivates you to put forth your best effort?
·Are you willing to travel or relocate if required?
·Define co-operation.

Know the Employer and the Job
Your second objective is to learn more about the position you are applying for, the organization you are applying to and how the work term experience relates to your program of studies and professional development.

The Employer
Finding out about the employer will help you to respond to interview questions in an informed and thoughtful manner. It will help you feel more prepared and therefore more relaxed and confident during the interview. As well, employers will be favourably impressed by your interest and initiative in researching the company.
You should seek to find out the background of the organization and its size. You should also know what the main products or services are of the organization, what the trends are in the industry and if there has been any relevant legislation.

Interview Tips
Finding a job in today's market is certainly challenging if nothing else. You must ensure correct preparation and a concentrated effort to maximise your chance of success. This starts from ensuring you produce a captive and informative CV, through to researching the company before your interview and sharpening up your interview skills to prepare for tough questions. Outlined below is a basic four-point plan, which provides hints and tips when you are applying for a new position. Click on the headlines to find out more.

Cover letter
When writing a covering letter, make sure you are not repeating your CV. Cover letters must be concise and should make clear why you feel you are suitable for the job and/or company that you are applying to. Try and add in a career highlight and demonstrate why you are proud of this and what value you can bring to a potential employer.

CV
Keep your CV brief to ensure you give the reader a real 'flavour' of your experience, without boring them. We always advocate that you should use bullet points to provide an overview of each position you have held. Always make sure that there are no gaps in your CV - if you had a career break, travelled or were just searching for a job - put it on the CV and make it clear that you were not just doing nothing! It also demonstrates that you have nothing to hide and gives your potential employer greater comfort.

Interview preparation
Now the real work begins! It is vital that you read as much as you can about the organisation with whom you are interviewing with. Talk to friends in the industry, read the press and internet, ask for annual reports and even speak to your recruitment agents who can often give you a perspective on the company in question. Many organisations want to know that you are serious about their company and that they are the employer of choice!

The interview
This is your chance to prove to your potential employer, that you are the person for the role. You have a forty minute window to 'sell yourself' and convince your interviewer that you have both the technical skills as well as the personality to do the job. Always ensure you are dressed formally. Even if a company has a dress down policy, it is vital that you convey a professional image. You must maintain a positive body language and smile when you meet the interviewer. Use empirical evidence to back up your skills. Anyone can talk about their strengths - but if you can give real examples based on your previous experiences, this will give the interviewer more confidence in your ability and skills. Always end the interview on a positive note, thanking the interviewer for his or her time and expressing an interest in the position if you feel it's the job for you. These are just a few obvious things that you need to focus on. The whole process of applying and interviewing is much more intricate and the more preparation you can do, the better! Competition today is intense and you need to 'pull out all the stops' to gain a competitive advantage. As many companies remain cautious about their hiring numbers, they too are becoming more discerning about the candidates they interview and eventually hire. So the squeeze is coming from both sides. It is therefore, vital that you are well prepared and focused on the job at hand.

Telephone Interviews
Telephone interviews accommodate employers and candidates in remote or distant geographical locations. Telephone interviews avoid the time and financial commitment of in person interviews. As with personal interviews, you need to be fully prepared.

·Speak slower than you think you should and pronounce your words very clearly.
·Do not worry about silence on the line as you are formulating your answer. Take your time to respond
the same as you would with personal interviews. Answer questions using complete sentences.
·If you have a b ad connection, say so, and ask to have the call placed again.
·Bring your résumé, the job description, notes, questions and responses.
·Endeavour to limit noise in the area. Have your notes laid out nearby.
·Be cheerful and smile. This will be conveyed in your voice.
·Your voice is all that the interviewer has to go on to make a judgment; vary the tone and convey
enthusiasm. Avoid monotone, monosyllable responses.

Some Final Interview Points
·Timing: Arrive a few minutes early so you can relax and collect your thoughts.
·Appearance: Your appearance is important because you will be judged on your grooming and overall
looks before you even get a chance to speak. Dress neatly and conservatively.
·Manner: Be polite during and while waiting for the interview. Greet the interviewers by name and
shake their hand firmly. Remain standing until you are asked to be seated and then maintain a
comfortable attentive position.
·Active Listening: During the interview listen carefully and ask to have questions repeated if you did
not understand. To be very clear in your answers, you might restate the question as part of your
answer.
·Honesty: Be yourself. Do not try to be something you are not. Emphasize your strong points, but if
your shortcomings or past failures are brought up, explain the circumstances rather than making
excuses or blaming others. Always maintain a courteous manner even if the job turns out to be of
little interest to you. Be sure to thank the recruiter for considering you.
·Body Language: Signs that register positively: A firm, confident handshake; calm, not fidgety,
hands and feet; leaning toward the interviewer; direct gaze but do not stare; ready smile.
Mannerisms to avoid: Crossing your arms on your chest (implies defensiveness); touching your face
(implies deceptiveness); leaning back in your chair or handling objects on the interviewer's desk
(implies overconfidence); chewing gum, chewing your nails, or fidgeting, etc., (all signs of nervous
distraction). What do employers look for: Keen interest in the job; vitality, commitment to career;
maturity, a professional attitude; necessary qualifications/skills, experience and education.

Note: Employers say that personal qualities and a good attitude to work are often as important or more important than the experience and education factors, providing that the applicant meets the minimum technical standards for the job.

After the Interview
Each interview should be a learning experience. It is important to take a few minutes afterwards to reflect on your performance. Think about the parts you felt went really well. Why did they? Also think about areas where you might have improved. Filling out one of the following interview evaluation forms after each interview is a good way to begin evaluating your interview performances.

Interview Evaluation

Employer:

Date of Interview:

Answer yes or no to the following questions:

1.Did I arrive on time?

2.Was I courteous with everyone with whom I dealt?

3.Did I have the necessary materials with me?
Personal Information: Résumé, cover letter, list of references, letters of references, documents,
writing samples, portfolios, etc.
Writing material, pen.

4.Did I know the interviewer's name and title?

5.Did I give positive signals about my interest in the position?
Did my body language show my interest, enthusiasm and eagerness; did I sit up and lean forward?
Was my tone of voice pleasant and did I speak clearly enough for the interviewer to hear?
Did I look at the interviewer both when speaking and when spoken to?
Did I fidget or appear nervous?
Did I show that I was listening by answering the questions that were asked?
Did I control my annoyance when dealing with irrelevant questions or interruptions?

6.Did I use active listening skills?

7.When I did not understand a question, did I ask to have the question restated?

8.Did I answer all the questions put to me adequately?

9.Did I demonstrate my qualifications in the areas of:

Educational background?
Work experience?
Accoplishments?
Career goals and plans?
Knowledge of the company organization?
Knowledge of the specific job placement?

10.Did I answer all the questions honestly?

11.Which questions did I have the most trouble answering?

12.Did I ask relevant questions when given the opportunity to do so?

13.What were my greatest strengths in this interview?

14.What were my greatest weaknesses?

15.How would I assess my overall performance during the interview? (Poor Adequate Good Excellent).

16.How could I have improved this interview?

17.Coordinator feedback on my interview performance, if available.