How to Ace a Job Interview-Seven (7) Effective Job Interview Techniques

Acing job interviews in today’s highly competitive economy has taken a subtle twist. Companies are beginning to employ more thorough recruitment techniques.

At the same time, job interview candidates have learnt to get into the psychology of the interviewer in order to ace their job interviews. Your impression  on the interviewer should begin from the arrival time.

Seven (7) Effective Job Interview Techniques

1. 
   
   Arrive 30 minutes earlier: Try to arrive at the interview venue about 30 minutes earlier. Remain calm even when the interviewers are behind schedule. Keep a professional demeanor throughout your waiting time. An easy way out is to read a book during this period – avoid any book that may portray lack of seriousness. This is an effective technique to demonstrate professionalism.

2. 
   
   Impress the interviewer: First, determine to make the interviewer like you. Make him comfortable with you and your personality. Yet, you must demonstrate that you meet the requirement for the job”

3. 
   
   Knock the door and get a reply before entering into the room: This is just for the sake of courtesy. Your interviewers would only be willing to pass candidates with courtesy.

4. 
   
   Walk steadily and tall as you enter the room to demonstrate personal confidence as you make your way in.

5. 
   
   Wait until the interviewer offers you a seat before you grab a chair. The polite way to ask if necessary is “where would you want me to sit?”

Avoid crossing your legs or exposing the under of your shoe.

6. 
   
   Greet with eye contact plus a warm smile: Look him or her in the eyes but not rudely.

Keep your head up and maintain good eye contact throughout the conversation. Keep catching their eyes when you are responding. This is an extremely effective job interview technique. 

7. 
   
   Get ready to shake hands (but ensure the interviewer takes the lead. Match the pressure extended by the interviewer but don’t overdo it. Use one hand and shake vertically, smile and lean forward.

In conclusion, concentrate on demonstrating confidence and competence for the job. Display a high level of confidence in yourself (not arrogance) and determine your worth (the least salary you can take) before the interview. This would help you avoid being clumsy and finally ace the job interview.

Job Interview Dress Code- Best Job Interview Clothes/Outfit for ladies

Preparing for Job Interviews can be very worrisome. The concern for the proper job interview dressing arises a few days to the interview after spending a lot of time researching and rehearsing the interview in your head. 

It might surprise you that some organizations have pre-determined dress code for job interviews. You should find out from someone in HR for any special job interview outfit expected from ladies.

For the ladies, you have every right to be concerned about your outfit to prevent unnecessary prejudice and avoid canal interest.

Nevertheless, a lady still has to display enough professionalism and dress more conservative to job interviews. Every item on her body (suit, jewelry, head tie, shoes…) should tell the interviewer ‘she can and is ready to work here’.

1. 
   
   Suit: Wear a classic softened shirt on suits. Avoid low-cut blouses or any outfit that might arouse undue interest in men unless you are asking for it (and this would unlikely get you the job).

Your outfit should be ready (well ironed) more than 24 hours before the interview time.

Most importantly, wear outfits of good quality that look good on you. If the job interview lasts more than one day, wear different outfits for each day.

Avoid wearing anything that reflects a particular group, religion, political campaign, school or club.

2. 
   
   Head tie: A pure silk scarf can safely complement your appearance and yet keep you conservative. Use plain color or small polka dots.

3. 
   
   Shoe: Plain shoes are more advisable since they usually appear more professional.

4. 
   
   Belt: Avoid the temptation of trying to match the belt with your outfit. Your belt should rather complement or match your shoes.

5. 
   
   Accessories: Try to keep your necklace, ear rings (small), engagement rings or wedding bands and glasses professional looking. Avoid  using sun glasses or other shading as a complement to your job interview dressing.

6. 
   
   Make Up: The golden rule is to appear natural. All forms of make-up should remain subtle.

7. 
   
   Hygiene: Brush with extra care on your interview day. Avoid any awful smell but also avoid heavy perfume or deodorants. Avoid breath mints but maintain a high oral hygiene.

Remember, getting an interview is a very close step to getting the job. So, do all you can to prepare effectively for interviews. Watch job interview videos, rehearse likely questions and dress professionally.

Tips for First Job Interview - What you should know?

Begin to learn all you can before your first job interview. Take cues from the mistakes and shortcomings of others and follow golden rules to avoid losing a treasure.

The first job interview is where many fresh graduates learn the dos and don’ts of a job interview but they always end up losing this first job. 

“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing; others judge us by what we have done”

H. W. Long Fellow

You should know that 65% of the decision of your interviewers is formed in the first 4 minutes of your interview.

That’s why, it’s probably good to have attended other interviews (for small jobs) – to learn how to adequately prepare and increase your confidence level - before facing your first job interview questions.

