5 Tips to Give a Great Interview

By Harrison Kratz on February 3, 2012

In a tight job market, landing an interview can be half the battle. Once you have your foot in the door, don’t let a poor interview ruin your chances of being hired. Here are five tips that will help you avoid interview “deal breakers” and ensure that you make a great impression.

Do the Research

Photo by bpsusf on flickr.com

Many interviewers will ask you about their company and why you want to work there. With the abundance of online information sources, there’s no excuse for not having intelligent answers for these questions. Before the interview, use every possible resource to research the company. Visit the company website to learn about products and services, executive officers and history. Become familiar with recent industry news and developments. But be prepared to talk about the company without sounding like you memorized your responses.

Be Prepared

Your appearance and demeanor will determine the first impression that you make on an interviewer. Avoid unnecessary anxiety and remain calm on the day of the interview by finding out exactly where you’re going and how to get there ahead of time. Plan to dress in a manner that is appropriate for the job or slightly more formal. In general, business casual or business formal are the best choices for an interview. Many hi-tech jobs allow employees to show up in shorts and T-shirts, but wait until you get the job before you break out your casual clothes!

Ask the Right Questions

You can impress the interviewer by asking the right questions. Ask for a description of the job, the responsibilities it entails and the path for advancement. Find out if you will be working directly with customers, if travel is involved and how many hours you would be expected to work per week. You can also ask questions about the department you would be working in and who your manager will be. Don’t ask about salary and benefits in the interview; those questions are more appropriate after you’ve been offered a position with the company.

Be Engaging but Don’t Dominate

During an interview, you need to walk a fine line between being engaging and dominating the conversation. Being too passive and answering questions with simple answers sends the message that you’re not interested in the job or won’t bring positive energy to the workplace. On the other hand, dominating the conversation during the interview can create the impression that you’re not a team player. Strive to strike a balance between answering and asking questions.

Wrapping it Up

As the interview ends, make sure all your important questions have been answered and that you’ve let the interviewer know your strengths, skills and experience. Ask the interviewer about the next steps in the hiring process and find out when you can expect a decision. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you and follow up with a thank you note or email. Mention that you enjoyed meeting them, thank them for their time and let them know that you look forward to hearing from them soon.

Harrison Kratz is the community manager for MBA@UNC, one of the nation’s leading online MBA programs from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which also offers a variety of executive MBA programs. Harrison also sticks to his entrepreneurial roots as the founder of the global social good campaign, Tweet Drive.

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