Definition of job interview

A job interview is an interview consisting of a conversation between a job applicant and a representative
of an employer which is conducted to assess whether the applicant should be hired. Interviews are one
of the most popularly used devices for employee selection. An interview is usually set to extract general
information like background, experience, achievements, etc about the candidate.

A job interview typically precedes the hiring decision. The interview is usually preceded by the
evaluation of submitted resume from interested candidates, possibly by examining job applications or
reading many resumes. Next, after this screening, a small number of candidates for interviews is
selected.

Potential job interview opportunities also include networking events and career fairs. The job interview
is considered one of the most useful tools for evaluating potential employees. It also demands significant
resources from the employer, yet has been demonstrated to be notoriously unreliable in identifying the
optimal person for the job. An interview also allows the candidate to assess the corporate culture and
demands of the job.

Type of job interview

1. Unstructured

The unstructured interview, or one that does not include a good number of standardization elements, is
the most common form of interview today. Unstructured interviews are typically seen as free-flowing;
the interviewer can swap out or change questions as he/she feels is best, and different interviewers may
not rate or score applicant responses in the same way. There are also no directions put in place regarding
how the interviewer and the interviewee should interact before, during, or after the interview.
Unstructured interviews essentially allow the interviewer to conduct the interview however he or she
thinks is best.

Given unstructured interviews can change based on who the interviewer might be, it is not surprising
that unstructured interviews are typically preferred by interviewers. Interviewers tend to develop
confidence in their ability to accurately rate interviewees, detect whether applicants are faking their
answers, and trust their judgment about whether the person is a good candidate for the
job.Unstructured interviews allow interviewers to do so more freely. Research suggests, however, that
unstructured interviews are actually highly unreliable, or inconsistent between interviews. That means
that two interviewers who conduct an interview with the same person may not agree and see the
candidate the same way even if they were in the same interview with that applicant. Often interviewers
who conduct unstructured interviews fail to identify the high-quality candidates for the job. See the
section on interview structure issues for a more in-depth discussion.

2. Structured

Structured interviews are the types of interviews conducted by companies that interviewers usually have
prepared questions that will be asked. : These questions are usually asked the same to the prospective
applicants in a certain order. Usually used for screening applicants and a variety of reasons for the
applicants

The General job interview question

1. What can you tell me about yourself?

2. Can you list your strengths?
3. What weaknesses do you have?
4. Why should I consider hiring you?
5. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
6. Why do you want to work here?
7. What is your salary expectation?
8. What motivates you?
9. What makes a good team player?
10. Is there anything that you would like to ask me?

Tips and strategy in answering the questions (job interview)

It is a good idea to focus on your communication skills in particular, so you can speak clearly and
concisely about the assets you can offer the employer.

Tell me about your self!

Ketika Anda diberikan pertanyaan ini, maka jawablah dengan secara umum. Interviewer tidak ingin anda
menceritakan keseluruhan jalan hidup. Namun, jelaskan siapa nama Anda, Anda lulusan di bidang apa,
posisi Anda dimana, dan apa keunggulan Anda dibanding yang lain.

Example :

Hello sir, my name is raditya prambudi, i am a fresh graduate at English department of Indonesian
University. Even thought a fresh graduate, i have experiences as private teacher for 3 years l, lecture
assistant for about 2 years, and a leader of the biggest English club in my University. I am also an internet
marketing expert so it is quiite useful for you product selling.

What about this job interests you?

Interviewer ingin mendengarkan jawaban Anda mengenai kenapa Anda tertarik terhadap pekerjaan ini.
Jawab dengan kalimat yang singkat dan jelas. Sekedar tips, disarankan bagi Anda untuk memberikan
keyakinan bahwa Anda tertarik karena mempunyai pengalaman yang mumpuni dan kemampuan
tambahan yang tidak kalah bagus. Sejatinya, interviewer ingin menguji seberapa pantas Anda untuk
bergabung dengan mereka.

Example :

Your company is one of my top choices and i come here because my experiences and interests are quite
useful for this educational company. I can teach the students and i can also handle the task of marketing
by internet. As i told before that internet marketing is one of my experience.

What are your career expectations and would you tell me what you see yourself five years drom now?

Jelaskan apa yang ingin dicapai dalam sebuah karir dan apa yang akan dilakukan selama 5 tahun kedepan
untuk kesuksesan Anda.

Example :

Within 5 years, i am going to generate you company as the top 5 educational companies in Indonesia. I
will improve my teaching capabilities by following the course and take so many additional seminars. Also,
I would like to take online school in order to improve my marketing strategy in order to help this
company branding indludes the wider market.

Why did you leave your job as a private teacher?

Seorang interviewer ingin mengetahui mengapa Anda meninggalkan pekerjaan terakhir dan memilih
bergabung bersama mereka. Dalam hal ini, jelaskan bahwa Anda terlalu hebat untuk terus berada di
perusahaan sebelumnya dan kemudian menganggap bahwa perusahaan yang baru mempunyai prospek
yang sangat cerah. Yakinkan interviewer bahwa perusahaan merekalah yang terbaik.

