For all the concentration and work that your resume, your cover letter, and every other aspect of the job game deserves, there is no disputing the fact that the job interview is the most important step in winning a job. Sure, a great resume will get you noticed, but it is your performance during an interview that will get you the job.
You can never be too prepared for a job interview. From researching the company to rehearsing your answers, the job interview is one case where practice definitely makes perfect. Whether you're out there looking for your very first job or are a seasoned professional, job interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience — and for good reason. It is during the interview that many otherwise qualified people lose their chance at employment.
It is important to know the rules of the job interview: what to wear, what to say, and what to do when it's over. The goal of The Everything® Job Interview Book, 2nd Edition is to answer each and every question you may have when it comes to interviewing for a new job. By absorbing the important lessons in this book, you'll acquire the confidence you need to sail through the interview.
The book is divided into three basic parts. Part I guides you through Job Interview Strategies. It will help you define your goals and explain the importance of career tests and the differences between corporate recruiters, search consultants, and career counselors. It will guide you through the intricacies of cover letters, interview research, and even grooming. The strategies you learn here will cover everything you need to know. Before you step out the door on your way to the interview, you will feel confident and well prepared.
Part II looks closely at the different types of interviews, from the one-on-one traditional interview to alternative interview types. This second part also discusses phone interviews and a pre-screening tool that can take you by surprise, along with videoconferencing, lunch interviews, and group interviews.
Part III covers interview questions that you may be asked regarding your experience and skills. You'll find more than sixty tough questions about your ability and compatibility — with the right and wrong ways to answer them. You'll be coached on how to talk about your accomplishments so that your interviewer's eyes won't glaze over. You'll be advised about trick questions you may encounter on career goals and personal interests. Finally, there's a section devoted to special situations for individual needs, whether you're a student or recent graduate, you're making a career change, or you're a parent or a senior re-entering the job market. In the appendix, you'll be given a quick guide to sample questions in various fields. Look up your field — whether it's accounting and marketing, art and design, communications, educational services, executive and management, or technical skills — and you'll be quickly briefed on the questions you may be asked and how to answer them.
By applying the ideas and tactics covered within these pages, you can help to ensure that your next job interview — and every one after that — will be successful!