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Let's get

contents
02 Plan your move
04 Write your CV 07 Write a cover letter 09 Your online identity 10 Prepare for your interview 12 A typical job interview 15 Styles of interview 18 Common interview questions 21 Common interview mistakes 23 After the interview 24 In the job

Your job should be more than something you do to earn money. It will take up the largest part of your day, most days of the week, so you want to make the most of the hours you spend working. You want a job that brings you satisfaction and a sense of achievement, as well as a salary, and will form part of a long and fulfilling career. This guide is about helping you find that, and making sure your next job is the right opportunity for you right now, and will lead to even better opportunities in the future. In these pages, we show you how to use the experience you already have to take the next step in your career journey. We will offer carefully designed strategies for planning a job change, writing CVs and cover letters, applying for jobs, performing well in an interview, and following up your interview so you stay in an employers mind while they are deciding which candidate to hire. We include advice on handling some common job interview questions, and avoiding common mistakes. We also give you tips on how to get the most out of your job and position yourself for your next career move. This advice holds true whatever stage of your career you are at, whether you are leaving education and looking for your first role, trying to move forward after getting your foot on the career ladder, or even if you have been working for several years but feel your career has become stuck. It is your ticket to making sure your job gives you more in life than just the money paid into your bank account.

MOVE
In your career, planning is everything. When you look back, you may see your career path as a series of chance opportunities that came your way, and there will be some truth in this. However, planning and preparation will allow you to seize those opportunities when they happen, and create new ones.

plan your

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Assess your lists
Does your list mostly read yes when you considered how well you matched the criteria? If yes, then start applying for jobs. If your list mainly reads no, find ways to resolve this problem, although it might still be worth applying for positions. There is no hard rule on this, as your chance of success is always relative to the other candidates applying. You might get lucky, or the employer might consider you for an alternative position.

If you meet all the criteria, perhaps you have underestimated your value on the job market. Go back to the job websites again, this time being more ambitious in your job search, and identify more senior roles.

Aim higher

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Identify the requirements

Identify possible options

The goal here is to predict the opportunities you are likely to see in the medium term. Think of key search terms relevant to those jobs and type them into job-search websites. Looking through the search results, choose jobs that fit your goals and save the results. At this stage you are not looking for specific jobs to apply for, so it does not matter where the employers are.

For the job advertisements you have saved, make a list of all the skills and qualifications they ask for. These will often be separated into categories such as essential and desirable. Categorize your own list according to these terms. If something is essential, you must have it on your CV to be considered for the role, while if something is desirable, it is not absolutely necessary. A successful candidate will, however, usually meet some of the criteria on the desirable list. After you have made lists for each job advertisement, combine the results into one master list.

Analyze yourself

Compare your lists of essential and desirable criteria to your own skills, qualifications and experience. If you meet the criteria, write yes against that item. If you do not meet the criteria, write no. For each item where you have written yes, write a short paragraph of approximately 30 to 40 words explaining how you meet the requirement. These paragraphs will be useful later in writing your CV and for cover letters. If you find you cannot write a paragraph, change your answer to no.

If you have any no answers on your list, you need to fix that. If you lack a formal qualification, enroll in education or training. If you lack previous work experience, look at options such as volunteer work or traineeships. Qatar Career Fair can help you find options relevant to your needs. HR departments at companies you want to work for can also give you advice.

Fill the gaps

Each job in your career offers a path to your next job, so you should always be considering what your next move could be. That applies whether you want a promotion within your current organization, or expect to apply for jobs with other employers. Once you are established in your position, go back to the beginning and start over, this time thinking of your current job as a springboard to your next one. As you make your list of criteria for jobs at a more senior level, you will be able to identify ways you can use your current work to turn no into yes when it comes to analyzing your potential.

Think ahead

If you have put no against too many criteria, perhaps you need to look at more junior roles that will build toward your ambitions. Aim lower Go back to the job websites, this time looking for roles where you do meet the criteria. Use this knowledge as a reference when identifying jobs that you have a realistic chance of winning. Once again, however, do not think that just because you do not meet all the criteria you should not apply for a job. Your applications should be a mix of realism and ambition.

Where should you look?

There is no single place to find a job to apply for, and the most important thing is to be proactive. Some jobs are advertised on websites, but the best way is often to contact employers directly and ask whether they have vacancies available. In most cases, they will be able to direct you to the jobs section of their own website, or direct you to places where they and their competitors advertise vacancies.

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Derived from the Latin phrase, curriculum vitae loosely translates as the course of my life. A CV tells employers everything they need to know about a potential employee. It must be a showcase for your experience, convincing employers they need you as part of their organization.

Write your CV

include training and qualifications gained in the course of your employment.

References

Have two or more people who can provide a work or personal reference. Ideally, one should be your most recent employer, and ask them to agree to this beforehand. You do not need to submit the details with your initial CV, but include the comment that references can be provided on request.
2. Your expanded CV

As well as your basic CV, there are several other elements you can include to give a more rounded impression of your experience, talents, and character.

