Being nervous on the approach of an interview is normal. Most of the people feel a sense of nervousness when they arrive at the interviewing venue. What is important is to remember that you have been called for a job interview because employers consider you might be the right person. It is a jobseeker's opportunity to confirm the employer's belief that you are best suited for a job position you have applied and have been invited. Once you start facing interviewing process, equipped with some top tips, this nervousness will vanish into thin air. Given below are top 10 tips that prepare you to be successful in job interviewing.

 

Tip #1. Be relaxed, authentic and confident
Just relax. Why should you relax? Because, you have educational qualification, training and experience to work in your favor. Therefore, take a deep breath and remember the achievements you did in your past job. Recall the value you provided to your past employer. Be confident about your worthiness to be selected for the job position. Who knows you may even be overqualified for the job position.

 

Tip #2. You are interviewing the interviewer too!
It is true that you are going to be tested by the employer. But, at the same time, you are going to test the employer too; it is your chance as well to ensure whether the employer's work culture fits in with what your personal values are. Interviewing is not a one-way affair. One of the most important tips, therefore, is be ready to ask questions from the interviewer as well. By asking questions, you will weigh your options and know what you are actually getting into.

 

Tip #3. Prepare yourself, know the whereabouts of the company
Doing some research about the employer plays a key role in being successful at interviews. And how do you show your sincere interest in the company you have applied to? You can show your interest in the employer by knowing about its whereabouts. So, one of the most important job interview tips is to go to the company's website, know about its services and the industry in which it operates. By doing some research about the employer's business, you will not only make a well informed decision about taking a job position there but will also be in a strong position to answer related questions and ask questions that you may have about the employer and its services.

 

Tip #4. Let the pressure go...there are more options
A job interview is not a contest or a do-or-die situation. There are many more jobs you can apply for and get interviewed. So, take the pressure off you. If you are going to attend an interview it does not mean it is the only option. Much better job opportunities may be waiting just round the corner.

 

Tip #5. Be honest, don't be shy speaking of your weaknesses
Everyone of us has some strong points as well as weaknesses. While being interviewed by the interviewer, speak with honesty. By being honest, you will be able to find a career that best suits your skills and abilities. However, when you tell the employer about your weakness, also tell them how you overcome those weak points.

 

Tip #6. Prepare a list of your achievements to tell the interviewer
Advance preparation is key to becoming successful in job interviewing. Before you appear at the venue, be advised to prepare a list of the qualities and skills you possess and achievements you have made in the past. When the interviewer offers you to express your thoughts, you can use this opportunity to your benefit. You can then speak of your accomplishments and achievements that you made in your past job. Speak about how you can bring value to the employer.

 

Tip #7. Prepare a list of intelligent questions you want to ask
Recall the gaps where your last employer fell short. Prepare some questions regarding this. In addition, get ready with some intelligent questions or things you would like to know about this employer. When provided the opportunity, ask the questions to remove doubts and confusions that you may have about the company. By asking these questions from the interviewer, you will not only show your enthusiasm to work for the company but will also ensure that this is the right job you are looking for.

 

Tip #8. Find out who the interviewer is
Another important piece of advice is to know who you are interviewing with. Is it the head of the Human Resources? Or is it the boss or the Head of the Department? If it is the Human Resource head, expect to be asked general interview questions. While answering, talk about your career history, personal values, working style etc. If it is the Head of the Department, you can ask questions like what your day-to-day job responsibilities would be and what the demand of the job position is.

 

Tip #9. A quick mini-visualization in advance would work well
Create a quick picture of how you want the interview to happen and what ideal outcome you want from it. As per your intentions, do a quick mini visualization of the entire procedure. Be ready what qualities you would like to express during the job interview to beat out the competition. Visualize closing the interview with a warm smile and a firm handshake.

 

Tip #10. Dress appropriately
What does dressing appropriately means? It means you look professionals, show your personality and dress in regard to the job you have applied for. Remember, you will create your first impression by what you look like when you reach the venue of the interview. Right from head to toe, you should look put together and cleaned up.

 

Looking great on resume alone does not land you jobs. Interviewing is the most overlooked aspect of a job search strategy. There are hundreds of candidates that look impressive on paper, but when it comes to making a lasting impression they prove to be complete disasters. With the job market getting tougher and tougher, it is essential for candidates to polish their interview skills to perfection and avoid mistakes they can make. Given below are 10 worst interview mistakes that you need to avoid to make your job interview a success and land jobs successfully.

