Overcome Interview Nerves: Be Better Prepared than Your Interviewer

Although interview preparation is everything it's sad to say that perhaps as many as half of all interviewers you're going to meet will be unprepared or incompetent. It's not all their fault, it's just lack of interview preparation time or responsibility; some of them will be co-opted at the last minute to meet you and won't have had time to prepare.

However there are those who just think they're great interviewers and fly by the seat of their pants!!

It's not all bad news though; you can turn this to your advantage. You can be better prepared than they are by following a few simple rules.

It may sound too simple but what they really want to know only falls into 4 key areas:

* Why are you here?

* What can you do for us?

* What sort of person are you?

* Can we afford you?

So you must prepare for this.

Let's examine each one.

Why are you here?

Because you are interested in the job, the company, the challenge, the chance to learn and develop new skills, and you are ready to move for such a great opportunity.

What can you do for us?

You bring all of your experience, your skills and achievements, as well as your desire to develop and contribute to a new team or department. (This is easy if you've already done your homework on your achievements and skills). You should have a number of skill stories to illustrate these specific points ready prepared.

What sort of person are you?

Someone who has initiative and gets on well with others and is flexible in attitude to different ways of working; maybe you are a great team player, or a strong leader or you describe yourself as loyal and conscientious. Try to avoid the "open-door" or "hands-on" type of response. Remember that 'compatability' is much more important than 'competence'.

Put that to the test if you like - who would you rather work with? Someone who can do everything, or someone you can get on with?

Can we afford you?

Salary negotiation is another issue altogether, but the point is you should have a feeling for what the remuneration is likely to be and show them that you bring value-for-money. If the salary is a lot more or a lot less than your recent earnings then you must be able to show convincing reasons why you are pursuing this job.

That's all fine as a general background but if you're going to overcome your interview nerves and be better prepared than your interviewer, you must be more specific.

Put yourself on the other side of the desk ? if you were doing the interviewing, what would you really want to know that would convince you to make a job offer?

You'd want to know more about the 4 key areas above wouldn't you?

So all you have to do now is work out your questions to explore those 4 areas. Make it at least 25 questions long and don't avoid that question you don't want to be asked (you know the one don't you?) and then carefully work out your own answers.

Don't forget to include at least half a dozen personal attributes of the ideal candidate; why these are also your attributes and be prepared to explain why they should hire you as opposed to any of the other candidates.

One final thing on interview preparation and being better prepared than the interviewer. The "Tell me about Yourself" type of question is used by many interviewers to allow you to settle in and feel comfortable. An interviewer who hasn't prepared beforehand will tend to ask this question to buy time while she thinks of the next question.

It's then only human nature to ask questions relating to what has already been said (by you).

Your answer to the "Tell me about Yourself" question can therefore set the whole agenda for the interview.

Prepare this well and you're streets ahead. It should include a brief walk through your career history from the first job or when you left university; touch on each move you made with positive reasons for the move [I wanted to get some activity based costing experience...] and key in only relevant facts that show how you meet their needs. Allow only 3 minutes for this with most time spent on your most recent experience.

Now even if you do get the well-prepared, competent interviewer you will have done your interview preparation and you will be the well-prepared competent interviewee!!

However, don't get too complacent some organisations use structured interviews which are actually a boon to incompetent interviewers as they ask the same pre-determined questions to each candidate. No worries! the best preparation for structured interviews is to work on your skill stories. They usually tell you in advance what skills or competences they are interested in.

What else should you do? Well there all sorts of interviews so you can never do too much interview preparation it's the most certain way of feeling confident when you meet the interviewer, whether she's competent or not.

I'll give you a start if you're struggling, click on my link below for some of the most common questions you can start to work on. But don't just leave it there, build up a good list then get to work on your interview preparation.

With over 25 years running businesses, and as a Career Coach and Consultant in many sectors, Peter Fisher is well placed to guide job seekers through the steps needed in order to achieve that all important new position. He has personally coached thousands of individuals to career success.

He writes a distillation of these years of experience with all the essential facts and actions you must complete in order to achieve your own success. He is very clear that you shouldn't be misled by others into thinking of "acing interviews" or "finessing" your way into a business; the most sustainable and fulfilling roles are gained through understanding your own specific needs and creating your strategy accordingly.

For specific guidance on how you might produce your own questions and answers to help overcome your interview nerves go to http://www.your-career-change.c om/best-interview-answers.html

To learn more about his dynamic and comprehensive approach to career change, with every page dedicated to helping serious career changers go to http://www.your-career-change.com/index.html