Personal statement You should write and format your CV with care and attention, keeping a master document, which you can edit into more specialized versions targeted to particular jobs. There is no perfect template for a CV, and different professions have different requirements. For example, some professions emphasize formal education and qualifications, while others want to know more about your experience and career history. 1. Your basic Cv

You will need multiple versions of your CV, but they should all include certain elements.
Personal details

This is how employers contact you, so include your name, your address, your phone number, and your email address.
Employment history

This is a short statement at the beginning of your CV to sell yourself your skills, experience and personal qualities. Tailor the statement to the requirements of each job you apply for, to highlight why you are perfect for the role.
Achievements

For each past job, include your job title, time spent in the role, responsibilities, and the name of the company. List your most recent role first. Each CV you send out should be tailored to the job you are applying for, so emphasize previous roles that are of particular relevance. Highlight skills and experience you have gained, such as dealing with customers or communication skills.
Education history

List relevant skills and achievements from previous jobs, and be able to give examples of how you have applied these in practice. Some people combine this element with each entry under Employment History.
Skills

highlight qualities and skills that are relevant to the job. This can be particularly useful for younger job-seekers, helping make up for lack of employment experience in an employers eyes.  Avoid boring clichs, such as socializing with friends.  Do not put passive activities, such as watching television or going to the movies, as these can make you seem lacking in people skills. However, even things such as stamp collecting or building model airplanes can be positive, by demonstrating an ability to show attention to detail or carry a project through to completion.  Show a range of interests to avoid coming across as too narrow.  Hobbies that are out of the ordinary can help you stand out from the crowd. For example, skydiving or mountaineering will make you memorable.  Any interests relevant to the job are worth mentioning. For journalism, an interest in writing, or for the finance industry, managing a fantasy stockmarket portfolio.  Ensure you mention any evidence of leadership, such as within clubs or student societies, as captain of a sports team, or for events you have organized.
3. Arranging your CV

List all academic institutions you have attended, what years, qualifications achieved, and subjects studied. List your most recent qualifications first. Employers will be more interested in what you have done recently. Also

These are personal or professional skills that will be useful in a job, but may not require formal qualifications. Language skills are important, particularly English and Arabic in Qatar, and computing skills are also useful.
Other interests

Mentioning things you do in your own time can support your application if they

There is no single correct way to present your CV, but from the categories we have described, a good starting point is to present your information in the following order: personal details, personal statement, employment history, education history, achievements, skills, other interests, references. For the design, most word-processing programs include CV templates, which

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Write your CV

you can adapt to your needs. Choose one that looks formal and professional.
4. Handy tips

Here are a few simple points to remember when writing your CV:  Your CV should be neat, typed, and to the best standard you can achieve in content and layout.  Keep your CV short and to the point; two pages of A4 should be enough.  Be positive; emphasize your achievements, strengths, and successes, and do not mention negative factors.  Use correct spelling.  English or Arabic? This will depend on the job. If you speak both languages, make sure you have a version of your CV in each.
5. The right words

of saying the same thing, and possibly saying it better. Here are a few more words that may seem simpler, but are also less likely to have been overused in the past: Accurate Innovative Adaptable Pro-active Confident Reliable Friendly Responsible Hard-working Smart Looking at these lists, you could replace the word flexible with adaptable to create an impression of being someone who is comfortable dealing with change, or innovative to show you are someone who actively solves problems. You can also use carefully chosen words to make your previous experience more impressive, showing that you were proactive and achieved results in your past work. Consider using words such as:

Write a cover letter

Your cover letter introduces you to an employer, and convinces them to look at the attached CV in more detail. Expect it to receive about 30 seconds' worth of attention before the employer moves on to the next application in the pile.

Choosing the right words is important in setting yourself apart from other candidates. Here is a list of some common terms job applicants use to describe themselves: Excellent Strong work ethic communication Reliable skills Multi-tasking Goal-driven Independent Flexible Detail-oriented Motivated Self-motivated Each of these terms says something positive, and will often be used in descriptions of the jobs you are applying for, in which case it is wise to use them to match your CV to the job requirements. Whenever you use a word to describe yourself, make it more powerful by using real examples of how it applies to you. Sometimes, however, words are used so many times they lose their value, so it is always useful to have more than one way

Achieved Formulated Planned Broadened Generated

Managed Represented Completed Implemented Shaped

The most important thing with any word is how you use it to create a picture in the employers mind of the work you have done, and what you have achieved. For example, if you are in the IT department you could say: Attended IT strategy team meetings, OR Contributed to formulating IT strategy, and helped implement innovative solutions to our most persistent IT problems. Finally, many employers now use software to filter applications based on keyword searches, so make sure you include words and phrases from the job description in your application.

building on the information contained in your CV, the cover letter should state clearly why the employer should hire you. Everything you write should encourage them to read your CV, which in turn should convince them they should call you in for an interview.

