The last step, yet the most important, of the job application-hiring process is the interview. Once the employer informs you that you are scheduled for an interview, a lot of preparation has to be made. You have to prepare so that the company must choose you among 10, 20, or even 100 or so candidates. You then, must convince the interviewer that you would be an asset to the company.

What you need

A successful job interview requires two factors-physical and mental. To impress the interviewer, you must be able to answer all the questions without hesitation. This is mental ability. Your physical appearance, as complement to your mental ability, will be a big factor in the final determination of your recruitment. To guarantee the success, you have to merge these two factors. Merging your mental ability and physical presentation will help you project a professional, competent and enthusiastic image.

What to do before the interview

Several steps are needed if you want your very first job interview be a passport to your first job. These are the following:

First, know the company. Get a copy of company brochures or research the company on the Internet. Some of the information that you might need to know include the size of the company, its structure, types of clients, product line or service, and who are its competitors. These information will communicate your interest in working with them. These information will also help you show to them how your background will help in meeting the company's objectives.

It is also advisable for you to research the salary range of the position or the field that you are applying for. Also, do a research on the company's pay structure. This will be particularly helpful in case the interviewer brings up the topic on salary.

Second, know yourself. Review your resume. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses. Know exactly what you want to say and do not want to say during the interview. Think in terms of the value that you can add to the company. This will give you a focus.

Next, prepare yourself. Know the name of the individual/s with whom you are to meet. Know exactly how to get to the venue of the interview and be prepared to arrive early and, probably, stay late. Prepare to bring materials such as samples of your work and transcripts. These will serve as concrete examples of your capabilities. You must, however, be prepared to tell them about your samples since the interviewer may not read or look at the whole thing during the interview nor they will know their worth if you will not tell them relevant information about them. Also, do not forget to bring copies of your resume and a list of references.

To avoid stressful moments and dead air, know the possible questions that the interviewer would ask. Write out practice answers to those questions. Give only what is asked for. Do not solicit negative information about you. In addition, to keep you from stress, think of the worst questions that you could be asked about your experience and abilities. Prepare positive responses. To be more impressive, prepare questions of your own. The interviewer will react favorably if you ask intelligent questions about the company and the position that you are applying for.

To help you practice your answers to possible questions and to improve your interviewing presentation, go through a mock interview. This will especially be helpful if you do it with someone who can give constructive feedback.

To match your mental capabilities, project the image of confidence and success with proper grooming and by dressing appropriately. Wear something plain, clean and conservative. Your shoes should be polished since some interviewers operate on the assumption that those who pay attention to small details like their shoes are also likely to be diligent in their work. Clean hair (styled conservatively) and nails are essential. Excessive make-up, jewelry and cologne are possible negatives.

What to do during the interview

Now that you're armed with the confidence and appropriate skills and attitude, you are ready to build a rapport with the interviewer. Both verbal and non-verbal behaviors contribute in building rapport. Research has shown that in an initial face-to-face meeting, a person sends 55% of his messages through body language, 38% through his/her voice tone, and only 7% through his/her words (J. Meluch, University of Richmonde Management Institute, May 1997 in www.job-interview.com).

You should, therefore, maintain eye contact; control your nervous habits and practices by maintaining a well-balanced posture; use your hands in a relaxed way for a little animation; convey sincerity and interest through your facial expression; and, modulate your voice tone by making it firm, warm and relaxed. Listen carefully!

For the verbal behavior, it will be helpful if you use active verbs, back your statements with concrete examples and answer the questions concisely and completely. It is advisable to initiate a dialogue by asking questions in your prepared list that are related to the current topic. Avoid yes/no answers for they will close the conversation. At the end of the interview, ask the interviewer for the next contact. A good question would be, "When may I expect to hear from you?"

What to do after the interview

After the interview, send a follow up letter to thank the interviewer for his/her time and to reemphasize your interest in the position. Unless it is urgent to fill in the position, it is usually best not to accept a job offer on the spot. Instead, you may state your interest and appreciation for the offer and request a reasonable time to consider it (e.g. 1 week). If, on the other hand, you failed to get the job, you may want to ask the interviewer for constructive criticisms and recommendations for future interviews. You, too, should try to figure out the possible problem/s and seek for improvement.

Do you really want that job?

The process may be tough but if you are determined to get that dream job of yours, then you should not procrastinate on these important steps. You do not want to turn out sloppy on your interview, do you?

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