How to pass a job interview. What is your work experience? How to behave during an interview

Date of writing: 16.04.2022

Reading time: 43 minutes

How to behave in an interview? What questions are asked at the interview and what are the most correct answers to them? How to properly prepare for a job?

Hello dear readers! Alexander Berezhnov, one of the authors of the HiterBober.ru business magazine, is with you and is our guest today Ksenia Borodina - recruitment specialist, psychologist.

Ksenia has already conducted hundreds of interviews and knows all the intricacies of this important event. Our guest will share the tricks and secrets of practicing HR specialists and give effective recommendations to job seekers.

In one of the previous articles, we talked in detail about . And now we have come to the logical continuation of the topic - the interview.

1. What is an interview and in what form does it take place

Xenia, I salute you. I propose to start with the most important. Tell us, please, what is an interview, how is it carried out and what types of interviews exist? This is necessary so that our readers understand where they have to go and what to expect, since for some of them this will be the first experience of getting a job.

Hi Sasha. Let's start with a definition.

Interview- This dating process a job seeker and a potential employer (his representative), as a result of which 2 parties want to receive the necessary information about how they fit each other.

There are several types of it.

For example, the number of participants distinguish between individual and group interviews.

Individual interview. It takes place one on one, where the employer or his representative on the one hand and the applicant on the other participate.
Group interview. As a rule, it is carried out by a professional recruiter (recruitment specialist) from a company in need of personnel, with a group of potential applicants for a vacancy. Group interviews are most often conducted for mass vacancies in companies, for example, for the position of "sales manager".

Interviews can also be divided according to the number of decision-making "instances". According to this principle, they are divided into single-level and multilevel.

As a rule, for executive positions that do not require a high level of training and great responsibility, applicants go through one interviewer. Such interviews are called single-level, that is, they involve a conversation with one person.

If you want to get the position of a sales assistant in a household appliance store, then more often you will be interviewed by the director of the store, where your further employment is expected. This is an example of a one-level interview.

Multilevel interviews involve the acquaintance of the applicant with representatives of several leadership levels.

For example, if you are applying for the position of a marketing specialist in such a large company as Coca-Cola, then you will be interviewed by the head of the regional branch, the head of the marketing department of the company's plant and the director of this plant.

Sometimes multi-level interviews are held in person with each "level", and sometimes communication with the candidate is carried out remotely.

Thanks to the development of modern means of communication, some managers prefer to conduct interviews via Skype (less often by phone).

This is especially true in cases where the applicant is looking for a job with the prospect of moving to another region or even another country.

The interview process itself is often stressful for the candidate. Indeed, as a rule, a person sends his resume to several organizations at once and receives an invitation to be interviewed, sometimes on the same day with an interval of several hours.

And each such meeting, where you need to competently present yourself, requires both physical and emotional effort.

2. Stages of passing the interview

Ksenia, I think that now our readers have got an idea about the interview as a process and its features, and now I propose to talk about the stages that the applicant goes through in the interview process and the features of each of them.

Indeed, the entire process of passing the interview can be conditionally divided into 4 stages:

Telephone conversation;
Preparing for the meeting;
Interview;
Summarizing.

Each of them has its own characteristics, which you need to talk about so that you, as an applicant, go through each of the stages as efficiently as possible and get the position you are applying for.

Stage 1. Telephone conversation

This is the first stage of direct communication with a representative of the company in which you are applying for a job. Usually it is a consequence of sending your resume to this company.

If the company is more or less large, then in most cases the employee responsible for recruiting will call you.

When talking to him, be polite, and also remember his (her) name and preferably position. Next, specify exactly where you need to come, (address) and at what time. Also specify a contact phone number for communication.

If you need to take something with you, for example, a passport, a document on education or a portfolio, then the recruiter will tell you about it during a telephone conversation.

Stage 2. Preparing for the meeting

At this stage, I recommend that you imagine your future interview with a potential employer and "live" it. This will be especially true for people who are afraid of the interview itself or they have a fear of failing a meeting with a recruiter.

To tune in to the process and overcome possible fears, I suggest you do the exercise "Meeting with the President". This is done before the interview.

Imagine that you have been invited to the Kremlin and are now sitting at a meeting with the president of the country. The video cameras of the leading TV channels are directed at you and a bunch of journalists are recording everything you say.
Try to imagine yourself in this situation and get used to this role. Think about what you will ask the president and what you want to tell him. What questions he will ask you and how you will publicly answer them.
To do this exercise, stay alone so that no one distracts you and imagine such a meeting in detail for 7-15 minutes.

Then go to your interview. After such a "visualization" you are guaranteed to be easier to pass it. After all, you have already experienced the most “terrible” interview in your life.

A few more words about preparation.

Preparing for an interview includes 3 important points:

Preparation of self-presentation and its rehearsal;
Preparation of a portfolio (awards, articles about you), works and examples confirming your competence for this vacant position;
Rest and further entry into the "resource state". This term refers to your working state in which you are as focused and productive as possible.

Stage 3. Interview

To understand in detail how to pass a job interview, you need to be prepared for different nuances.

For example, very often a specialist who conducts a conversation with you will ask you questions and offer to complete small buildings (cases).

case- this is modeling (analysis) of a problematic or non-standard situation and ways to solve it by a candidate (applicant).

Suppose you are applying for the position of sales representative or sales manager.

To test your erudition, stress resistance, creative thinking and professional knowledge, a recruiting specialist will give you cases for analysis.

Case example:

Recruiter : You are on your way to meet an important client. Major negotiations that you have to conduct, if successful, can bring you a monthly income level and a promotion. Suddenly, your car breaks down in the middle of the road. Your actions?
You: I will get out of the car and try to get a taxi or passing transport to the meeting point with the client.
Recruiter : You were driving through a back road far from the city, there is no passing transport.
You: I will look on the navigator where I am and call a taxi to this place.
Recruiter : You do not have a navigator and your phone is dead.
You: I will try to fix the car breakdown by myself and then continue driving.

And so your recruiter can "drive" you, each time complicating the conditions in which you find yourself.

As I understand it, this is done in order to see if such a force majeure will lead you into a stupor and what exit options will you offer (savvy test)?

Sasha is absolutely right. Also, the HR specialist in this case wants to see how long you will try to find a way out of this situation (testing your perseverance).

One of the very popular cases is called "selling a pen." It is used mainly in sales interviews, but sometimes HR people play similar games with candidates for other positions.

Stage 4. Summing up

If at the meeting you were confident and clearly answered all the questions of the HR specialist, then you will have a great chance of getting the desired job.

At the end of the interview, you will be told how long you will receive an answer if you are hired. If you are going through a multi-level interview, then wait for an answer about passing the next stage.

I usually say this:
If I don't call you back by such and such a time, it means that we have made a decision in favor of another candidate.

You can also ask the recruiter yourself when exactly to expect the result of the interview and in what form it will be.