Do your homework

Before you write the cover letter, make sure you go through any job description carefully, if there is one, and match your own skills to those outlined. This will show you which parts of your experience you need to highlight. Next, find out everything you can about the company and what it does, and how the role you are applying for fits into the overall operation. Understand the companys aims and objectives, its place in the market, and its competitors. Make notes of how you can help the company achieve its aims. This research will give you the knowledge you need to tailor both your cover letter

and your CV to the needs of the company, and also demonstrate you have a real interest in the company itself, and are not just applying for jobs at random. Try to find out who will be handling your job application, and address the cover letter to them personally. This is usually included in a job advertisement, but otherwise an initial phone call to the recruiter, or the companys HR department, should provide the information. The person you speak to may be the person who will handle your application, in which case a phone call is a good way of showing initiative and helping you stand out.
What to include

A good formula to follow for a cover letter includes four paragraphs covering an introduction, experience, potential, and conclusion. This helps an employer make a quick, positive assessment of you, and put your application in the pile marked maybe instead of the one marked no'.

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Write a cover letter

Introduction

Potential

This should be one sentence to introduce yourself and state your interest in applying for the job. It is also useful to include how you have come to contact them, such as via a job advertisement.

This is where you emphasize what you can do for the employer. Outline your career goal, making it relevant to the position you are applying for, and expand on relevant points in your CV.

your online identity

Our online activities have become an important part of modern life, but they are also putting our private world on display in a way that was inconceivable in the past. This could affect your job prospects.

Conclusion

Experience

Tell the recruiter why you are suitable for the job. Briefly describe your professional and academic qualifications, relating these to each of the requirements listed in the job description.

Reiterate your interest in the position, and why you would be right for the job. Indicate that you would like to meet with the employer for an interview. If you know the name of the person you are writing to, address the letter formally, such as to Dear Mr Smith for a westerner, or Dear Ms Noora for an Arabic name. For westerners it is conventional to use someones family name, rather than their given name, as is the Arabic custom. If you do not know their name, Dear Sir or Madam will suffice. End the letter with Yours sincerely, and your name.

The right look

Letter or email?

Your cover letter should look professional. If submitted as hard copy, it should be formatted as a business letter, with your name and contact details at the top of the page, and signed with a pen at the bottom. If you used a template for your CV, use a business letter version of the same template. This will ensure the formatting is neat and professional. The wording of your letter should, however, be unique to you, so do not cut and paste paragraphs from letters you find online. Employers want to see you as a capable individual who will make a valuable contribution to their business. If they notice two applicants handing in almost identical documents, this will undermine the impression of competence they are looking for.

It is now common for many job applications to be submitted by email, but you should still be formal in your approach. Always read the requirements sent to you by the employer, and follow all directions to the smallest detail. If you are asked to send an email with your CV as an attachment, then the main body of your email message should be written like a business letter. Make sure the subject line of your email includes key terms such as the emails purpose, which is a job application, what job you are applying for, and your name. Thus, an application for an engineering job by Mohamed Ali would read: Job application, engineering vacancy, Mohamed Ali This will allow whoever receives your email to identify its purpose easily.

Employers are as aware as anyone of the power of social networking, and are increasingly worried by how the online activities of staff could reflect on their business. You must be aware of this. Make sure any online activity a current or future employer sees presents you in a mature, professional light.

The easiest part of this is email. Only send job applications from an email account with a simple, sensible address. The best option is to use a variation of your name. A more difficult issue is social media. Your posts on Facebook, Twitter and the like can be seen by the world, and so can the things other people post on your profile. That could include your boss, and many employers now check the profiles of job applicants. If yours is full of content that make you look irresponsible, this can affect your application. Having separate private and professional profiles is useful if you use social networking for work, but does not solve this problem. An employer might ask to see both profiles, and become suspicious if you do not show them. The same applies to setting up fake work-friendly profiles, which seem suspicious if there is little activity

on their timeline, while not having a profile at all can make you seem antisocial. Changing your security settings to maximum is no use either, as you might be asked to log in during a job interview. The only sensible option is to keep tight control of your existing profile. Only post things you would be happy for an employer to see, and delete any posts from other people that do not fit this prerequisite. Likewise, be aware that the things you like can also affect the way other people perceive you. You can still have a social media presence that reflects your personality and interests, but in a way that presents you as a responsible person, whom any employer would be glad to hire.

Professional networking
Just as social networking is important in our private lives, professional sites such as LinkedIn have become part of the way we find career opportunities. Register with LinkedIn, and carefully construct your profile, based around your CV, to develop networks in your professional community.

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Consider how you can contribute to achieving the jobs objectives, and write notes to help you remember key points.

Prepare for your interview

Your CV and cover letter perform one function: to get you a job interview. The interview is where you convince the employer that you are better than the rest. Like everything in your search for a job, preparation is essential.