 

1. Poor handshake
A handshake may just be a three-second affair, but it is one of the most important part of making a great first impression on the hiring manager or the interviewer. An ineffective handshake is one of the most embarrassing interview mistakes you can make. It is almost impossible to build a rapport after you have already had a poor handshake with the interviewer. If it is a ‘Limp Hand' handshake, it shows your disinterest. If it is the ‘Tips of the Fingers' type, it signals a lack of ability to engage. And you can make you seem like an overly aggressive salesman if you make the ‘Arms Pump' handshake.

 

2. Being too talkative
There is a limit to even talking. Most of the employers just hate candidates who are over-talkative. To avoid mistakes, you need to fine-tune your interviewing skills with role play. When the interviewer asks you a question, provide answers in a direct manner. Avoid nervous talking or taking too much time to reply to direct questions.

 

3. Talking negative about your previous employers or managers
Even if you have reasonable complaints against your past employers, you should not talk negative about them. It is one of the most common mistakes candidates can make and talk them out of a new job. In any case, you should never make the interviewer feel your disrespect towards your past boss or employer. Even when you are asked to talk about your previous employer, try to take a positive spin on your experiences.

 

4. Turning up too early or too late
Hardly do many jobseekers know that they leave a poor impression even by showing up too early for the interview. Do not make it seem like you are desperately want the job and have much time on your hands. Therefore, it is always advisable to turn up for the interview on time, rather than being 10-15 minutes early.

 

5. Behaving rudely with the receptionist
Many times interviewers may also ask the receptionist for an opinion of you. Apart from that it is the receptionist who paves your way to the hiring manager or the interviewer. And since the receptionist is the first person you meet at the interviewing venue, you need to give it all a positive start. Therefore, do not behave rudely with the receptionist. In fact, whoever you meet at the venue, be polite and friendly to them.

 

6. Asking about employee benefits, holidays and salary
It is really ridiculous and disgusting to ask during the first interview about benefits, vacation time and salary. It is one of the worst mistakes you can make. It is wise to hold these questions back till you are confirmed that you have won over the employer.

 

7. Not doing a pre-interview research
One of the most important points to turn your job interview into complete success is to do some research about the organization in advance. With pre-interview research, you can prepare yourself with some really well thought and intelligent questions to ask the interviewer. This research will also show to the employer your interest in the organization. So, be well prepared.

 

8. Using verbal ticks
Nothing shows your nervousness more than when you start using verbal ticks like ‘umm', ‘you know' and ‘like'. Be calm and confident while you face the interviewer. Before, responding to the interviewer's question, you can gather your thoughts. But do not make the mistake of using verbal ticks while answering questions.

 

9. Having too much or too less eye contact
While sitting before the interviewing and talking to them, you should remember not to make too much or too less eye contact. By making too less eye contact, you send the signal of being untruthful and disinterested. And if you make too much of it, you will wear out the interviewer. Therefore, you need to strike the correct balance to be successful.

 

10. Failure to match communication styles
One of the worst mistakes you can make during an interview is failing to match the communication style of the hiring manager, the employer or the interviewer. If the employer is talking all business, can you afford to be humorous while conversing? Give a direct answer to a direct question. Let the interviewer set the tone of conversation and try to match up to their communication style.

Getting interviewed for a job, meeting with new employers and impressing them may prove to be a nerve wracking ordeal for many people. You may also feel very uncomfortable while trying to sell yourself to your targeted employers. The good news for candidates is that interviewing is a skill which can be learned and mastered with plenty of practice. If you are equipped with the interviewing techniques and tips and know how to present yourself in an effective manner, you can really enhance your chances of landing jobs.

 

Interview as many times as you can
So, you have targeted employers and companies where you wish to be employed. You are also ready with a perfectly written resume. Now, when you begin searching for jobs , you come across openings, some which match your requirements while others do not fit in with what you are looking for. And then you start to apply for only those jobs that exactly fit in with your requirements. But one of the most important things to remember here is that you do not limit your job search criteria. Creating too many filters for your search will only limit the possibilities and opportunities.

 

Interviewing as many times as possible will not only fine-tune your interviewing skills, but it will also expand and strengthen your professional network, will refine your job search and it may also result in bringing you some unexpected job opportunities.

 

Come up with a compelling story for job interviews
Everyone is different. So, do not make the mistake of believing that you have an average and boring life like most of the people out there. Your personal story can be much better than you think. Think about how your life has evolved, how you have learned things, how you have fought failures and how you have achieved. Come up with a compelling story that sets you apart from other candidates applying for jobs . Before you sit before the interviewer to tell the story, practise telling it more and more.

 

Tailor your personal story to the job you are applying
After you have developed a compelling story to tell to the interviewer or the employer, the next important step is to ensure that the story is tailored to the specific job requirement. Figure out whether your stories have relevancy to the job interview. Your personal story may include things like crisis handling in life, leadership skills, overcoming failures in your career, achievements and accomplishments. Include chapters in the story according to the demand and tailor is to your specific job requirement and opportunity.