Now, if I get a job, I will definitely work out possible cases. Ksenia, I am sure that our readers will be interested to know how to behave in an interview and what can confuse an HR specialist in the behavior or appearance of a job seeker?

Sasha, indeed, should understand that the higher and more responsible the position for which a potential employee applies, the more requirements are placed on him.

Let me give you a few general key points from my practice that all candidates, without exception, should take into account when passing a job interview.

Accuracy and neatness. This applies not only to the appearance, but also to your condition in general. Never come to an interview drunk, after a "stormy rest" or a sleepless night. In the eyes of a recruiter, you will immediately earn the status of a "reveler", and with it the rest of the interview's relevance will be called into question.
Friendly and good manners. Whatever position you apply for, good manners and adequate behavior will definitely add points to you. Find out the name of your interlocutor and address him by name. Moreover, it is worth addressing exactly as he introduced himself. For example, if a recruiter said that his name is Ivan, then call him “You”. “Ivan, you said that ...” If he gave his name and patronymic, then this is exactly how you should address your interlocutor.
Proficiency in professional terminology. You will definitely like a recruiter if without abusing terms, use them 3-4 times during your interview, and also explain how you use (used) these terms in practice. For example, if you say that at your previous job you were able to increase sales by 30% per month, thanks to an increase in conversion, after analyzing the number of incoming calls and the size of the average bill, then this will count as a plus.
General level of erudition. Also, a couple of times in the topic, you can mention famous books that you read or seminars in your specialty that you attended during the year. Recruiters pay attention to the craving for knowledge and the desire of a person for self-education. This is especially important if you are applying for management or "intellectual" positions in the company.

In a word, you need to "sell" yourself and show your best side. Moreover, this must be done both from a professional point of view and from the point of view of general human values and rules. If you want to get a job, it is important to correctly and clearly answer the questions of an HR specialist.

4. Interview questions and answers

I heard that there are a number of questions that almost all recruiters ask job seekers. Ksyusha, can you give some examples and good answers to them?

Oh sure.

In addition to the cases that you will be given at the interview, in order to successfully pass it, you will need to answer a number of tricky questions. They are also chosen by your recruiter for a reason.

After all, the decision to enroll you to work depends on how you answer them.

Interview questions and correct answers:

Tell us about yourself. It would seem a simple task, but for many people it is at this moment that a stupor begins: “mooing” or “nuking”. Here you must present yourself from the best side within the vacancy for which you are applying. Briefly describe your education, work experience and achievements that distinguish you as a specialist. Speak clearly, without excess water and philosophizing.
Why did you leave your previous job? Tell us here about your motivation "to", that is, that you are striving for development and new opportunities in work that you currently see in this position. Don't use the "from" motivation key, that is, "I ran away from bad conditions, low pay, and a rotting team." In no case do not scold the previous place of work and your former boss. After all, any person, including your interlocutor, will think that if you change jobs in the future, you will also speak negatively about his company.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years or your plans for the long term? The best answer here is that you associate your professional future with this particular company. This way you will form an impression of yourself as an interested employee who is ready to devote a large amount of time to this work. After all, nowhere is the “turnover” of personnel welcomed.
Do you have weaknesses (shortcomings)? If yes, please name 3 of them. By asking this question, the recruiter wants to understand your level of maturity. A person who says that I do not see shortcomings in myself or will think for a long time how to answer this question will lose points in the eyes of the personnel specialist. Do not answer like this: “My shortcomings: often late, conflict with colleagues (management), lazy.” It’s best to say here that you are a “workaholic”, that is, you like to go headlong into work, and this is not always right, a “perfectionist” - strive for perfection in everything and because of this, sometimes you lose speed. And your third drawback is the desire to establish good relations with everyone. And sometimes you are too kind to subordinates, because you do not want to punish them for the inadequate quality of the work performed.
List your strengths. Describe your real strengths that are directly applicable to the job you are applying for and give examples with facts and figures. For example: “I believe that one of my strengths is the ability to think in numbers. At a previous job, I analyzed the sales funnel, identified patterns and, based on this, developed a new sales model that brought the company additional 500 000 rubles or 15 % for the first month of implementing my marketing model.”
Did you make mistakes at your previous job? Which? Here honestly tell me exactly what mistakes you had. But the most important thing is that they are not fatal and be sure to supplement the answer to this question with the fact that you yourself corrected them. For example, you wrote the wrong mobile phone to the client and he returned to the store to exchange it. And you managed not only to avoid a conflict situation, but also to sell him additional accessories for the purchased mobile device.
What level of compensation (salary) do you expect? Here you should objectively assess your competencies, say how much you want to receive and justify the benefit of the employer company if it makes its choice in favor of you as an employee. Also analyze the level of salaries offered by similar companies for similar vacancies.
How did you hear about our company? Usually this question is asked by the employer's representative in order to find out which channel for searching for candidates is working. This question is not tricky, rather it is simply informational and is aimed at optimizing the search for personnel for this organization. Just answer as it is, for example, you found out about a vacancy on your company's website.

In addition to answering common questions, I have compiled a table to show which key criteria are important for a candidate and how they are confirmed.

A visual table of the main criteria for evaluating a candidate at an interview

The first column contains the evaluation criterion, and the second - indirect evidence that the candidate has this criterion.

№	Candidate Quality	Proof
1	Honesty	Ability to be honest about your shortcomings with examples
2	Level of professional competencies	Examples of measurable achievements in the previous job, availability of awards and portfolio
3	Resilience and will	Manifestation of calmness when analyzing cases
4	Tact	Polite tone, soft gestures, open posture
5	Creativity	Quick and non-standard answers to tricky recruiter questions
6	General literacy rate	Correct speech, use of terms

5. How to pass a job interview - 7 main rules

That is, as I understand it, an interview is a rather creative process and there are no clear standards in its conduct, or is everything here individually?

Quite right, Sasha. Every HR professional approaches the interview process differently. There are recruiters who simply technically "drive" the candidate through the list of questions, determining his prof. fitness.

I do it a little differently. That is, I approach the interview process individually for each applicant. I try not only to classify him according to the “suitable / not suitable” principle as a specialist, but also to determine his psychological type, motivation features and internal potential.

It's great, you can see that you really love what you do. Ksenia, let's now move on to the most important part of our interview and talk about what rules a candidate needs to follow throughout the interview from beginning to end in order to maximize the chances of getting the desired job?

If you have to be interviewed, then follow the following rules and then your interview will certainly open the way for you to career and financial opportunities in a new job.

Rule 1. Find out everything about a potential employer

This is the first and very important stage of preparation.

First of all, this information will help you find out who you are going to work with for a long time (perhaps several years). Open the Internet, the print press and see what exactly sets your potential employer apart from other companies. Perhaps this is the introduction of innovations, working conditions or methods of promotion (marketing).
Secondly, all the data and facts you have learned about a potential employer will help you in your interview. In the process of passing the interview, compliment the company, show off the knowledge of the facts about it. All this will have a positive impact on the final decision on your candidacy.

