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INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES A job interview is a communication process; your skills will become more polished over time.

1. Dress appropriately. Have a decent hairdo and wear decent colour shirts and dresses.

2. Speak clearly and enthusiastically about your experiences and skills. Be professional, but don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. Be yourself. 3. Listen carefully. You will want to remember what you learn about the job, and you will certainly want to answer the question that was asked. 4. Be positive. Employers do not want to hear a litany of excuses or bad feelings about a negative experience. If you are asked about a low grade, sudden job changes, or a weakness in your background, dont be defensive. Focus instead on the facts (briefly) and what you learned from the experience. 5. Pay attention to your nonverbal behavior. Look the interviewer in the eye, sit up straight with both feet on the floor, control nervous habits (cracking knuckles, drumming fingers, etc.), and smile as you are greeted. 6. Don't be afraid of short pauses. You may need a few seconds to formulate an answer. The interviewer may need time to formulate an appropriate question. It is not necessary to fill up every second with conversation 7. Be prepared to market your skills and experiences as they relate to the job described. Work at positioning yourself in the mind of the employer as a person with a particular set of skills and attributes. Employers have problems that need to be solved by employees with particular skills; work to describe your qualifications appropriately.

8. Plan to arrive for your interview 10-15 minutes prior to the appointed time. Arriving too early confuses the employer and creates an awkward situation. By the same token, arriving late creates a bad first impression. Ask for directions when making arrangements for the interview. 9. Arrange your folder. Your certificates must be organized neatly. Divide your folder to three parts i.e. academic certificates, skills certificates and co-curriculum certificates

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10. Bring extra resumes and a list of questions you need it to be answered. You may refer to your list of questions to be sure you've gathered the information you need to make a decision. Do not be preoccupied with taking notes during the interview. 11. In many career fields, the lunch or dinner included during the interview day is not only employer hospitality, but a significant part of the interview process. Brush up on your etiquette and carry your share of the conversation during the meal. Often social skills are part of the hiring decision. 12. After the interview, take time to write down the names and titles (check spelling) of all your interviewers, your impressions, remaining questions and information learned. If you are interviewing regularly, this will help you keep employers and circumstances clearly defined.

13. Follow up the interview with a thank-you letter. Employers regard this as evidence of your attention to detail, as well as an indication of your final interest in the position

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TOP General Interview Tips

Majority of the interviewees go to an interview without much preparation. These ten interview tips will help you go through an interview with a breeze!

PLAN AHEAD
Be Prepared! Do a little homework prior to the interview. Browse through the employers' website and learn something about the company before you attend your interview. Research the company and the position if possible, as well as the people you will meet with at the interview. Review your work experiences. Be ready to support past career accomplishments with specific information targeted towards the companies' needs. Prepare your facts and get them right!

ROLE PLAY
Once you have finished your research, begin role playing (rehearsing). Be prepared for questions that are frequently asked by employers such as "Tell me about yourself" or "Why should we hire you?" Write down answers if it helps to make your presentation more concise. Try to keep your answers to the information your new employer will want to know. It is good to get the advice from those who are more experienced or better still, from the HR people to get a clear picture on what the recruiters are looking for.

FIRST IMPRESSION COUNTS! You never get a second chance to make a first impression! Dress professionally and appropriately (according to the job you are applying for). Flip-flop sandals and singlet are definitely out.

BE ON TIME! If possible, try getting to the venue before the actual interview day to see how long it will take. Public transport may be unreliable, you may have been stuck in heavy traffic, but however reasonable your excuses are, they won't change the fact that your chances are reduced if you are late. Remember that first impression counts! Worse comes to worst, if you are going to be late, ring your interviewer(s) and let them know. It is a matter of courtesy. BE POSITIVE! Don't criticise past employers, particularly within the industry. Focus on positive achievements and views. In particular, avoid negative comments about past employers and don't talk too much! You may be shooting yourself in your foot (literally) when you disclose too much of information that you do not wish to be known in the first place.