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5. Clear your diary

Make sure you have nothing else planned on the day of the interview so you can give it all your attention and energy. Also schedule plenty of time for preparation in the days beforehand, rather than leaving everything until the last minute.
6. Know your interviewer(s)

might be useful, include it. Having plenty of supporting material will make a good impression, even if you do not use it all. Pack everything in the type of bag you would expect someone to carry to a business meeting. Finally, make sure your clothes are ready to put on in the morning; you dont want to discover your shirt is crumpled just before you need to leave home.
10. A good nights sleep

Find out who is interviewing you and their role in the company. You may need to go through two interviews. One is to screen candidates based on their applications, and this will be with the HR department or a less-senior manager. The second is more likely to be with a senior manager.
7. Predict the questions

The evening before your interview, go to bed early, and set your alarm so you have plenty of time to get ready in the morning and arrive at your interview well ahead of your appointment. Know how long it will take you to get ready and travel to the location, and add an hour and a half.
11. Allow plenty of time

1. Confirm the time and location

Know exactly where the interview will be held and how long it will take to get there. Make a practice run of the journey if necessary. On the day itself you should aim to arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
2.  find out what to wear

Market competitors The latest news about it in the media  Important people in the organization, particularly who is interviewing you  Plans for the future. Write notes on each topic to help you remember key points during your interview.

In any interview, you should be able to predict many of the questions you will be asked. Think about what these are likely to be, and practice your answers.
8. Rehearse the interview

Dress for the interview the way the company is likely to expect you to dress for work. For Qatari nationals, that means national dress. Expat applicants should wear suitable business attire: suit, shirt, and tie for men, and the equivalent for women.
3. Research the company

4. Research the job

Go back to your job-search notes and make sure you clearly understand:  The organizations mission and key values  The company's size and activities

Go back to your job-search notes and make sure you know everything you can about the job itself, including: Qualifications required Tasks you will be fulfilling Objectives of the job  Role the job plays in achieving the companys objectives Challenges you can expect to face  How the job will build toward your own ambitions.

Ask someone to go through your research materials and then interview you as if they were the employer. You should choose someone you view as an authority figure, who will take the exercise seriously, and will be tough on you. If you know someone who interviews job applicants as part of their own work, so much the better.
9. Pack your bag

Take your time to get ready in the morning. Have a shower, use deodorant and maybe perfume or cologne, eat a relaxed breakfast, brush your teeth. Get dressed last to avoid spilling food down your front. Give your bag one last check, and as soon as you are ready, start making your way to the interview. You can always wait in the lobby if you get there early.

Gather everything you need for your interview a day in advance. Include copies of your CV; examples of previous work if appropriate; a notebook and at least two pens; your ID or passport; and any relevant professional or educational paperwork, such as certificates for your qualifications. If you think something

When you arrive at the interview location, follow whatever instructions you have been given to be at the right room at the right time. You should now be as ready for your interview as you ever will be. Relax, think about the preparation you have done, and wait for your turn with the interviewer. Turn off your phone and any other mobile devices you have with you. There should be no interruptions until your interview is finished.

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A typical job interview

A job interview can be stressful, so we will start with some simple words of advice: Dont panic. You are ready for this. Be calm and confident.

confident
Answering a question clearly and fully, and then showing you are ready to move on to the next point, shows you are confident about your abilities.
can explain yourself and how confident you are. It is not a trick question, but it is a test, and the interviewer will be judging how well you describe your abilities without prompting by specific questions. Outline your basic information, and how perfect you are for the job, in a short statement of between 50 and 100 words. In some cases, the interviewer might quite literally need to be reminded of who you are. They have probably read your cover letter and CV, but in a day full of interviews it becomes hard to tell one applicant from another.
Answering questions

As you walk toward the interview room, put anything you are carrying in your left hand to leave your right one free to shake hands. As you enter the room, greet the interviewer or interviewers politely, and take a seat when invited to do so. Open your bag and calmly take out all the materials you have brought with you, laying them on the table in front of you. Think of your interview as a conversation, not an interrogation. Just as every conversation is different, so is every job interview, and the path of the conversation will be decided by the things you say. Most interviews do, however, follow a fairly standard pattern. A typical job interview will consist of four parts:  The interviewer will tell you about the company and the job  The interviewer will ask you to tell them about yourself

interviewer will ask specific questions to assess your abilities, personality and motivation  You will be given a chance to ask questions. At the end of the interview, you should be told what the next stage of the recruitment process will be and when you can expect to hear whether you will be proceeding to the next stage.
Telling you about the company

 The

When the interviewer talks about the company and the job, listen politely and attentively. Their comments should match your own research, but if not, do not say so out loud. Think about the new information, and how you may need to adjust your answers during the interview. The interviewer will probably not phrase their comments as a question, but remember, your interview is a conversation, and a conversation has two sides. When the interviewer finishes speaking, provide a response, even if it is a simple one, such as: That sounds like it would expand my experience very well, and would be a great opportunity.
Telling them about yourself