 

Be well prepared
Some of the job interviews may only last a few minutes while others may include many formal meetings. It can either be a one-on-one interview or a panel interview. So, also practice and prepare yourself for panel interviews . Comfortability is an important factor that makes an interview successful. And it comes from more and more practice. Do your homework and practice interviewing techniques with one of your close friends you can trust. Check your body language, verbal presentation and extra movements as you have practicing sessions.

 

Be ready to handle likely questions
During a job interview, employers often turn to behavioral interviewing and begin asking probing questions. While being interviewed, you may be asked to describe a situation where you were unable to achieve the stated goal and how you handled the situation. You may also be asked to describe a situation where you took initiatives to bring about the changes in the system you wanted, most importantly stating how you recognized the problem. Similarly, you can prepare in advance a list of likely interview questions and be ready with appropriate answers.

 

Have a set of intelligent questions to ask the interviewer
Only being an effective responder is not enough to have a successful interview for landing jobs. To increase your chances of getting the job, you also need to show your interest and enthusiasm in the employer. One of the most important techniques is, therefore, to be prepared with a set of intelligent questions in advance. By asking some great questions from the interviewer, you do not only display your interest in serving the employer, but you also assert yourself.

 

If you work well on these techniques and tips and practice more and more, you will definitely have a successful interview session with the employer and will enhance your chances of landing the job manifolds.

What is the most common perception, about panel interviews, that exists among jobseekers? Most of the people hold the view that panel interviews are about a strictly uncomfortable setting where the jobseekers will be confronted with sophisticated professionals. Panel interviews are one of those job interview types that help employers assess whether the candidate or the interviewee would exactly fit in with a particular organizational position. In most cases, the interview feels very apprehensive and becomes panicky. The fact, however, is that employers never want to make candidates anxious or stressed. Read on to find answers to questions like - when do employers hold panel interviews? What exactly is a panel interview? And how can candidates pull through in case they face a panel interview?

 

What is a panel interview?
A panel interview is quite similar to the standard one-on-one job interview except for the fact that the number of interviewers in this case is multiple. A panel interview has sophisticated professionals including a panel leader and other panel members. As there is not just one interviewer, questions asked are also multiple, all relating to the job position the candidate has applied for. Taking turns, each of the panel members ask the interview questions to make an assessment of the skill sets, the behavioral attributes and the professional experience of the candidate. After the job interview is over, each of the panel interview members rates the interviewee as per their own perceptions about the candidate's eligibility for the job position. The final decision comes only after all the panel members simultaneously agree that the interviewee is really a deserving candidate.

 

What is the purpose of holding panel interviews?
Organizations hold panel interviews for a number of reasons. These interviews help the organization to fully assess the eligibility of the job seekers over a short period of time. By holding such interviews, the organization can easily find out whether the jobseeker is actually able to tackle pressure and communicate well across all levels of the organization. The panel interview, therefore, proves to be an effective tool for a heightened behavioral testing and character assessment of the jobseeker. Panel members get the opportunity to check and affirm the candidacy of a jobseeker from different angles. It is through panel interviews that it can be said that the outcome is quite just.

 

How to prepare for panel interviews
As a jobseeker, you can begin with what you do to prepare for a traditional one-on-one job interview. First and foremost, you need to do your research regarding the organization's background, the marketplaces it caters to and the work culture that prevails there. Besides being quite familiar with all of these, you also need to be mentally prepared for the panel interview you are going to face. Just visualize yourself surrounded by 2-6 professionals and answering to each of their questions in a respective manner and at ease. Try to end the job interview on a positive note and do rehearsals as many times as you can. This is also to be kept in mind that you are not there only to answer questions put up by the panel members. You also need to ask your own questions. Therefore, be ready with a set of your own intelligent questions.

 

What to do on the day of the panel interview
Just be relaxed and remember that you have rehearsed quite well and are really ready to face the questions asked by the panel members. You are quite aware of your strength areas and you are there to communicate in a well respected and convincing manner. Keep the eye contact and keep giving smiles in between. This is also to be noted that you do not target your questions at only one of the panel members. You have to able to communicate to each one of the panel members and convince them that you are a potentially deserving candidate for the job position you have applied for. Take your time while answering the questions and do not shy away from asking for clarification, in case a particular question is not clear to you.

 

What to do after the panel interview is over
Give it a little more effort. Get the names and positions of the each of those people who were among the panel members. Now, it's time to write a thank you note to each of these panel members separately. Thank the panel members for their valuable time and presence.