What you need to know about the company you are applying for:

History of creation and leadership. When it appeared - the year of foundation. Who is the leader now, and who was at the helm earlier. What are the features of the style of business management and what is the life philosophy of the top management. Also find out what the corporate identity and logo of the company symbolizes and what its corporate culture is. What values underpin the organization.
Main directions of activity. What this organization produces or sells, and perhaps it provides services. What is their feature? Why did she choose this particular market segment?
Features of doing business. Does the company have competitors and who are they? What is the scale of the organization's business, in what territory (city, region, country or international format company). How does seasonality and other factors affect the success of the company. How many employees work in it and what is their organizational structure.
Achievements and important corporate events. Perhaps the organization has recently won a competition or opened a new office. This information will also be useful for a comprehensive understanding of the current affairs of the company.
Facts and figures. What is the market share of the company in its segment and its financial performance: revenue, growth rate, number of clients and open offices.

Having comprehensive information about all the features of the future employer, you will certainly get advantages over other applicants.

Rule 2. We prepare a self-presentation and rehearse it

When you find yourself at an interview, in most cases you will be asked to tell about yourself. As I said earlier, it is this request that confuses many applicants.

So that this does not come as a surprise to you, you need to prepare in advance.

self-presentation- this is a short and capacious story about yourself in the context of the vacancy for which you are applying.

I emphasize that specifically in the context of a specific vacancy. That is, the emphasis in the story about yourself should be done on those qualities, experience and knowledge that will help you solve problems in the framework of your future work.

For example, if you are applying for a job as a sales manager, then as part of your self-presentation, tell us what recent sales courses you took, what experience you have in this area. Maybe you are so passionate about this topic that you have created your own website on it or a “club of successful sellers” in your city.

If you have an education that will help you in such work, for example, in the specialties: marketing, advertising, PR, then focus on this. If you have a construction or medical education, then simply say that you have a secondary or higher education, without indicating its profile.

It would be advisable to name the direction of education if you will sell goods in a similar industry as part of the profession "sales manager".

For example, if you get a job in a trading company selling building materials, then a construction education will be an advantage in your situation.

You should not focus on your hobby in your self-presentation, unless it will positively affect the results of your work.

How to prepare your presentation for an interview

Conditionally break your entire presentation into several blocks.

For example, your self-presentation may consist of 4 main parts, interconnected in meaning:

Education and professional experience.
Your achievements with facts and figures.
The benefits of working with you for the employer.
Your professional plans for the future.

Once you've mapped out your presentation, it's time to rehearse it.

To begin with, say all the theses that you plan to voice to the personnel specialist at the interview.

Then sit in front of a mirror and look at yourself, say everything that you have prepared, based on your plan. Most likely the first time you forget something or start to stumble. Then your task is to bring your story to the ideal and imagine that you are now at the upcoming meeting and tell about your beloved.

Fact
Many people have a psychological barrier when it comes to presenting themselves in the best possible light.

Rule 3. We observe the appropriate "dress code"

As a rule, certain professions require a special style of clothing. So, if you are applying for an office vacancy, then your appearance at the interview should be appropriate.

For men a light-colored shirt and dark-colored trousers or jeans are suitable.
For girls it can be a blouse, a skirt of sufficient length and shoes with low heels.

If your future job involves active interaction with people in person, then in this case the requirements for your style of clothing will be especially high.

The exception to the rule is only "creative" professions. For example, a designer or photographer can afford to come to an interview in an extravagant outfit. In this case, your clothing style will emphasize a non-standard approach to solving creative problems.

In all other cases, "classic" and business style is your win-win!

Also, in addition to the main style of clothing, the presence of accessories is welcome.

Accessories may include:

wrist watch;
tie;
decoration;
stylish notepad;
pen;
bag (purse).

Rule 4. Taking written notes during the meeting

An indicator of the general level of preparation of the candidate for the recruiter is the presence of the first notebook and pen. If you make notes to yourself during the interview, then first of all it will be very convenient for you. Indeed, at the end, based on your notes, you can ask clarifying questions or ask for clarification of the details of employment and other conditions for future work.

By the end of the meeting, you will have everything in full view. This is especially useful if you are doing multiple interviews at different companies so that you can then compare working conditions in different organizations and make an informed decision.

It is also necessary to take notes if you are going through a multi-level interview. Keeping the main points on paper will help you remember what was discussed at the meeting and better prepare for the next stages of the interview.

Rule 5. Make a list of questions for the recruiter

Typically, at the end of the meeting, your interviewer will ask if you have any questions for him. To do this, think in advance what you would like to know more.

You can write some questions for the recruiter at home in advance, and write some down right at the meeting in the form of notes. To do this, you must have a notepad and pen with you.

Take care in advance that your notebook is of the proper aesthetic appearance. This means that if it is a “worn out” pack of yellowed sheets in which “fish was wrapped”, then this will characterize you as a sloppy potential employee.

Everything should be harmonious - this is an important principle for a successful interview.

Rule 6. Behave confidently and naturally in an interview

Do not try to “put on a mask”, be not yourself, or overly please your interlocutor. Unnatural behavior is easy to read by a person. Your facial expressions, gestures and style of conversation will involuntarily bring you to clean water.

It is better to go the other way in order to achieve a positive result. Follow the elementary rules of good manners, be polite and tactful.

Do not interrupt the interviewer, speak calmly, but with some enthusiasm in your head.

You should intuitively understand where and what is appropriate to say. After all, an interview is a process of mutual decision-making on the cooperation of two parties: you and the employer.

Rule 7. We ask when and in what form the results will be announced to you

I hope that using these simple rules, you will easily pass a job interview. At the end of the meeting, find out when and in what form to expect an answer about the results of the interview.

Simply put, how do you know if you've been hired or not?

Usually the recruiter himself will tell you at the end that the answer will be on such and such a day, for example, before 18 pm.

I tell my applicants that if I don't call you by 18:00 on such and such a day, for example, September 26, it means that you did not pass the interview.

Calling and personally telling everyone that their candidacy for this position was rejected is usually too troublesome.

Here's the rule at work:
“We called - congratulations, you have been hired! They didn’t call - your candidacy did not pass. ”

6. 5 Common Job Interview Mistakes

If you want to successfully pass a job interview and do it without “noise and dust”, then you should avoid the mistakes that I will discuss next.

This is what most applicants do, and because of simple ignorance of elementary things, they fail, losing the opportunity to make a long-awaited career.

Mistake 1. Fear of an interview or “schoolboy” syndrome

Once again I repeat that the interview is a process of mutual choice and both parties are equal participants in this process.

Some job seekers come to a meeting and their hands are shaking, their palms are sweating, their voice is trembling. It is this behavior that is typical for students and schoolchildren when passing the exam. They seem to be in the position of a rabbit, which the boa constrictor is looking at.

You don't have to be afraid of the interview.

It is a big mistake to think that now an evil uncle or aunt will torment you. Indeed, as a rule, a personnel specialist who has been entrusted with hiring a person is a benevolent and attentive person whose goal is to find that very “gold bar” in a pile of ore and clay.