The interviewer wants to see how well you

Each question is designed to gather information, so be sure to answer properly. Pause for a moment and take a breath while you think about your answer, and start composing your words in your head before you begin to speak. Appearing to give thought to your response will be to your advantage. Even if you know exactly what you want to say, it is still worth taking

a pause before speaking. Speak clearly, choose your words with care, and do not rush your answer. Give full answers to any questions, and try to use examples from past experience in your answers when appropriate. There is rarely such a thing as a yes or no answer. When asked a question that could have a one-word response, provide some supporting information to expand on the interviewers understanding of your talents. For example, if you are asked whether you have a particular skill or qualification, if the answer is yes, provide a brief example of how you have used these skills. If the answer is no, provide an example of a related skill that you do possess, showing you would easily be capable of learning new skills as required. When you have finished answering a question, stop talking. Do not repeat yourself, or let a sentence drift away to nothing. Answering a question clearly and fully, and then showing you are ready to move on to the next point, shows you are confident about your abilities. Repetition or

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A typical job interview

finishing an answer weakly makes it seem you have run out of things to say. The same applies to trying to list every relevant example from past experience. One example shows you are able to handle a situation, two shows you can do it again, but more than that can actually make your experience look limited. If you are not sure what a question means, ask for clarification. Nobody will judge you for it, and some interviewers will deliberately ask difficult or ambiguous questions to see how you react under pressure.
Asking questions about the job

When asked if you have any questions, the answer should always be 'yes'. You should also come armed with a list of prepared questions that show interest and enthusiasm. Focus on the job in question, its potential for the future, and what it is like to work for the company. You should absolutely never ask questions that will be perceived as

short-term or selfish, such as about salary or working hours. Make a note of anything you want to ask during the interview, but be sure your questions have not already been answered as this can make you seem inattentive. When the interview comes to an end, gather up your materials and place them in your bag without fumbling, thank the interviewer for their time, and take your leave. Be as polite and professional on your way out as you were on your way in, to make sure the good impression you have given remains in the interviewers mind after you have gone.

Styles of interview
In most job interviews, there will just be you and one interviewer seated at opposite sides of a desk or table, but this is not always the case. Perhaps there is more than one interviewer, or the interview is by telephone or Skype, or happens in a public place. While the essential format of the interview does not change, there are some extra issues you need to consider.

The panel interview

How have previous people in this position progressed within the company?

This shows you are committed to succeeding in the job, and to being a stable and effective employee who wants to stay with the company for the long term.

What are the things you enjoy about working here?

People like talking about themselves, and this will give the interviewer a chance to do just that. Once again, it establishes you as being genuinely interested in the organization.

What kind of training and development opportunities do you offer employees?

If you dont offer the job to me, what do you think the reason would be?

As above, this shows a desire for advancement, but with an eye to the long term rather than just using the company as a stepping stone.

This question does two things: first, it gives you a chance to find out if there are any misconceptions you should clear up before the interview ends; and second, if you are not offered the job, it gives you useful information for your next application.

How would an employee in this role exceed your expectations?

This shows you dont merely want to do the job adequately, but you are keen to be noticed for your achievements.

This is probably the most common alternative to the one-on-one interview, particularly with larger and more bureaucratic organizations. In this situation, two or more people interview you at the same time. This can be daunting, but the panel will be covering the same points, and asking the same questions, as an individual interviewer. The panel is simply a way for the company to get a more balanced opinion of your qualities as an applicant, and while that means major flaws in your application have a greater chance of being noticed, it also means minor missteps can be cancelled out when the interviewers compare notes. To make sure each interviewer has a good impression of you, treat each of them as an individual. If a particular person asks a question, address your answer directly to that person. If you cannot identify one interviewer you should be talking to, then alternate your focus between interviewers, but make sure you are looking at somebody. Do not simply

look into space or stare down at the table in front of you.

The Skype interview

Interviews via Skype and similar services are becoming increasingly common, such as when applying for a job in a different city or country, if an employer wants to interview you while you are away from home, or you are studying abroad and applying for positions for when you return home. With a Skype interview, observe all the same rules as if you were in the same room, from preparation to personal presentation, to being available and online at the allotted time. There are, however, a few additional points to remember. 1. Make sure your connection is fast enough for smooth video and clear sound, and about 20 minutes before the interview have someone else call you to check everything is working well. This will give you time to log out, restart your computer, and hopefully resolve the situation.

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Styles of interview

2. Set up in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed, and with a neutral or professional background. Never use a public place, such as a caf, as the background noise and movement can be distracting. Ensure the area in view of your webcam is clean and tidy. Speak clearly and make eye contact. If you mumble on Skype, this will make you seem incoherent, and if you constantly look away to the side, you will seem shifty. 3. Do not disconnect until you are sure the interview is over. Cutting either an interviewer, or yourself, off halfway through a sentence will seem sloppy and ill-mannered.
The coffee shop interview

The phone interview

Focus on the interviewer at all times A public place is full of noise and distractions. You must ignore them and keep your attention firmly on the interviewer. Avoid glancing at other things happening around you, or listening to other sounds rather than what the interviewer is saying.