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ENCOURAGE Encourage the interviewer to share information about his or her company. Demonstrate your interest. EYE CONTACT Maintain eye contact with your interviewer. Show that you want the job with interest. ADAPT AND RELATE Listen and adapt. Be sensitive to the style of the interviewer. Try to relate your answers to the interviewer and his or her company. Focus on achievements relevant to the position. Talk about specific achievements! Interviewers like to know how you felt about a particular success. Some will ask for specific examples of things you've done that you're particularly proud of; how you solved problems; how you learned - and improved - from difficult situations. BE HONEST! There really is no point lying about your background and/or skills. If you get caught, or even manage to get away with it by getting employed and then get found out, you can be sure you won't be around for long! Job interviews are about matching needs - if there isn't a good match, then chances are that the job won't work out. AND FINALLY, DON'T GIVE UP! The fact is that you will not be offered every job you applied for, however perfect you think you may be for it. Feedback from interviews where you have been turned down can be invaluable for improving future results. Ask politely if they can give you any feedback. Always remember that there is a job out there for you somewhere.

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INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWEES.

QUESTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? How would your current (or last) lecturers describe you? What were your boss's responsibilities? (Interviewers sometimes ask this question to prevent you from having the chance to claim that you did your boss's job. Be ready for it!) What's your opinion of them? (Never criticize your past or present boss in an interview. It just makes you look bad!) How would your friends, co-workers or subordinates describe you professionally?* (Remember, now is not the time for modesty! Brag a little bit.) Tell me about your accomplishments. Why do you want to work for us? Why do you want to leave your present employer? (if youre working with another company) Why should we hire you over the other finalists? What qualities or talents would you bring to the job? What is your most important contribution to your last (or current) employer/institution? How do you perform under deadline pressure? Give me an example. How do you react to criticism? Describe a conflict or disagreement at work in which you were involved. How was it resolved? What are two of the biggest problems you've encountered at your job and how did you overcome them? Think of a major crisis you've faced at work and explain how you handled it. Give me an example of a risk that you took at your job (past or present) and how it turned out. What's your managerial style like? Have you ever hired employees; and, if so, have they lived up to your expectations? What type of performance problems have you encountered in people who report to you, and how did you motivate them to improve? Describe a typical day at your present (or last) job. What are the last three books you've read? What do you see yourself doing five years from now?

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

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What should I wear?

Besides your self-confidence, possessing the paper qualifications, experience or attitude; it is important for you to dress well and appropriately for an interview in order to make the right impression to potential employers. Dressing inappropriately to an interview conveys only one message to the interviewer: the candidate is nave, and misunderstood the job requirements. Female candidates should be especially careful as a revealing outfit may not be seen as sexy or attractive at all, but may cause your interviewer to make moral judgments, or worse, dismiss you off as lacking in moral values, hence unsuitable for the job. Always keep in mind that going to an interview is not a social event. Dress conservatively and keep the accessories to a minimum. Garish make-up or sloppy flip flops tell the interviewer that you are inexperienced in the job hunting trade. Unless you are involved in theatre or creative arts, it is advisable for you to stick to conservative dressing for an interview.

FOR MEN

A neatly pressed long-sleeved working shirt (avoid colourful shirts, stick to one solid colour) A tie (optional but recommended) A suit (depending on the position that you are applying) A pair of neatly-pressed dark-coloured slacks Conservative colours, preferably pastel colours (avoid bright, flashy colours e.g. bright orange, fuchsia, etc.) A pair of dark-coloured socks Well polished dark-coloured shoes Neatly groomed or cleanly shaved beard and/or moustache

FOR WOMEN

Conservative blouse (steer clear of low cleavage and bare back designs) Business suit Conservative colours (keep the colours to a maximum of three) Properly fitting, non-revealing clothes. Skirts should not be shorter than an inch above the knees A conservative hairstyle tied-up long hair or set hair in a neat hairstyle. Avoid colouring your hair in shocking colours if you are job hunting Appropriate closed-toe shoes or pumps. Wear sandals only when matched with long skirts Baju Kurung or Kebaya Labuh (make sure the colour of your baju is not more than three) Colours of head scarf should be suitable with outfit.

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What Not to Bring to the Interview

Gum Cell phone I pod Coffee or soda

What Not to Wear on a Job Interview

Flip-flops or sneakers. Underwear (bras, bra straps, briefs, boxers, etc.) that is visible. Shorts. Jeans. Pants that are too low-rise or too tight.

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