If you shine like gold with your talents, competent speech and show real examples of achievements and your competencies at the interview, then do not hesitate, you will be hired for this job!

Mistake 2. Passing an interview without preparation

In almost every previous block of our interview, I talked about the importance of preparation before the interview.

Don't neglect this rule.

Impromptu is good in many situations, but not at the time of the interview. And as many people know, the best impromptu is impromptu prepared.

Follow all the above rules and the consequences of this mistake will not affect you.

Mistake 3. Excessive heart-to-heart talk with a recruiter

Sometimes applicants get so carried away during the interview process that they deviate from the main topic and begin to “pour out their souls” to the personnel specialist.

This mistake is often found just among inexperienced applicants or candidates for lower technical positions, such as a loader, storekeeper, worker, and so on.

As a rule, among more prepared applicants applying for more responsible positions in the company, this mistake does not occur.

But still remember that you should not deviate from the topic if you want to get a job in a good organization and enjoy the well-deserved respect there.

Mistake 4. Poor health and stress as a factor in failure

Anything can happen in life, and if you have an interview scheduled for 10 am tomorrow, and you feel bad or something serious happened to you that completely unsettled you, try to reschedule the meeting. In this case, notify the employer's representative by phone in advance.

After all, anything can happen: a child gets sick and you need to go to the hospital, a relative got into an accident, or you simply got poisoned by stale food.

Don't go to an interview depressed, in a bad mood, or not feeling well.

Mistake 5. Tactlessness, defiant behavior

Some job seekers are like tanks and turn the interview into a show, demonstrating not their best qualities. Those who like to argue with the interlocutor will definitely not get the desired job.

If a person behaves tactlessly and disrespectfully towards the partner side, then this immediately characterizes him as a brawler and potentially unsuitable employee.

As the cat Leopold said in the famous cartoon: "Guys, let's live together!".

So, you need to make friends with your interlocutor.

After the meeting, the representative of your employer should have an impression of you both as a good specialist in your field and as a pleasant and cultured person.

Don't Make These 5 Common Mistakes and Success is Guaranteed!

7. Illustrative video examples of how to successfully pass an interview from the TV channel "Success" in the program "Personnel decide"

Here I want to give you some real examples of interviews with expert comments.

Be sure to watch them, because from the outside it is much easier to analyze the strengths of some applicants and the mistakes they make.

1) Interview for the position of sales manager of corporate tours:

2) Interview for the position of assistant manager:

3) Interview for the position of TOP manager:

You can find other episodes of this show on YouTube. It is possible that among them there will be an analysis of the case of the vacancy for which you are applying.

8. Conclusion

Xenia, thank you very much for such detailed answers. I hope that now it will be much easier for our readers to pass an interview for a job.

Prepare for the interview ahead of time;
At the meeting, behave naturally and do not worry;
Follow the rules of the dress code;
Be optimistic and friendly with the interlocutor.

Alexander, thank you for inviting me. I hope we will continue to cooperate.

I wish you all good luck and career growth!

Sometimes the interview can seem quite intimidating, nevertheless, quite ordinary people communicate with you. This means that they are affected by the same psychological principles as the rest. Simple tips will help you improve your behavior and make a better impression. If you really need a job but don't know how to get one, these tips will help you figure out how to connect with other people and increase your chances of getting a job.

Schedule an interview for Tuesday morning

According to research, the perfect moment is the one that suits the interviewer, not you. Therefore, if you can choose the time yourself, suggest a meeting at ten-thirty on Tuesday. This will be a relatively relaxed moment for your interlocutor. Earlier meetings are inconvenient because the interviewer has just arrived at work and needs to deal with the day's business. In the evening, the moment is also unsuccessful, because the person will think more not about you, but about what he will do after work.

Do not come to the interview immediately after strong candidates

Research shows that recruiters form their opinion of each individual candidate based on who else was interviewing on the same day. According to some reports, people interviewed after several strong candidates scored lower than expected, and vice versa, those interviewed after weak candidates were rated higher. It is not clear if this is a subconscious phenomenon, or if people do it consciously, however, if you know the skill level of other candidates and can choose, try to come after the less qualified ones.

Choose the right outfit color

Different colors produce different impressions. Twenty-three percent of HR recommend blue, fifteen percent black. A quarter of respondents admit that the worst color is orange, it demonstrates unprofessionalism. Good shades in addition to black and blue are gray and white.

Match responses with the age of the interviewer

You can learn a lot about an interviewer and what they want to hear from you based on their age. Your behavior should be determined by what kind of person you are interviewing. If this is a young person, show your portfolio and demonstrate the ability to solve many problems at the same time. If this is a person between thirty and fifty, demonstrate creativity and the ability to combine work and life. If this is an older person, show diligence and respect for achievements. People of deep retirement age should show loyalty and dedication to work.

Keep your palms open

The movements of your hands affect the impression you make. If you show your palms, you show sincerity, and if you put your fingertips together, you show confidence. Do not fold your arms across your chest or tap your fingers on the table.

Find something in common with the interviewer

If you know what the person interviewing you is most interested in, try starting a conversation on that topic. There is a hypothesis according to which the similarity of interests causes sympathy in people.

Repeat HR gestures

There is a psychological phenomenon that demonstrates that people like each other more if they repeat each other's gestures. This should happen harmoniously and unobtrusively. If you don't show interest in his body language, you're showing that you don't know how to play in a team. If you repeat gestures after the interlocutor, he will not notice this, but he will feel sympathy for you.

Praise the company regardless of yourself

People who show liking for a company without trying to promote themselves are more likely to get hired. Such employees seem more suitable. This is how you show your enthusiasm.

Show confidence and restraint at the same time

To be successful in business, you need to be able to both compete and collaborate. If you show a willingness to give in, but are confident in yourself, you make the most positive impression.

Be honest about your weaknesses

The first impulse in response to a question about weaknesses will be to talk about something that can be perceived as a strength, for example, to report a tendency to perfectionism. However, recent research has shown that it turns people off. Better be honest. For example, admit that you can’t always organize everything perfectly. This will sound honest and will cause sympathy in the personnel officer.

Prepare to Feel More Confident

To feel more powerful, try to remember the moment when the responsibility was in your hands. This story will make a great impression.

Be expressive

If you want to appear smart, don't be too monotonous. If a person speaks quickly and clearly, with expressive intonation, he seems more energetic and intelligent.

Don't be too shy, look your interlocutor in the eye. People who are open and make eye contact are perceived as smarter than those who look away. Try to keep this in mind during the interview.

Be friendly but direct

If you are nervous, you will act less openly and directly, and speak more slowly. Try to be friendly, be confident, answer questions directly.

Showcase your potential

You may want to tell your interlocutor about all your past achievements, but it is better to focus on what you can achieve in the future. People pay more attention to inaccurate information because they want to deal with it. Therefore, talking about the future is more successful than talking about the past.