Do not eat too much The interviewer will probably offer to buy you a coffee or cake, in which case it is impolite to decline. Ask for something simple such as tea or coffee, not an extravagant concoction that will be fussy to drink. Likewise, do not order an enormous slice of cake, but rather a small item such as a cookie.

Some job interviews are in a public place, and well call this the coffee shop interview because that is probably the location chosen most often. Perhaps the employer does not have a suitable location close by, or either the employer or candidate would prefer others not know about the interview, which may be difficult in the office. It is also common for an informal talk about job opportunities, in which case talking over a coffee may seem more natural and comfortable than speaking across a desk The most important thing to remember is that, no matter how informal the location, a job interview itself is never an informal process. You should always prepare, dress and behave exactly as you would for any face-to-face interview. There are, however, some additional things to bear in mind.

Keep the conversation on track The casual environment can lead you to have more of a social conversation rather than a professional one. While there may be some small-talk, the interviewer is really here to find out about your experience and potential, so move on to these more relevant topics without too much delay.

Watch your manners Bad manners are the biggest danger of the coffee shop. Do not slurp your drink, chew with your mouth open, talk with food in your mouth, put too much in your mouth, or pick food out of your teeth. The best approach is to avoid food altogether, and stick to tea or coffee. Adopt an attentive and polite pose in your chair no matter how comfortable it may be.

Be very precise in checking the interview location If you think coffee shop in Qatar, you are probably thinking one of the popular franchises in shopping malls. Make sure you know exactly which franchise, and exactly which mall, the interviewer is planning to meet you in.

Do not overstay your welcome When the interview reaches its natural end, gather your belongings and say your goodbyes exactly as you would in an office. Do not hang around, either trying to make smalltalk or, even worse, saying nothing at all, while you gulp the last of your drink or try to clear your plate. This can feel awkward, and any slip in your manners now will undermine the good impression you have made.

Telephone interviews are particularly common toward the start of the recruitment process, to select which candidates will be invited to a full interview. They may be shorter than a full interview, but otherwise will follow the same format. A telephone interview can also happen by accident. Perhaps you are calling for information, or making a speculative call about possible vacancies, but if you speak to one of the companys recruitment team, you are being interviewed. Every time you call a potential employer, be prepared to sell yourself, show enthusiasm, and make a good impression. This is not a casual conversation. Do all your research, know what you want to say, and know what you want to ask, before you press the call button. Choose a quiet location for the call, and make sure you will not be interrupted. If the employer is going to call you, be ready and waiting when your phone rings. The important consideration is that you and the interviewer cannot see each other. This means you need to make an extra effort to speak slowly and clearly. While you should still give yourself a thinking pause before answering questions, do not let the pause drag out too long, otherwise the interviewer may think you were not listening. If necessary, say you need to think about the question for a moment, so it is clear you are giving it proper consideration and have not simply tuned out. By all means, have your CV and any other notes in front of you as a reference, but arrange them in a way that you can refer to them easily without shuffling pieces of paper.

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Common interview questions

Tell me about yourself?

Have three or four sentences in mind that describe your career history, your professional achievements, and your character. In each case, what you say should reinforce what you wrote in your cover letter and CV, and demonstrate potential for the job they need to fill.
What were your responsibilities in your last job?

?
?
What is your greatest strength?

strength to a specific example, and make sure they are relevant to the job you are applying for.
What is your greatest weakness?

dissatisfied. Talk about the workplace in a way that shows you enjoy being part of the team, and speak of achievements and challenges you have enjoyed, but feel you need to find new opportunities to develop.

? ? ?
?

Everybody has weaknesses, but do not reveal something that might make the employer decide not to hire you. One option is to look at the skills required for the job, and describe weaknesses that do not relate to them, just as you describe strengths that do. Another is to describe past weaknesses, and what you have done to solve them. This presents you as self-aware and able to improve yourself when necessary. The best answer is to mix a minor weakness not related to the job, with a couple of more relevant shortcomings you have recognized in yourself and taken steps to solve.
How do you deal with pressure or stress?

Have three or four sentences in mind that describe your career history, your professional achievements, and your character.

What are some of the challenges or problems you have faced, and how did you handle them?

Your answer should be specific in the details you give, and concentrate on positives. Always try to link past responsibilities to the job you are applying for, and focus on the areas where there is a clear link. You want to show the interviewer you have the experience and qualifications they are looking for.
What did you like or dislike about your previous job?

Think of specific challenges you have faced in the past, and then write down how you solved the situation, either individually or as a constructive team member. Pick three that you think are most likely to impress, which relate to the job description, and show different aspects of your problem-solving skills. Use these as possible responses.

