Friday, July 3, 2009

Abe's Guide to a Good Job Interview





















I'm a damn good interviewee, and I know this. I know what to do, what to say, and how to act.
Always always always shake the interviewers hand firmly and look them in the eye. And for God's sake don't give them a cold hand! If you have to sit on your hand to warm it up, do so as you wait! A firm handshake demonstraits confidence, and that's always a good mood to set.

Always answer questions honestly. People know if you are lying. Did you know that you normally look downward when you are lying, and upward when you are trying to think of a truthful answer. It's true! And pretty interesting too. Body language is very interesting to me.

Speak loudly and with purpose. My sinuses are all clogged up right now, but you don't want to yell. Just show confidence and look the interviewer in the eye when you are speaking and when they are asking questions.

Always bring 2 copies of your resume and 2 copies of your references. This will show them that you always bring back-up copies for good measure.

Dress confidently. You don't necessarily need to wear a suit, especially in the heat of summer. Wear a nice button down shirt, and nice slacks. Men should not wear earrings, necklaces, or rings. This shows the interviewer that you may be too casual.
Women should wear a nice skirt or dress that comes just above the knees. No mini skirts! Mini skirts might show them that you are a slut and you don't want that for sure! Always wear nice shoes that are shined and not dingy or dirty, my big pet peeve. Women should wear heels or flats. And no sandals or flipflops for crying out loud!

I believe black and white are the best colors for interviewing. I usually wear a black shirt with white or khaki slacks. Don't wear pink, purple, or red. You will blind the interviewer! Burgundy would be ok, I think.

I hope these skills will inspire confidence, purpose, and professionalism in your interviewer, and good luck with getting the position!

2 comments:

Subway Gal said...

I don't know, Abe. I think sometimes you just have to lie. For instance, when the interviewer asks you what you make at your current job, you always say a few thou higher than what it actually is so that you can score an even higher salary at your next job ;)

amyv said...

LOL dunno Abe - I wore a purple button-down shirt and a suit (knee length skirt, mostly because I bought it on short notice and had no time to have pants hemmed, which is a must b/c I'm so short!) to my Lakota interview...especially in creative industries it's important to show some personality with a confident color choice. You can really never go wrong wearing a suit - it covers your bases for the interviewer's expectations and even if it's way too dressy for the job, it shows an unimpeachable level of respect and effort. Otherwise good stuff!