Prepare for tough questions

Be sure to prepare for questions you don't feel like answering. For example, consider how you would respond if asked about your reaction to being fired. The answer should be calm and positive.

Don't smile too much

You don't have to frown all the time, but a big grin on your face won't do you any good either. Research suggests that smiling too much is not the key to success. This is especially true for serious positions where managerial skills are required from you. Smiling is considered positive in an interview only for vacancies of a salesperson or consultant.

Get enthusiastic

Research has shown that people who show energy and interest get jobs more often. If you show your enthusiasm, you increase the chance of being invited for a second interview.

Don't forget to have a short conversation before the interview.

If you're able to have a casual chat with someone before they start asking you serious questions, you'll make a great impression. People with this skill get jobs most often.

Do not repeat memorized phrases

Many people repeat traditional language in interviews, focusing on resumes. In fact, it's best to pause after a question and answer sincerely than to immediately respond with memorized phrases.

Ask why you were invited for an interview

This question may seem strange, but this tactic works. It allows you to grab the interviewer's attention and gives you useful information about what the employer liked about you.

Greetings, dear readers. I must say right away that this is not an ordinary article about how to find a job and pass interviews, which are full on the Internet, a little later I will tell you what originality is. Here I will not only talk about how to successfully pass a job interview, but I will also explain how not to sell too cheap and achieve the maximum salary for myself. In this series of articles, I will touch on how to prepare for an interview, how to correctly answer the most tricky questions of HR employees and. I will also explain how to be and not feel nervous during the interview.

This will be a whole cycle of Anti-HR materials devoted to this issue. While two articles are ready, these are “Anti-HR: How to successfully pass a job interview” (actually this article) and “Anti-HR: how to answer interview questions” later in this article I will give a link to it, as I recommend reading on order and start with this text.

What does it mean to be successful in an interview?

Effectively passing an interview, in my understanding, means not only getting a job offer from the company where you came to get a job. This also applies to choosing the right organization and position in which you plan to work, having previously assessed your desires and opportunities. It means get a job on the most favorable terms for yourself: salary, bonuses, social package and prospects. Work is an important part of our life, employment largely determines our future and present. I will tell you how to do it in such a way as to achieve the maximum useful effect in your job search and not make a mistake. I hope that the tips in this article will not only help you pass the interview and find a job you love, but, as a result, improve your life.

After all, this is a blog about self-development, and not about work, so I try to consider the issue broadly, within the context of your whole life, and not be limited to a dry listing of hackneyed advice to applicants. I approach this critically, somewhere I can allow myself more bold judgments than the format of articles about applying for a job requires.

Why are these articles called Anti-HR?

But the unusualness of this material is explained not only by this. The series of articles is called Anti-HR. Because these texts are not written on behalf of a professional employee of the personnel service, who, when creating recommendations for applicants, proceeds from his own interests, and they, in turn, express the goals of the organization that he represents. Therefore, I consider such recommendations not entirely fair.

HR will advise you to behave the way he wants you to behave. For example, they were honest and sincere. He does not want to be led by the nose, the right to cunning and roguery, he wants to leave only for himself. Therefore, in all these manuals, it is advised never to lie, for the reason that lies are supposedly always revealed. This is complete nonsense, firstly, the personnel service worker does not have a lie detector built into his head, and secondly, not all information can be verified. Meanwhile, without exaggerating one's merits and hiding some facts, it is sometimes difficult to achieve the desired job. I will talk a lot more about this in these articles.

I am narrating on behalf of the applicant, the one who is looking for a job himself, and does not accept new employees. And I will tell you how to achieve the best result for yourself, and not come to a miserable compromise, the balance of which will be shifted towards the interests of the corporation!

I, in search of the most suitable job, went through a lot of interviews, probably about fifty. At first, I was haunted by failures, because I was not confident in myself and had difficulty knowing what to say and how to position myself. But then, as I gained experience and knowledge, the presentation of myself began to bounce off my teeth and job offers began to pour in, among which I could already choose. In the end, I managed to find the job I was looking for. This article is the sum of my own interview experience and knowledge gained from recruitment books and information provided by HR themselves.

If you want to know what to say in an interview, the best thing to do is to read HR textbooks. From them you will learn a lot of information about the tactics of conducting an interview with the applicant, that is, with you. You will learn how a company representative determines your motivation, whether you are lying or telling the truth. But since I read these textbooks, you do not have to do this, I will outline the main provisions of them here and comment.

The material of the articles cannot be called concise, but it is still much less than all the textbooks on the relevant topics. I lost a lot of time on all these interviews, filled a bunch of cones and stepped on a lot of rakes. Only experience, trial and error, allowed me to draw the right conclusions on how to successfully pass a job interview, which I actually implemented, but it cost me hundreds of hours of my time. So it's better for you to spend some of your leisure time reading this article than to fill the same bumps. I assure you that this time will more than pay off, in the literal sense: it will pay off financially as well.

How to prepare yourself for an interview

So let's get started. Before giving advice on how to pass an interview, first I want to set you up in the right way. Without this, it will be more difficult and in this case I cannot guarantee the quality of the result. Here is what I want you to understand.

First: An interview is a negotiation, not an exam!

Think of the interview as negotiating a mutually beneficial agreement. No matter how pathos the employees of the company who communicate with you call the interview a “competition”, in an attempt to impose on you the idea of \u200b\u200bthis event as a tough selection among many talented applicants, each of which only wants to take this position. This is done so that you are more willing to make concessions if you receive a job offer (for example, you agree to a lower salary, because you are afraid that they will take another instead of you) and rejoice at only one fact of obtaining this position, like passing a difficult exam in conditions strong competition.

Understand it's hard to find a good employee no matter what they tell you about competitions. If it comes to that, then the interview is not only checking the company for you, you also look and check the company, which is very interested in smart specialists, and if something does not suit you, then this company does not pass your “competition”. This is a search for mutually beneficial conditions, remember this and set yourself up accordingly.

You don't have to agree to everything if you don't have to. Know your worth and do not lose dignity. The firm has yet to prove that it deserves an employee like you.

Of course, this pathos is not everywhere, it is mainly large international companies that are trying to play on their own behalf, and it is not a fact that working conditions and prospects are better there than elsewhere. This is also characteristic of a different scam. So if you have come somewhere, and you are constantly told about the “selection”, that you are among the ten applicants who were selected out of a hundred, you know this is a standard trick of all bred. Do not be fooled, after these words, get up and get out of there, you can even slam the door.

Second: Everyone deserves a good salary

You deserve a good, reasonable salary that meets your needs and current realities. Life is not the easiest now: providing yourself and your family with everything you need is not an easy task. In Russian families, both men and women often have to work to feed all family members. Food prices are not the smallest, but I’m not talking about the opportunity to purchase real estate, especially in the capital. You deserve a good salary so as not to live in poverty and not drown in loans. I'm not talking about all sorts of excesses, but about the normal, reasonable consumption of material goods.

