Knowing what to expect can mean the difference between performing well and making a fool out of yourself. If you know what to expect you can better prepare yourself for the challenging questions and scenarios they may pose. Generally, when you begin an interview there is a period of introduction. Once those have been completed, you may be offered the opportunity to speak about yourself.

You should try to keep this relevant to the current job offer. Although your personal life may be of great interest, the time for an interview is limited so best stick to what they need to know and want to hear. You may be asked to demonstrate your current knowledge of the company. You may be asked this directly or in the form of a question such as.

Why would you like to work for us? Prepare yourself by doing some research about the company. This shows the employer that you have a genuine interest in working for them and are not afraid of doing some research. Nearly every interview asks that dreaded question, what are your weaknesses? The worst answer that you can give is none at all. Everyone has weaknesses so this answer will not impress.

This question is more a test of your answering skills than anything. Speak about how you deal with your weaknesses. I make lists of things to do to make sure I remember everything or I use spell check to make sure everything is correct. These answers show your weaknesses and how you cope. You will also likely get the opportunity to speak about your strengths.

Although you may have many, keep these relevant to the job on offer. Again, interview time is limited and you don’t want to waste opportunities. Preparing yourself ahead of time and knowing what to expect can make a great difference in how well you perform in an interview. By being able to handle yourself well, you’ll be able to make that important first impression.

Things to ask the interviewer

When the interview ends, you will likely be given the chance to ask your questions. It is wise to prepare some ahead of time, failure to ask anything looks like you want to end quickly. Good questions presented to the employer make you look like you have a genuine interest in the company. A good question to ask is who your immediate supervisor will be.

You need to know if you can get along with this person and this is a good opportunity to find out. You may also get the chance to meet this person and make a good impression on them as well. Another good question to ask is when a hiring decision will be made. This shows your sense of urgency and your keenness to start working. You may also want to ask how successful candidates will be notified.

Asking about possible advancement opportunities is a good question. This shows that you may be willing to stay with the company long-term. Companies always look at this as positive. It also shows that you are ambitious and goal-oriented. You may also want to ask about training opportunities within the company. This is a good question to complement advancement.

Finally, the appropriate dress code is a good point to rise. It shows that you are detail-oriented and want to make a good impression. To get that job offer, you need to have a successful interview. Employers rarely hire a person on experience and qualifications alone. Most of the time it is the candidate that gives the best interview. By knowing how to present yourself in the best possible way, you can guarantee yourself a success.

Engaging everyone

Many job interviews will be conducted by more than one job interviewer. This can either work for or against your chances of landing the job but there is one major thing that you can do to improve those chances: engage everyone in the interview room. What this means is that you need to make eye contact with each interviewer so that you show interest in what they are saying.

Don’t make the mistake of focusing on one person because you’re too nervous to work the room. Make sure that you bring along copies of your resume and references to any job interview even if you have no idea how many interviewers there will be. This way when there is more than one person you come prepared to engage them all.

This very act alone can go a long way in showing a potential employer that you are serious about the interview process and think ahead of the game plan. When you answer a question, even if the question has been posed by only one person, make sure that you look at everyone in the room when you’re giving your answer. Once again this shows that you have good people skills and that you can perform under the pressure of a job interview by more than one interviewer.

The second job interview

Your goal in a job interview should be to make it to the second round. Many job interviews are more than just one step of the first interview. Most employers these days will have a short list that they have after the first interview of people in who they are interested. When you make it to the second job interview there are some strategies that you should keep in mind so that you ensure you get the job.

Most employers will test you to see if you know what you’re talking about. If you’re applying for a job that is specific, such as a technical job, your interviewers will want to know that you can do the job. You may be required to take a written exam that is quite extensive. Prepare for your second job interview by going over the things that you know you need to understand for the job that you’re interviewing for.

You may be introduced to other employees and potential coworkers during the second job interview. Try to look each of them in the eye and leave a personal impression on them so that they have something good to say about you to their employer. The second interview is going to get you that much closer to landing the job so put all of your efforts into it.

Excerpted from the book How To Ace Any Job Interview by Wings Of Success.

This excerpt has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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