As a fresh graduate in your first job interview, you are advised to:

·  Be more assertive – stand up for yourself, be confident but do not be rude

·  Listen carefully to every instruction and follow them to the letter during interviews

·  Always be prepared for a phone interview

·  Be prepared for aptitude tests

·  Always carry the evidences of your qualifications to job interviews

Golden Rules

·  Always carefully research the job requirements before the day of the interview. Know the various departments and their separate roles

·  What do you want the interviewer to know about you? Talk about your achievements (proudly but not arrogantly) or you character traits (adaptability, tenacity…)

· Spend little or no time talking about your disadvantages or weaknesses. At worst, quickly input how you already overcoming your weakness

Remember to

Show confidence: The interview is no place for shyness. Too much modesty can make you appear introverted or lacking confidence. 

Before the interview, make a list of your accomplishments both personally and professionally; practice talking about them. Have a friend listen to your answers as you practice. This will help prevent you from crossing the line between justifiable pride and boasting. 

Speak clearly & show enthusiasm: Smile and maintain eye contact. Sit forward in your chair. Avoid speaking in a monotone and be positive in your responses. 

Monitor Your Internal System: Be careful in what you eat and drink in the 24 hours before the interview. 

Choose your words carefully: Remember to pause if you need some time to think. Feel free to say “let me take a moment to think about it." This demonstrates that you think before you speak.

One good question you can ask at the end of the interview is “when am I expected to resume duties if successful?”  

Do not forget to say thank you at the end

Answering Job Interview Questions Successfully - Tips and Tricks

You must get in touch with salient information and distinguish yourself from the majority to make it easier for you to get a really hot job in today’s economic climate,

“Take up one thing. Do it. See the end of that thing and before you have seen the end, do not give up”

Vivekananda

First, you must understand the root of job interview questions - their classifications and applications.

Classifications of Job Interview Questions

Job applicants should be familiar with the important areas interviewers are usually interested in. However, the particular areas you would be tested on vary depending on the job you are applying for and the method of the interviewer.

Some of these areas are:

1. Aptitude: Your capacity or potential ability to learn.
2. Psychomotor tests: Your strength, dexterity & coordination
3. Job knowledge Test: Knowledge related to the job you are applying for.
4. Proficiency tests: How well you can do a sample of the job to be done
5. Interest rate: Here, they compare your interest level with that of people that normally succeed at the job
6. Psychological tests: These are attempts to understand your personality
7. Polygraph Test: They record physical changes on your body as you attempt to answer a series of questions

You probably know by now that you must have rehearsed the coming interview over & over in your mind before the D-day to answer job interview questions well. 

You need to get ready-made interview answers in your mind before the interview day for the questions below. 

However, if you are in doubt for your answers for any of the interview questions below, you can try to find out from an employee of the company who is close to you.

Tell me about yourself? What experience do you have in this field? Do you consider yourself successful? What do you know about this organization? What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year? Why do you want to work for this organization? What is your Expected Salary? Are you a team player? How long would you expect to work for us if hired? What is your philosophy towards work? If you had enough money to retire right now, would you? Explain how you would be an asset to this organization ?  Or Why should we hire you? Tell me about a contribution you have made ? What is your greatest strength? Why do you think you would do well at this job? What are you looking for in a job? What is more important to you: the money or the work? Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends? Would you be willing to relocate if required? How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience? Do you have any questions for me?

Remember to make all other necessary preparations before the job interview date. A little rumble in your tummy or switch in your mood during the interview can cause huge damage.

Job Interview Responses - Top 11 Don’ts

Determine to be liked in the interview and then carefully execute your strategies like a captain leading his troops to the war front to attain real success at your job interview.

“Success is a progression of small steps, one building on another eventually creating monumental momentum”

Being liked during a job interview is a very important strategy to gather enough points/ scores and get a job earlier than those with more expertise or professional knowledge than you.You must develop excellent interview responses and avoid bad responses.

Interviewers are also human. They respond to their emotional urge in liking you when you display certain qualities, chief of which are trust and high confidence level when responding to interview questions.

More importantly, you should not goof during your job interview by exhibiting any of these traits:

1.    Don’t smile too much: During a job interview, it can be misinterpreted for a sign of nervousness or lack of confidence. However, you should smile when there is an occasion for it but not sheepishly.

2.    Don’t ask petty questions: In job interviews, it is important that you display professionalism and deep interest in the job itself. Asking questions about ‘lunch time’, ‘coffee breaks’… can create an unserious person perception.

3.    Don’t sweat: Wearing too much clothing to job interviews can make you sweat unusually coupled with the tension of the interview itself. Any trickle of sweat, especially in an aerated place, can be seen as weakness or nervousness.

4.    Don’t say too much ‘NO’: Avoid hesitating or saying ‘no’. You are expected to show eagerness to take on new tasks and projects. 