If you get a full-time job, then you will not have the opportunity to work at a second job, so the level of compensation should cover your basic necessities of life! Keep that in mind and ask for more if possible. Don't be shy about it, corporations with large profits will not lose if they make an increase in your salary, but for you the extra capital will be a tangible increase in the budget.

But know that the fact that you deserve better does not mean that a potential employer shares this belief (organizations do not care about your problems and no one will pay you a lot, just because you need it). You are paid for what kind of employee you are or how you have shown yourself. You will still have to prove that you are worthy of a certain salary. You should not come to an interview with your nose up high and act like everyone owes you something. (but also do not shyly lower your nose, keep it straight))

You need to understand that when you go to an interview, you accept certain rules of the game. You should not deviate from these rules: it is better to play your chess game subtly and delicately, setting traps for your opponent, than just thoughtlessly scattering pieces around the board, ignoring the laws of the game.

So, now I can finally move on to the tactics of effectively passing an introductory interview when applying for a job.

Interview preparation and resume writing

Every interview starts with a resume. I will write a separate article about how to compose it, you can subscribe to my newsletter immediately below the article and receive a notification that such an article has appeared. I will touch on this only briefly here. Put the expected salary more than about one and a half times than your last one - you won’t lose, since there is a large spread in the amount of compensation on the market for the same positions. Different companies pay differently. You will lower it only when you understand that no one will give such money for sure and this is a real hopelessness.

Also, wait for the article on how to prepare for an interview, it will also appear soon, I promise not to delay its publication.

How much can I receive maximum?

Be sure to overestimate the salary at previous jobs (again, one and a half times), this will help us achieve a higher level of compensation in a new place. In the job application manuals that I found on the net, they advise not to do this in any case, since all this type can be checked. This is nonsense, they won’t check anything if you do everything right, in an article that I promise to publish soon (it will be called: how to achieve the highest possible salary at an interview), I’ll write how everything can be done carefully and why, stay tuned or subscribe .

Interview Questions

In this article, I will try to give general tips on how to successfully pass an interview. If you want to know, then click on the link.

We hold our hands on the table in front of us, we don’t need to pull something in them, we shouldn’t prop our face with our hands. Watch your posture. The back is straight, the line of the chin is parallel to the table. This is not only to portray dignity and confidence. When you constantly pay attention to how you sit, how you talk, it increases your alertness, you begin to feel like a race car driver feels a car that drives well. This increases the degree of self-control, you do not have to expect unpleasant surprises from yourself. As a result, your self-confidence grows and you are more calm.

Tip 2. Don't be nervous! Or at least pretend to be outwardly calm

If we start to get nervous, we try to stabilize our breathing, take deep breaths and exhale. If we can’t cope with nervousness in any way, use my advice from the article. It helps very well before the interview, she will make you calm and calm like a boa constrictor.

At the very least, we should never show the representative of the company that we are in a state of stress. Your concern may be telling HR about our mental instability, which may be incompatible with our future work. Therefore, even if we are very nervous, we try not to show it, we pretend to be completely calm. And the calmer we want to seem, the more we calm down, this acts on feedback principle: our feigned state becomes real, that's a fact.

We speak clearly and confidently. Look into the eyes. No, it certainly won't be good if you stare at HR like you're trying to hypnotize him, look away sometimes. But you don't have to keep them down all the time. I think this is the most obvious.

This is the most important point and success factor for passing the interview. Do not turn this process into an interrogation! Let this be a lively dialogue. Try to dilute the situation with jokes, witty remarks, response questions. HR conducts interviews every day, do you think he is not tired of them? He will be glad at least some dilution of the daily routine with a share of humor and communication. But here, of course, stick to the limits of reason, I think this is obvious.

It is especially important to create a dialogue in a conversation with a future leader (after all, this is not so much necessary with HR itself as it is necessary with your potential leader), he should like you. Here you should not be particularly brief, concise in your presentation: give real life examples, talk about situations at work, tell us about how your specialty is taught at institutes (if you recently graduated from it), this will be interesting to people of the old school. Smile and laugh at jokes. But everything should be organically woven into your presentation, not said without a reason, and you must always follow the measure. I hope this is understandable and goes to the discretion of everyone.

I repeat once again that this is very important and I began to pass interviews without difficulty, only after I began to adhere to this rule! Only then did I begin to have a choice of several offers from different companies, and did not have to agree to the only one that was offered.

This advice should not be taken literally. It refers to the fact that it can be hard to make a decision quickly like that on the fly. For example, everything suits you, but HR says that the office will move to the other end of the city in half a year and is interested in whether it suits you or not. Without thinking (after a theatrical pause), say, "yes, it's okay for me" (even if it's really far away from you).

We immediately agree with everything, which requires reflection, you do not have to talk about your final decision now. And then, in a calm atmosphere, you will think about everything. It may turn out that you did not take into account the absence of traffic jams on this route and that the road, in fact, will not take much time, and you will understand that this is not a critical factor. Or maybe stop at your original decision.

But it’s better if you are offered a job, and then you already think about accepting this offer or not, than if HR immediately puts an end to you, since you will not agree with some conditions at the interview. This gives you more freedom of choice. So feel free to agree with everything, then think about it.

Remember the phrase from American films about police officers? "Whatever you say will be used against you." Also in the interview, almost every HR question is an attempt to find out as much as possible about you and understand your ulterior motives. Try to look at yourself from the outside, understand what image you create with your behavior and manner of dialogue. Be sociable, but do not tell too much, only say what you want to hear. This is not a reason to withdraw into yourself and keep silent, this is an action aimed at enclosing your interview in a certain framework, without which, it will not understand what. But still, have a dialogue, you don't need to answer only in a dry and formal way, just follow the presentation and what you are saying.

You may have to hide something else at the interview, and frankly distort some information. I do not see anything wrong with this and I think that you have every moral right to do so. In the article I tried to consider this issue in great detail.

Why don't they call us back after the interview?

And finally. Don't be discouraged if you don't get a call back or they say no with some vague reasons why you didn't fit! It may not be your fault and it may not mean that you did not fit or performed poorly during the interview! There may be something else, I will share my assumption. This conclusion is in the nature of an assumption, albeit a rather logical and justified one, but I do not have accurate information on the account of the fact that it is 100% true. But still, I will express it, because I think that it makes sense.

Why don’t they call us back (although it would seem that we fit perfectly and don’t demand much). First, imagine how HR works. There is a job opening in a department. A list of duties and requirements is formed, on their basis the so-called “vacancy profile” is formed (here I can be inaccurate in terms, but I think I can convey the general principle). It reflects the features of this position and lists the qualities that a person who, in the opinion of the company, will ideally fit for this vacancy, should have. “There are no bad applicants, but only people who are not suitable for a certain position” - this is what HR says and it's true. For example, if a sales manager is hired, then they want to see in him a focus on the result (sale = result), rather than on the process, while, for example, the accountant is expected to be attracted by the process itself, less than result. All this should be reflected in the job profile.