Possible responses include: you feel pressure, but try not to let it affect you; when you are under pressure, it motivates you to get the job done; you try react to situations, rather than the stresses they cause; if a task or project is becoming stressful, you break it down into smaller, achievable goals to deal with one at a time; if the stress is caused by issues with other people in the team, you talk to them and resolve the underlying problem. You can also refer to things you do to relieve stress outside work, such as playing sport or going to the gym.
What was your biggest accomplishment or failure in your previous work?

previous work that will be relevant to the job you are applying for. Use this as an example, being sure you can explain clearly why you count it as an accomplishment. Describing your greatest failure must be approached carefully to avoid looking incompetent or lacking in self-awareness. Identify something that is not too closely related to the tasks you will be expected to perform, and then explain what you learned from your experience and how you would avoid repeating this failure in the future.
How do you evaluate success?

This is best answered in terms of your accomplishments as part of a team, because that is what your prospective employer will want you to be. You could say you evaluate success by setting goals and judging how well you achieve or exceed them, or through the positive response of your fellow workers. Always be able to give an example of a situation this has applied to.
Why do you wish to leave your current job?

Be positive, and answer in a way that shows you feel it is time for you to move on, rather than being unhappy or

Take a close look at the things you have achieved in life, work and study, and build a list of strengths around things you have done in the past. Be able to link each

Think of something you achieved in your

Never speak badly of a current or past employer. Emphasize the experience you have gained, and that you feel you need

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Common interview questions

Emphasize the experience you have gained, and that you feel you need more room to develop your skills, or want to take your career in a new direction.
more room to develop your skills, or want to take your career in a new direction. If the position has been advertised, you could say you were not planning a move, but saw the advertisement and it looked interesting. Explain how a new job would create opportunities missing from your current one. It is more difficult if you were made redundant or dismissed from your last position. Most managers will understand the concept of redundancy, and that this can happen to the best employees, but you should understand and explain why it was your job that was cut. For example, the company needed to reduce costs, and decided to divide the workload between a smaller team. Dismissal is harder to explain. If you find yourself in this position, try to present the facts surrounding your dismissal in the best possible light, and show you have learned from the experience.
Why do you want this job?

your skills and expand your professional abilities. Be sure to explain why the job is an opportunity, and give examples of existing skills that you think would be expanded by the new role.
Why should we hire you?

Common interview mistakes

There are some job interview mistakes people make time and time again, and she was the one who turned up late or he was the one who wore jeans could be enough to put your application on the no pile.

Give examples of how the skills and experience you have gathered in previous jobs fulfill the employers needs. Be positive, and concentrate on the contribution you can make to the organization.
What are your goals for the future?

Forgetting an interviewers name

Answering the wrong question

Think ahead to the next step in your career, and describe your goals in these terms. Ideally, you should identify goals you can achieve within the organization, as this will show commitment and that your ambitions and the employers are the same. Do not talk about goals outside your career that might interfere with your work. Another common variation on this question is, Where do you see yourself in five years time?
What are your salary requirements?

Nothing tells someone you dont care about them like forgetting who they are. If you are being interviewed by a panel, know everyones name, and make sure you know who is who at the start of the interview.
Getting lost and arriving late

Listen carefully to every part of each question, then answer each part clearly. Many people only half-listen, and answer the question they think they were asked, not what they actually were asked. This fails to give the interviewer the information they want, and makes you seem inattentive.
Not offering references

Make a list of ways in which the role matches your professional and career ambitions. When answering the question, emphasize that you are looking for an opportunity to make the most of

When applying for a job, you should research how much is a reasonable salary for the role in question, and how much your experience is likely to be worth in the role. With that in mind, one option is to state your current package and that you would want a salary that compares favorably with this. In general, however, it is best to avoid talking about money in a job interview. Salary negotiations are best handled after you have been offered the job.

Always make sure you know exactly where you need to go for your interview, how long it will take to get there, and then allow enough travel time to arrive early. Being late creates a bad impression and, if the interviewer is on a tight schedule, your appointment might get cancelled.
Avoiding tough questions

Employers want to be able to check your credentials, so make sure you have references ready to give them. In some cases, they might not actually use the references, but they want the option and will notice if you cannot provide any.
Not asking questions

There are some questions that are hard to answer, but the interviewer asks them for a reason. You will not get away with avoiding the question or not answering. The interviewer might not press you, but will make a note of your failure and count it against you when reviewing the rival candidates.