5.    Don’t use humor wrongly: As much as a little giggle might help lighten up your mood, you should be aware of the level of sensitivity of your interviewers before you say anything funny.

6.    Don’t lie: Once you lose their trust, you’ve lost the job. Moreover, you should begin to appreciate your own qualities, skills, talents and abilities – that way, you‘d only need to promote yourself without lying in your job interview responses.

7.    Don’t talk too little: Talk too little – they’d think you don’t know much ! So, as much as you are not expected to drift away into irrelevant information about the job, you should exhibit high knowledge of your industry or the company. 

Your first task is to be very knowledgeable about the industry and the second is about the company.

8.    Don’t say “Em … you know what I mean”

9.    Don’t use “Right! ….”

10.  Don’t use slangs

11.  Don’t say “As in ….like…”

In summary, be your real self when responding to job interviews questions. If your real self is not good enough, then go and develop yourself.

Emotional Intelligence (Emotional Quotient) during Job Interviews in Nigeria

Use high emotional intelligence to garner points for yourself during your interview. Avoid pitfalls many people fall into by being inadequately set for these kinds of questions.

Many organizations now use emotional intelligence (Emotional quotient) testing to hire new staff. It is a strong indicator of whether a candidate will succeed in the job or break down from personal or relationship stress or even negatively impact team- work ability of existing staff.

“If you view all the things that happen to you both good & bad as opportunities, then you operate at a higher level of consciousness”

Les Brown

What recruitment managers want to know is if you are aware of your feelings and actions and how they affect people around you. 

The ability to stay calm and in control is highly valued in organizations today. So, you should be able to keep your emotions under control even when things go wrong.

Let’s examine some Emotional intelligence questions:

1.    “Think of a conflict that occurred between you and your colleague or boss. How did it start? How did you resolve it?”

2.    “Tell us about a time when your feelings or mood affected your job performance positively or negatively. How did you handle it?”

In this job interview situation, you must demonstrate that you are a master of your mood. Even when angry, you are expected to display self control. Emotional intelligence in a job requires that you control your feelings for the sake of team-work and success of projects

3.    “Do you remember a time you said something that had negative impact on your customer, colleague or boss? How did you know the type of impact?”

4.    “Have you ever been in a business situation whereby you felt you needed to change your behavior? What was it? What did you do?”

5.    Have you ever benefitted from a disappointment?

You must be able to demonstrate that you can easily identify your shortcomings by yourself and quickly adjust. An emotionally intelligent person can see himself as he is and make valuable and positive adjustments.

6.    “Can you think of any anytime or situation where you felt you were on the wrong course? What was it? How did you know? What did you learn from that experience?”

Recruiters want to know that you can pick up lessons from your day-to-day interactions with clients. It’s a sign that you have the ability to grow and develop in the job.

7.    What do you think of your last boss?

8.    Describe a situation where your work or idea was criticized.

9.    Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult person.

In job interviews like this, you are suppose to display a high capacity for understanding others perspective and technically convey your own point of view without making a fuss anything.

Generally, it is expected that an emotional intelligent person would value others, listen to their wants and needs and empathize/identify with them at different levels or situations.

·                  You should take responsibility for your actions – apologize directly when you hurt somebody’s feelings rather than avoid the person or ignore the issue.

·                  Accept that you are not perfect and you can work on some areas to become a better person. You must be able to look at yourself honestly

·                  Don’t worry too much about getting praise for your hard work

·                  Look honestly at how you think and interact with others – put yourself in their shoes and be more pen to accepting their perspectives and needs.

 These are indicators of high emotional intelligence- an invaluable trait in the corporate world and a good tool in a job interview.

As a final point, you should begin to examine your ability to put yourself in another man’s shoes (your emotional intelligence) properly even before you are being invited for a job interview. Emotional quotient is a lifetime tool of success. So, make it a duty to use it wisely.

How to Dress for Job Interviews in Nigeria – The Lady Appearance

How a lady dresses for job interviews is a significant factor that determines how the outcome of the interview would be like.

A good rule of the thumb is to dress for interviews professionally and appear quite conservative unless you are applying to be an actress, a model or for similar roles.

Below, we have highlighted a few items a lady should pay more attention to when it comes to her attire for job interviews.

Suit
A lady is expected to wear a classic softened shirt on suits. Avoid low-cut blouses or any outfit at all that appears sexy.

Your outfit should be ready (well ironed) more than 24 hours before the interview time.

Head tie
A pure silk scarf is good for a conservative appearance during job interviews. It does not need to match your outfit- only to complement it. Use plain color, fine silk or small polka dots.

Shoe
It is more acceptable to wear plain shoes rather than multi-colored ones. Avoid high heels- flat shoes or those with heels up to 2.5 inches are still okay. However, your belt should complement or match your shoes.