After the profile is ready, it remains only to start searching for applicants and conduct interviews with them, which is what HRs do. After communicating with each applicant, they leave their notes and look at how much this or that interview participant corresponds to the profile of the vacancy. Thus, they compare and evaluate applicants. That is, their job is not only to interview you, but also to profile and evaluate you.

What happens when HR is young and inexperienced and needs to be trained? Or what should they do during the period when the company is not looking for employees for vacancies? Now you understand what I'm getting at? A non-existent vacancy is being created! A vacancy for which, anyway, no one will ever be hired! It is created only in order to train inexperienced HR or to fill the existing staff of the personnel department. Let them practice creating a profile, evaluating different employees in “field” conditions and not in theory! He will look at different candidates, evaluate them and present the results to the authorities, so a decision can be made to end the probationary period of this employee without any risks to the organization! It does not cost the company anything, only your time is wasted!

In my opinion, there are not so few such fictitious vacancies on the market. Although I have not checked this and admit that everything may not be as I imagine, but, nevertheless, it seems to me very likely. So do not be discouraged if you received another refusal to apply for a job, maybe you were just a subject for someone to train personnel! But nevertheless, you shouldn’t count on it too much, if you don’t get offered anything after many interviews, it’s better to think about changing your tactics and presentation than to blame the HR conspiracy!

Conclusion. Don't be afraid of anything!

No need to be afraid and feel insecure. Ordinary people are talking to you, despite the fact that they put on jackets and are trying with all their might to assume importance. Behind this form is a person, with his weaknesses and desires. No need to be shy and withdraw into yourself. Be more open where the situation calls for it, but don't say too much! Most often, you will be talking to not the most intelligent HR employees who ask their questions, only to ask at least something.

Or you will immediately talk with your future manager, who does not understand anything about the intricacies of interviewing, and therefore many of my tips here will seem redundant. But I am trying to put you on full alert and prepare you to face your most powerful, cunning, and shrewd enemy. And there are certainly such among HR-ditch.

So I wish you good luck in your job search and interview!

When applying for a job, an interview is a very important process with its own nuances and peculiarities. By reading this article, you will be able to avoid many common mistakes made by a significant number of other applicants. If you take into account some simple rules, then it will not be difficult for you to make a positive impression.

How to behave when applying for a job

Late.

Appearance

First impression.

How to present yourself in a translation or hanging interview

If you have to interview for a higher position, then, of course, the first thing you should do is show that you are worthy of this promotion. When communicating with the interviewer, listen carefully, without distractions. Quickly analyze his questions, trying to determine what exactly they want to hear from you. If you didn't hear a question or didn't understand it, it's better to ask again than to give a slurred answer. You will probably be asked about your most significant achievements. Think in advance what you will say - it is advisable to voice the answer, guided by numbers or facts. When talking about your victories, try to generalize with such phrases as “joint efforts with the team”, “we are with the team”, and the like - in this way, you will emphasize the ability to work in a team. Surely, when raising or transferring, the employer will want to make sure that you clearly understand what kind of duties you will be assigned. Be sure to study this issue in advance, having familiarized yourself with the requirements that apply to applicants for this position. The most important thing when talking with an interviewer is to maintain a positive mood, calmness and, of course, self-confidence!

Psychologist's advice: how to present yourself in an interview

Proper interview behavior is the key to success. Avoid common mistakes and you will achieve the desired result.

What to say when applying for a job

You will likely be asked questions related to your area of specialization. Even if you don't know a clear answer to some of them, don't show it off by shrugging your shoulders or saying "I don't know." Do not be nervous, start thinking out loud, expressing thoughts about the stated topic - it is possible that the correct answer will come up by itself or you will interest the employer in other knowledge. By the way, do not take the interview as an interrogation. You should also ask questions to the employer about the company - show your interest, for sure, this will add pluses to you in his eyes.

What not to say in an interview

Of course, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to slightly embellish reality, but an obvious lie when applying for a job obviously will not lead to anything - firstly, you can be caught in a lie, and secondly, this lie can backfire on you later and even lead to dismissal . It is important to consider that you are likely to be asked about a previous job - in this case, it is highly recommended to keep negative reviews about a past employer with you. Even if you had a serious conflict at your former workplace and through no fault of your own, it’s better not to delve into it, indicate some neutral and weighty reason (for example, your move).

Facial expressions and gestures, behavior at the interview

Try to be relaxed and confident. It is important that you do not fuss and do not "talk", trying to present yourself from the best side. Speak clearly and calmly - do not raise your tone, but do not pronounce words barely audible. If appropriate, you can make a neutral joke. Make sure that nothing distracts you from the conversation - for this purpose, be sure to put your phone on silent mode. Of course, you should think over your outfit in advance so that during the interview you do not think about how a jumper or trousers sit on you - wear clothes that are familiar to you, and at the same time appropriate. Also, at such a meeting, watch your gestures and facial expressions - everything should be in moderation.

It may be that, despite your professional skills, you will not get the desired position, because the employer simply will not like you. To avoid this, take into account some of the nuances.

Appearance

Going to the interview, be sure to take care of your appearance - this is what you will use to make a first impression, which, as you know, is very important. Of course, your appearance should be neat - there can be no talk of any stains, wrinkling, and the like. You should also understand that an interview is not the place where too bright makeup is appropriate (unless you apply for the position of a make-up artist or makeup artist) - just apply a tone on your face and lightly tint your lips and eyelashes or do makeup in nude tones. As we have already mentioned, avoid casual dressing - stick to the style that is appropriate for this organization.

What to bring to an interview

It is highly recommended that you bring a notepad and pen with you during the interview. It will not be very good if you need to write down some information, and you start frantically looking for a phone for this, or even worse - asking for a piece of paper and a pen from the employer. We also recommend that you have a resume with you so that the employer can quickly get acquainted with all the information he needs. And, of course, it will be better if you not only talk about your achievements, but also back up your words with facts - diplomas, diplomas, and the like. In addition, you can take a small bottle of water - you may get nervous before the interview itself and want to moisten your throat.

Interview rules of conduct

As a rule, in an interview they pay more attention to how you behave, and only then evaluate what exactly you say. Consider this fact, set yourself up for positive in advance and stop being nervous. No matter how worried you are before this meeting, set yourself up for a positive result and relax. If you worry too much, then this will certainly be noticeable to the employer, and as a result, the decision may not be made in your favor. To put yourself in the right mood, drink relaxing tea before the interview. Of course, alcoholic beverages “for courage” should not be consumed!

What you need to know when applying for a job

You should be aware of exactly what requirements the employer imposes on applicants, as well as take into account what rights you have. If the ad stated that applicants for a position are required to know a foreign language, and you will not speak it, then this will be at least strange. You also need to study the information about the company's activities in advance. Surely, you will be asked why you want to work in this particular company, and in this case you should prepare an answer in advance. Don't forget to ask questions about the organization too - you need to make sure that all the working conditions are right for you.

How to pass an interview without work experience

If you have no work experience, then the interview will be even more exciting for you. However, if you follow some tips, you will be able to make the right impression.