Example :

I dream big and your company is the solution for me. When i was a leader in educational institute of
private teacher, i think that place was not my own. I have to be bigger and smarter. So, I left my position
as a leader and decide to join your company. Here, I can reach the higher personal branding, the wider
market, and the great experiences of my work.

What are you strengths?

Ceritakan apa saja keunggulan yang Anda miliki dalam sebuah pekerjaan. Sebagai contoh, Anda mampu
memimpin dengan baik, menjadi seorang meneger untuk teman-teman Anda secara cermat, Anda
mampu menghitung dengan secara cepat, atau melakukan multi-tasking. Ceritakan semuanya namun
secara ringkas!

Example :

I have a good flexibility like changing a job to another in a fast response. Second, because my last job was
a manager, I am capable to manage people, turn the negative environment out, and develop a
productive team.

What are you weaknesses and how will you improve all of those?

Anda diharuskan untuk menceritakan kelemahan Anda yang ada dan bagaimana Anda memperbaikinya.
Kendati demikian, tetap hadirkan kata-kata yang membuat interviewer yakin dengan perbaikan yang
dilakukan dan seolah-olah kekurangan tersebut tidak ada lagi saat ini.

Example :

My weakness is hard to adapt with rhe new situation. But for the 2 years experiences as a manager of
the private teachers institute, I can reduce my weakness so well. I learned how to face the new situations
and fixed the problems in a great solution.

What are you salary expectations?

Ada baiknya bagi Anda untuk tidak menyebutkan angka secara terang-terangan namun memberikan
pendapat yabg sopan. Kalau memang Anda ingin tawar menawar soal gaji, maka lakukan riset kecil-
kecilan mengenai gaji pada posisi Anda bekerja di wilayah tempat Anda tinggal. Jangan mengambil
standar terlalu tinggi, jangan pula terlalu rendah.

Example :

I will need more information about my all responbilities and tasks in this company. It would be great if
you could give me an idea about the budget that your company areanged for me.

Do you have any questions?

Selalu sediakan pertanyaan untuk seorang interviewer. Ini membuat Anda terlihat sangat tertarik dengan
perusahaan mereka dan memberikan apresiasi khusus terhadap perusahaan tersebut.

Example

Would you mind to describe the detailed task of this position?

What kind of management style of this company and how it done?

What are the best things about working here?

Tips to candidate

1. Practice and Prepare

Review the typical job interview questions employers ask and practice your answers. Strong answers are
those that are specific but concise, drawing on concrete examples that highlight your skills and back up
your resume. Your answers should also emphasize the skills that are most important to the employer and
relevant to the position. Be sure to review the job listing, make a list of the requirements, and match
them to your experience.

2. Research the Company, and Show What You Know

Do your homework and research the employer and the industry, so you are ready for the interview
question, "What do you know about this company?" If this question is not asked, you should try to
demonstrate what you know about the company on your own.

You can do this by tying what you’ve learned about the company into your responses. For example, you
might say, “I noticed that when you implemented a new software system last year, your customer
satisfaction ratings improved dramatically. I am well-versed in the latest technologies from my
experience with developing software at ABC, and appreciate a company who strives to be a leader in its
industry.”

You should be able to find out a lot of information about the company’s history, mission and values, staff,
culture, and recent successes on its website. If the company has a blog and a social media presence, they
can be useful places to look, too.

3. Be on Time (That Means Early)

Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, drive to the interview
location ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there.
Take into account the time of your interview so you can adjust for local traffic patterns at that time. Give
yourself a few extra minutes to visit the restroom, check your outfit, and calm your nerves.

4. Get Ready Ahead of Time

Don't wait until the last minute to pick out an interview outfit, print extra copies of your resume, or find
a notepad and pen. Have one good interview outfit ready, so you can interview on short notice without
having to worry about what to wear. When you have an interview lined up, get everything ready the
night before.

5. Try to Stay Calm

During the job interview, try to relax and stay as calm as possible. Remember that your body language
says as much about you as your answers to the questions. Proper preparation will allow you to exude
confidence.

As you answer questions, maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Be sure to pay attention to the
question so that you don’t forget it, and listen to the entire question (using active listening) before you
answer, so you know exactly what the interviewer is asking. Avoid cutting off the interviewer at all costs,
especially when he or she is asking questions. If you need to take a moment to think about your answer,
that’s totally fine, and is a better option than starting out with multiple “ums” or “uhs.”

6. Follow-Up After the Interview

Always follow up with a thank-you note reiterating your interest in the position. You can also include any
details you may have forgotten to mention during your interview. If you interview with multiple people
from the same company, send each one a personal note. Send your thank-you email within 24 hours of
your interview.