Interviewers ask if you have any questions partly because they realize you might like more information, and also as a way of seeing how curious you are about the job and the organization. Prove your interest by asking intelligent questions.
Asking about salary and hours

You are definitely going to want to know

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Common interview mistakes

about these before accepting the job, but now is not the time to ask. This will make you look like a potential dissatisfied employee, who will want to arrive at work late in the morning, and leave as soon as you can in the afternoon.
Dressing inappropriately

Not knowing about the company

This is a business meeting, not a social outing, so dress appropriately. That usually means national dress for Qataris or other Gulf nationals, or a business suit or reasonable trousers/long-sleeved shirt/ jacket combination for expats. If you are an expat male, wear a tie. If you are an expat female, wear a skirt that reaches below the knees.
Using your phone during the interview

If you do not know about the company, why would you care about working for it? Do your homework before sending a job application, and again and in more depth before the interview. Failure to do this will almost certainly stop you progressing to the next stage of the process.

After the interview

Following up your interview dramatically increases your chances of landing the job. It is often the candidate who keeps in touch that gets an offer.

Forgetting details of your CV

You should be able to remember exactly what you have done in the past, and when you did it. If not, it can make you seem absent-minded, and the interviewer may wonder if your CV is completely accurate.

1. Get a business card

Do not be distracted by messages or social networking on your phone or mobile device. Not only is it rude, it will also make the interviewer wonder how much time you will be wasting on this in the office. Turn your phone off before the interview starts.
Not paying attention

Being negative about past jobs

During you interview, ask for the interviewers card. This gives you the office address, contact telephone number, and email address you need to stay in touch.
2. Say thank you

the position. This can help you stay in the running if the selection process takes a while. Make each email or call different from the last, rather than sending the same message over and over again.
5. Why not me?

Your potential employer wants to know that you are alert and attentive, as this will affect how they judge your likely performance at work. If you cannot pay attention in an interview, they will assume you cannot do so at work either.
Talking too much

The interviewer wants a team-player to join the company; someone who has been successful in their previous experience and is ready to move up to a higher level. Complaining about a current or past employer is a hallmark of someone who has not made the most of their opportunities. The same applies to schools or universities. As far as a job interview is concerned, your past should be a series of positive, rewarding, and educational experiences.

When you get home, send an email thanking the interviewer for their time and restating why you believe you would be an asset to the team. You can also include additional information you feel was not covered in the interview.
3. Use the telephone

Not being relaxed

Say what you need to say, and when you have answered a question fully, stop talking and let the interviewer speak. This makes you seem an effective and intelligent communicator. Your interview may also have an allotted time limit, so make the most of it.

This probably seems like it goes against every piece of advice in this guide, but it is important to be relaxed and comfortable in a job interview, just not too casual. Your employer wants someone other workers will get along with, and you want them to see this in you.

A week after the interview, call the interviewer to let them know of your continued interest, and ask if they need any further information. This reminds the interviewer of you at a crucial time in the decision-making process
4. Keep asking

Keep in touch with the interviewer until you are either offered the job, or it has been given to someone else, regularly inquire about the progress of the selection process, and restate your enthusiasm for

There will inevitably be times when you do not get a job you apply for, but if you approach rejection in a constructive way you can use it to improve your chances of success in the future. When you find out you were unsuccessful, ask the interviewer for feedback. Most are willing to explain why they chose someone else and which parts of your application, such as details on your CV or part of your interview performance, affected their decision. Be polite, take care not to let your query seem like a complaint, and send an email thanking them afterwards. You can use feedback on a failed application to improve your next one. The company will also have other vacancies in the future, and a polite, constructive follow-up to an unsuccessful application could put you in mind when recruiting for another position.

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In the job

When you start a new job, you should start preparing for your next move from your very first day. Always remember that a successful career means using each job along your path as a step toward the next opportunity.

1.  Dress Apply the same to impress dress standards for work as you did for your interview. After a while you may find the dress code is more flexible, particularly for expats, but be sure of what is appropriate before changing what you wear.

5. Behave professionally

Do not talk too much about your private life, be too familiar with other people, or make jokes that might be misunderstood. The people around you are colleagues, not your social circle. Some great friendships are made at the office, but these take time to develop.
6. Work time is for working

Always aim to arrive 2. Be on time at work before the appointed start time. Consistently arriving late will appear lazy and uncommitted. Likewise, do not be in a hurry to leave at the end of the day, or take too long for lunch. Write down everything you are asked to do, confirm exactly what is required of you, and how you are expected to achieve it. Being given the same instructions over and over again will seem incompetent.

Keep personal social networking, text messages, and phone calls to an absolute minimum at work. If you receive a personal message or call, only respond if the matter is urgent. Otherwise, wait until you have finished work or are on a break. Get your work done without fuss. Consult 7. Do what your manager on a you are asked regular basis to check your work is in line with expectations. This will make sure any issues are dealt with before they become a problem. Keep track of how your 8. Achieve work is expanding your your CV, and find ways to fill goals any gaps you can see. You may ask to take on extra tasks, or you can look to activities outside the office, such as volunteer work. When your CV is noticeably stronger, it is time to think about moving on.

3. Take notes

Ask questions 4. Ask whenever there is questions something you do not understand perfectly. Your manager will understand you need guidance in performing new tasks. You can also ask colleagues for advice.

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