First interview with director

It does not matter what gender your potential manager is - in any case, you should not neglect the general recommendations about appearance and behavior. Most often, CEOs show interest in general questions: how can you help the company achieve better results, do you have the right experience, how long do you plan to stay in the organization and why did you leave your previous job. We recommend that you prepare in advance for such questions so that they do not take you by surprise. Whenever possible, give answers cheerfully and without hesitation, and also answer in detail the questions of a potential employer.

Second interview how to present yourself

Before you go to a second interview, you should prepare yourself, taking into account the possible reasons for such an appointment. It is possible that they want to study you better, and they will ask you more difficult questions so that there is no doubt about your competence. It is also possible that the employer wants to get to know you better as a person, to try to identify the unpleasant sides of the character - for this purpose they may try to unbalance you. However, prepare for various surprises - it may be that in the process of selecting applicants, the employer came to the conclusion that a worthy candidate needs to have additional skills.

How to present yourself in a group interview

Of course, your main goal in a group interview is to stand out and show yourself to a potential employer from the most advantageous side. Being in a team of the same candidates as you, try to take the initiative: give answers to all the questions posed, offer various solutions to a particular problem. Even if it seems to you that you look less impressive compared to other applicants, do not despair, because you still do not know on what aspects the final selection is made. A group interview is not the place to be rude or yell at – show respect to other candidates. When interviewing, you should take into account some subtleties, depending on where exactly you want to get a job. Naturally, completely different qualities are required from candidates for the position of a seller and a bank employee, and this should be taken into account.

In banking and financial institutions

First of all, we recommend that you have a convincing and well-written resume with you. Also, do not forget about the appearance, which must fully comply with the spirit of the institution - in a bank and most financial institutions, freestyle clothing, too bright and aggressive makeup, and the like are unacceptable. You should look like you already work at that location. In addition, it is highly undesirable to be late for such an interview - it is better to come to it about 10 minutes before the start. Think over the most likely questions - about the previous place of work, the reasons for choosing this particular bank, the vision of further career growth.

To the police

Before you go for an interview with the police, consider the list of requirements that are likely to be presented to you as a possible candidate. Of course, getting a job in such an organization, you must have such qualities as a quick reaction, stability in stressful situations, the absence of bad habits, a good memory, attentiveness, good physical fitness and responsibility. These are the qualities the employer hopes to see in you, and it will be great if you mention them yourself. When preparing for this interview, of course, do not forget about neatness and punctuality.

To customer service establishments (cafes, trade)

If you want to get a job in a service organization in the field of food or trade, then you must certainly have certain qualities - we recommend that you mention them. We are talking about accuracy, sociability, quickness and good memory. Since you will have to work with clients, the employer will evaluate you from such a position - what impression will you make on the client, whether he wants to visit this cafe, store, and so on again. That is why we recommend that you demonstrate friendliness and good humor during the interview.

To paraphrase a well-known aphorism, we can say: who owns the information, he owns the situation at the interview.

Before heading to the office, find out:

with whom you will talk: with the boss, the head of the personnel department or his ordinary employee;
interview format (group or individual, question-answer or self-presentation);
dress code and things you need to have with you (documents, gadgets, etc.);
how to get there (it is unacceptable to be late).

It will help to find out if this is the company's website or a call to the office.

Map answers to common questions

Interviews when applying for a job are of the same type and at the same time they are not similar to each other. Many have heard of stressful interviews where they can suddenly start yelling at the applicant to unsettle him. There are also so-called case-interviews: the applicant is placed in certain circumstances (for example, a conversation with a dissatisfied client) and they watch how he solves the problem.

It is not always possible to find out what type of interview is preferred in a particular company, so you need to be ready for anything.

To do this, make a card with answers to typical questions and requests (they are asked in 99.9% of cases):

top 5 of your main strengths;
what are you good at;
strategic directions of self-development;
proposals for the work of the company;
your life and work philosophy;
your short and long term goals;
unusual tasks that you had to solve.

You should also prepare in advance a list of topics that you would like to discuss with the HR manager.

Interpret the employer's questions

"A" doesn't always mean "A", and two times two doesn't always mean four. Recruiters sometimes ask insidious questions, where behind the simple wording lies a cunning plan - to get the applicant to say more than they should.

A simple question: "What salary would you like to receive?". But the answer helps the interviewer understand your motivation: money, social security, work schedule, and so on. If you are asked if you had conflicts with management and how you resolved them, then most likely the HR manager wants to know if you tend to take responsibility or are used to shifting it to others.

Tricky questions are many. You need to be able to see the "double bottom" (without fanaticism!).

Consider your non-verbal behavior

HR managers are people, not machines. They, like everyone else, pay attention to non-verbal signs: appearance, facial expressions, gait, gestures, and so on. An experienced professional can be refused just because he behaved incorrectly.

Consider body language ahead of time. If from excitement you habitually twitch your leg, then sit cross-legged. If you're tapping your fingers on the table, try something to occupy your hands with, like a ballpoint pen.

HR managers are people, not machines. They understand that you are worried. But naturalness in non-verbal communication will increase your credibility.

Set taboo on some topics

“Tell me about yourself,” the interviewer asks. “I was born on April 2, 1980 (according to the horoscope Taurus). In his youth he played football, was the captain of the city team. Then he graduated from the institute ... ”- if the applicant’s story is something like this, he will not see the position as his ears.

There are things that are absolutely uninteresting to the employer and which in no way characterize you as a professional. In the given example, this is the year of birth (this can be read in the resume), the sign of the zodiac and sports achievements.

There are topics on which you need to impose a taboo for yourself:

summary summary;
personal life goals (buying a house, having children, etc.);
reputation of the company and its employees;
skills and experience that are not related to future work (I am an excellent cook, I understand plumbing, etc.);
failures that demonstrate incompetence.

Just as you have made a plan for what you will talk about, write down and memorize the topics that should be ignored. Also think about how to correctly answer if you are still asked about it.

Contemplate to calm down

Interviews are nerve-wracking. You can forget your name, not to mention the demonstration of business qualities.

Take a look around to calm down. Inspect the office, equipment, employees. The details will tell you a lot about the company where you are going to get a job, and their analysis will help bring the nervous system back to normal.

Taking a critical look at the firm and future colleagues can increase your sense of self-importance. Remember: a company needs a good employee as much as you need a good job.

Take the initiative

In an interview, as a rule, there comes a moment when the interviewer and the interviewee change places and the applicant has the opportunity to ask questions of interest to him.

Do not waste time on useless “Will you call me yourself or should I call you back?”, “Why is this position open?” etc. Show yourself as a proactive employee. Ask:

Does the company have any actual problem? How do you think I can help you?
Could you describe your ideal candidate for this position?
What advice would you give to someone who is starting to work for your company?

There are also a number of questions that should not be asked. Which ones - click on the button below.

Following these tips will prepare you for your interview and increase your chances of getting hired.

Are there additions? Write them in the comments.