How do I prepare for an interview ... ?
INTERVIEW FOR SUCCESS

To help you more successfully discuss your features, accomplishments, and benefits, think of your upcoming interview as a meeting and an opportunity for others to get to know you better. All you need is a little mental preparation.

Here are tips and suggestions to make your meetings easier
by Jack Bourque, President, Wireless Careers, Inc.

Tips To Build Confidence And Enhance Your Answers To Questions

1. Prepare yourself before the interview with a coach
   Visualize the experience
    
   
2. Try to predict and anticipate questions you may be asked - Don't act surprised - act prepared!
   · Why do you want to leave your present position?
   · What do you really want to do?
   · What's right with what you have?
   · What's wrong with what you have?
    
   
3. If you need time to think before giving an answer -
   · Begin with a generalization - or -
   · Begin by rephrasing the question - then move quickly to your answer
    
   
4. Relax, pause, concentrate, and gather your thoughts -
   · Take a breath, think, then speak; stay calm
    
   
5. Decide quickly what you want to talk about -
   · Commit yourself to that choice
   · Don't change topics or opinions in mid-answer
   · Give 2 or 3 examples of supporting evidence
   · Don't get off the subject; ask involvement questions like -
   "Would you like further explanation of that, or would you prefer to go on to another area?"
   · LEAVE THEM WANTING MORE!
    
   
6. Make eye contact - Focus on person(s) with whom you're speaking
    
   
7. Use one of the following suggested outlines when giving your response - Think, then talk

Suggestions of outlines to use when answering questions

When you have a mental outline to follow, you can talk comfortably. The following outlines are organizational tools that will help you arrange your thoughts and answers. Use the one that works best for you, depending on the question asked.

1. Don't answer hypothetical questions with hypothetical answers - use a similar situation. "This is why it's similar…. This is what I did…. This was the result…."
    
   
2. Break a problem or situation into its components and discuss each one in relation to the position being sought.
    
   
3. Preview, detail, and then summarize your answer. For example: "My strengths, as I see them, are in 3 major areas. They are 1, 2, 3. The 1st one…. The 2nd one…. The 3rd one…."
    
   
4. State a problem you encountered-show its causes-and then talk about how you resolved it.
    
   
5. Describe a process of problem solving by showing examples of similar activity in which you have been involved.
    
   
6. Remember to use - P * R * E * P -
   · give your Point of view
   · give your Reasons
   · show specific Examples
   · restate your Point of view

We all believe we can meet the requirements of the position for which we are interviewing. But the truth is that realistic hiring decisions, especially where there are multiple candidates, are not made on what you think you'll be able to do for the person with whom you are meeting --

The decision to choose you is usually made on how quickly the hiring authority believes you'll be able to transfer your knowledge and experiences to this new responsibility.

The question in the mind of all hiring managers is:
"Can you help me solve my problems?"

The better you know what the problems or job responsibilities are, and the better you provide a clear picture of how you can solve those perceived problems and meet the job responsibilities, the more likely you'll become the candidate of choice and get the job offer.