---

Google News Updated : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:11:53 GMT Costa Rica earthquake death toll rises to 15 - CNN International Globe and Mail Costa Rica earthquake death toll rises to 15 CNN International - 4 hours ago SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (CNN) -- The official count of confirmed deaths grew to 15 Friday afternoon, one day after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake shook north central Costa Rica, a government emergency official said. Tourists evacuated after fatal Costa Rica quake Reuters UK Costa Rica Earthquake Rescuers Try to Help Thousands Bloomberg The Associated Press - Reuters India - Inquirer.net - Los Angeles Times all 845 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:37:39 GMT Officials Still Seek Source of Salmonella Outbreak - Washington Post ABC News Officials Still Seek Source of Salmonella Outbreak Washington Post - 1 hour ago By Steven Reinberg FRIDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- The source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 400 Americans in 42 states remains unknown, US health officials said Friday, adding that more cases are expected. New Salmonella Outbreak: Here's How to Reduce Your Risk U.S. News & World Report North Carolina resident tests positive for Salmonella Asheville Citizen-Times PRWeek - The Chattanoogan - abc11tv.com - News & Observer all 1,018 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:46:09 GMT Rubin resigns from Citigroup following criticism - MarketWatch ABC News Rubin resigns from Citigroup following criticism MarketWatch - 29 minutes ago By Alistair Barr, MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Robert Rubin, former Treasury secretary who has come under fire for his role in the financial crisis, has decided to leave Citigroup Inc., the banking giant announced Friday. Citigroup Statement on Rubin's Departure; Rubin's Letter Wall Street Journal Citigroup's Rubin steps down CNNMoney.com New York Times - Forbes - Houston Chronicle - USA Today all 294 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:42:14 GMT U.S. Supreme Court to hear two appeals on 'race politics' - Los Angeles Times Reuters U.S. Supreme Court to hear two appeals on 'race politics' Los Angeles Times - 43 minutes ago Justices will decide whether to strike down laws that provide special protections to minorities in the workplace and in the voting booth. Supreme Court to Rule on Voting Rights Act Washington Post Supreme Court to hear challenge to voting rights act USA Today New York Times - Reuters - CNN - The Associated Press all 250 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:28:02 GMT Payment to Pirates Ends Tanker Hijacking - Wall Street Journal WELT ONLINE Payment to Pirates Ends Tanker Hijacking Wall Street Journal - 36 minutes ago By CHIP CUMMINS DUBAI -- The US Navy said Friday it expected a Saudi Arabian oil tanker hijacked in November to be freed and underway in the next 24 hours, potentially ending the most dramatic of several, recent pirate attacks in the waters offshore ... Somali Pirates Release Saudi Tanker Voice of America Saudi oil tanker said to be released by pirates for ransom International Herald Tribune CNN International - guardian.co.uk - Bloomberg - PRESS TV all 520 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:35:44 GMT A guide to the Blagojevich impeachment - MSNBC USA Today A guide to the Blagojevich impeachment MSNBC - 37 minutes ago By Tom Curry Here is a guide to the process by which Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois might be removed from office Impeachment is the formal accusation of wrongdoing, lobbed by a legislative body against an executive branch official, such as a governor ... CQ Transcripts Wire Washington Post Blagojevich impeached over alleged Senate-for-sale scandal Salt Lake Tribune New York Times - ABC News - CNN - NECN all 4,092 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:34:17 GMT RPT-Obama tries to allay concerns over stimulus package - Reuters Times Online RPT-Obama tries to allay concerns over stimulus package Reuters - 1 hour ago By Caren Bohan and Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama said on Friday that the latest grim unemployment report added urgency to the need to pass his $800 billion stimulus proposal, even as his efforts ran into ... Video: Obama: New Layoffs Show Need for Urgent Action AssociatedPress Borger: Do congressional Dems need intervention? CNN International Bizjournals.com - FOXNews - Los Angeles Times - Washington Post all 7,442 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:08:22 GMT RSS Feed Reader Increase Search Engine Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Top 5 Tips for College Grads Entering the Working World

1) Build a Relationship With Your Boss:Like it or not,... Read More

7 Steps To A Job-Winning Resume

A new resume can jump-start your career. Your network contacts... Read More

Tips For Successful Job Hunting: How To Get A Job Without A Resume

I am in my mid-thirties, and, as you can imagine,... Read More

Before You Begin, Know What To Expect - How You Can Make a Living Proof Reading From Home

Proof reading from home is an excellent way to make... Read More

Do You Have the courage to ignore the experts?

Do you have the courage to ignore the experts? Do... Read More

3 Resume Secrets the Pros Use

You don't write a resume every day. Not even every... Read More

Five Qualities Employers Want

More than ever, employers want employees who can produce results!... Read More

So, What Do You Do For Work?

I remember being asked this question a lot when I... Read More

What You Cant Ask a Job Candidate is as Important as What You Can Ask

As a human resources professional or business owner, you face... Read More

Job or Career

At this present time I have a job. It pays... Read More

From The WorkWise Collection: Job Hunting in the New Economy

To succeed in today's global marketplace, companies must hire the... Read More

What is a Career Anyway?

A career is the sum total of all of your... Read More

Job Hunting Tips: Staying Active

Unemployment is depressing: financial pressures stress you out, looking for... Read More

The Inevitable Job Interview Question: ?Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position

This is a question that you can almost count on... Read More

Speak Up: Your Job Is At Stake!

How good are you at standing up for yourself?Do you... Read More

Do You Need A Mentor? And How Do You Find One?

Whether you're self-employed or you work for someone else, you're... Read More

How to Get Paid More Without Being Pretty or Good Looking

Guess what. The results are out they are ugly. Pretty... Read More

Applying for a Job in China

Working in ChinaWorking in China is very common now. Either... Read More

Work Attitude Ethics For Progress

This "fruit for thought" article is for all human beings,... Read More

Get Off Your Butt and Out of the Rut

It's amazing to see so many people who are prepared... Read More

5 Simple Rules for A Great Job Interview

Many years ago, when I was a young job-searching greenhorn,... Read More

Waiting for Lightening to Strike

Author and management guru, Peter Drucker says, "People adjust to... Read More

Put Some Mystery in Your Life

Mystery shoppers. For some it conjures up images of private... Read More

Job Search - Understand Employers

Think like an employerTo be successful in your job search... Read More

Looking the Part

I don't know his name and he wasn't trying to... Read More