Accessories
Keep your necklace and ear rings small and professional looking. Restrict rings to engagement or wedding bands. A single bracelet on your wrist is acceptable but not on the ankle. Also, avoid sun glasses or other shading.

Make Up
Try to appear natural –at worst, little lip stick with subtle eye make-up. Avoid long fingernails and false eye lashes (unless you are applying for funky jobs).

Most importantly, wear outfits of good quality that look good on you.

Hygiene
A lady must observe a high degree of personal hygiene when going for job interviews.
Avoid smelling awful or exuding any form of odor before your interviewers.
Make sure your cloths are newly dry cleaned and well- ironed.
Avoid heavy perfume or deodorants.
Avoid breath mints but maintain a high oral hygiene.

Finally, a good strategy that works most of the time is to dress the way the staff of the organization usually do. However, if the organization seems to accept carefree dressing, still try to appear professional.

NOTE:
• If the job interview lasts more than one day, wear different outfits for each day.
• Avoid wearing anything that reflects a particular group, religion, political campaign, school or club.

Tactics in the Job interview room

“Develop the ability to constantly acquire new battle strategies that you can use at the war front”

To be successful at job interviews, it is important for applicants to apply predetermined strategies to create a strong impression on the interviewer. 

At this point, your CV has succeeded in properly marketing you to the recruiter. Now, you must prove yourself beyond measure before the panel of interviewers.

 Arrival

To begin with, try to arrive at the interview venue about 30 minutes earlier. Even if the interviewers are behind schedule, remain calm. An easy way out is to always hold a reading material along when going for interviews. It diverts your attention in times like this and can help you reduce anxiety or nervousness. 

Tactics in the Job interview room

“Develop the ability to constantly acquire new battle strategies that you can use at the war front”

To be successful at job interviews, it is important for applicants to apply predetermined strategies to create a strong impression on the interviewer. 

At this point, your CV has succeeded in properly marketing you to the recruiter. Now, you must prove yourself beyond measure before the panel of interviewers.

 Arrival

To begin with, try to arrive at the interview venue about 30 minutes earlier. Even if the interviewers are behind schedule, remain calm. An easy way out is to always hold a reading material along when going for interviews. It diverts your attention in times like this and can help you reduce anxiety or nervousness. 

Writing a ‘Thank You Letter” for Jobs in Nigeria

A thank you e-mail is a powerful tool anyone can use to boost their chances of getting a job.

This mail is normally sent as soon as possible after an important interview.

A thank you letter is not just a courtesy tool. It is more importantly a means to connect with your employer.

It re –emphasizes your interest in the job and can dramatically improve your chances of being employed.

 

Here's a simple format to guide you in writing a 'thank you' letter:

Paragraph 1 - Thank the interviewer for the opportunity.

Paragraph 2 - Sell yourself by reminding the hiring manager of your qualifications. Here, you can add key information you forgot during the interview.

Paragraph 3 - Express your deep interest in the job. You can ease any reservations the interviewer might have expressed during the interview.

Lastly, make sure your letter is customized and not a general one. In fact, we would recommend this mainly for very important jobs. So, you don't have to prepare a generic 'thank you' letter for every job.

How to Dress for a Job Interview in Nigeria - Men

The Perfect Job Interview Cloth for Men in Nigeria

Even if the company with which you are interviewing has a casual business dress code, do not assume that this means you are welcome to dress in this manner.

A gentleman is expected to dress as follows:

Suit: A two piece dark grey or dark blue business suit will be ideal while a white long sleeved dress shirt is recommended.

Shirt: Men should choose light colored dress shirts.

Tie: Plain colored dark blue or dark red 100% pure silk tie is good.

Tie Accessories: A classic silver tie bar help you keep your tie in place so you don't appear nervous.

Shoes: Black or brown well polished shoes is the best choice.

Socks: Wear dark socks (black will be ideal)

Belt: It is recommended that your belt should match the color of your shoes

 

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Sample Interview Questions for Graduate Jobs in Nigerian Organizations

You probably know by now that you must have rehearsed the coming interview over & over in your mind before the day of the interview.

Now, for easy rehearsal, we have listed some basic questions that would get you started. You need to get ready-made answers in your mind before the interview day.

Tell me about yourself? What experience do you have in this field? Do you consider yourself successful? What do you know about this organization? What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year? Why do you want to work for this organization? What is your Expected Salary? Are you a team player? How long would you expect to work for us if hired? What is your philosophy towards work? If you had enough money to retire right now, would you? Explain how you would be an asset to this organization ? Or Why should we hire you? Tell me about a contribution you have made ? What is your greatest strength? Why do you think you would do well at this job? What are you looking for in a job? What is more important to you: the money or the work? Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends? Would you be willing to relocate if required? How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience? Do you have any questions for me?

However, if you are in doubt for any of the questions, you can try to find out from an employee of the company who is close to you.

You should also learn
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