You finally landed the interview you have been waiting for, your first impulse is to look up the best ways you can avoid screwing it up. Online is easiest place to find such tips & video tutorials on the subject. However, with as many “experts” sharing what they feel are the do’s & don’ts during your interview, it can be hard to decipher what to take as absolute fact. Worry Not! I have taken time out of the day to compile a few of the best tips to consider before heading into the Thunder Dome!
It seems pretty logical to ask your interviewer how much the positions pays since compensation is nearly always one of the most important factors an employer or job seekers considers when deciding to extend or accept a job offer. There is no reason to waste the time of both parties if you & the employer are in different ballparks. Obviously common sense should prevent you from interrupting the interviewer to ask about salary especially while they are still getting to know you. The chances of the answer being $0.00 will go up substantially if you ask what your salary will look like when the inevitable “Do you have any questions for me?” question comes up. Be patient & perhaps do your homework on the company ahead of time. Glassdoor.com can be a great resource when curious about a company’s various compensation levels.
One major challenge Hiring Manager face is that while conducting job interviews it can be very obvious that some candidates don’t even bother reading the entire job description that was posted online. This tells the interviewer that you are not interested in the job & gives them insight into how your work habits may be & not the good ones. You wait until the last minute to get projects, you do not do adequate research, you will not be able to anticipate questions when being asked about the company to potential clients, etc. These things may not be true but employers can tell when you do not know much about the job you are applying for & will assume the rest. Like a firm handshake & wearing professional attire your knowledge of the position can keep you from failing an interview before it even ends.
It is completely normal to feel nervous before an important interview. This said, it is very important to not appear or admit nervousness in front of your interviewer. A job interview is your time to portray a confident & professional demeanor. You will rarely be chastised but you certainly will not win any points admitting your nerves or blaming them for any failures in your performance. Nervousness is a natural emotion; one that must be cloaked during the interview process so you can portray the best version of you which who the employer will ultimately hire!