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How To Impress During Small Business Interviews

Vickie Elmer — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:30 +0000

Love is in the air at small companies.

No, we’re not just talking about the chocolate and gift shops that are swamped with last-minute Valentine’s Day shoppers. We’re talking about all the small businesses where the co-owners co-habitate. They’re the real mom and pops of American business. Almost half of small businesses that are members of the National Federation of Independent Businesses have a second family member involved, whether they’re married or fathers and daughters and sisters.

Small business, those with fewer than 50 workers, account for half – and sometimes more – of total hiring most months, according to the ADP National Employment Report. They represent 43 percent of total U.S. payrolls, the Small Business Administration reports, using 500 workers as its cutoff for small.

So prepare to pitch a pair – whether they’re a gay couple in business or a real mom and pop whose children show up at the business on most school holidays.

“Don’t assume because they’re in a relationship that they think alike,” said Stacey Jerrold, a Five O’Clock executive and business coach in New York City. They may be the opposites who attract and work on very different parts of the business. She may be the financial genius and also handle internal operations and procedures; he may be the outgoing sales and marketing person.

Here’s five tips on handling job interviews and job prospects at mom and pops:

Do your due diligence. “Find out more about each of their interests,” suggests Barbara Herzog, a Washington, D.C. career coach. Dig to understand their specialties and then come up with examples that are relevant to each.

Treat them as equals. Even if one takes the lead, the other seems unengaged or bored, “give them equal respect.” said Herzog. “This doesn’t mean flitting your eyeballs between them every 20 seconds, but it does mean making approximately equal eye contact over the course of the interview.”

Keep your questions handy. Sometimes when two or three people are interviewing you, their questions will be flying at you. Yet you need to find out about the culture and the job to see if it’s a good fit, said Jerrold, whose book is called What’s Keeping You Up At Night? So be sure you have your questions on a card and available to wedge into the interview. A few of your inquiries need to delve into “the pain points,” their challenges and worries, she said.

Try for separate interviews. This can be especially important if you’re going to work primarily for one of the two people, or if you sense there could be some differences of opinion in what your job entails. Be sure to make notes on each person, their perspective and key issues, said Jerrold. This will be helpful later when you write thank you notes and when you consider the complexities of the job.

Understand how their love life spills over into the workplace. This is especially important if you’re going to have a key role in the company. So ask more pointed questions about this, Jerrold suggests, such as “How have you handled situations in the past when you two have disagreed and that affected the employees?” Or “If you were in my shoes what would you want to know about the working relationship here?” During the second interview, you may want to talk to other staffers.

“Working in a family-held business can be tricky business at best, and meeting the expectations of a couple, even if they are passionately in love right now – can be doubly tricky,” said Herzog. Sometimes their squabbles, competitions and conflicting views can turn a good job into a good reason to job hop. So if your entire career has been spent at a Fortune 100 company, take some extra time to understand the workplace culture and dynamics between Mr. and Mrs. Business Owners before accepting an offer.

After all, you want to accept a job and a workplace you will adore for years.

How To Impress During Small Business Interviews is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Trying For A Second Chance After The First Interview Was Crap

Vickie Elmer — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:48 +0000

You blew it. The interview was beyond bad and yet you know you’d be a blazingly bright hire for the job.

So what do you do if you really messed up on the first interview yet you feel you’re well-qualified for the job? Keystone Associate’s Pennell Locey tells of a woman who wrote afterward a refreshingly honest follow up: “I walked away from the interview knowing I had not done my best. Here’s three things I wish I had said about myself. I would love to have a chance to try again.” You have to be very candid, authentic – and very clear on why you deserve a second shot, said Locey, a senior consultant at the career management and outplacement company. The woman ended up landing the job.

If you’re very frank and very humble in admitting that you stumbled, “it better be believable,” said Jorge Lazaro Diaz, who produces the CareerJockey advice site. “You’re definitely memorable, not in a good sense” and you need to humbly admit that and clearly articulate what was missing.

Diaz said he has hired people who admitted they had serious drinking problems, but overcame them, because of the courage and effort it showed. “That was what clinched it for him,” he said, noting that some candidates seem so smooth and together that hiring managers wonder whether they are covering up some issue or problem.

Leora Hoffman, a professional matchmaker in suburban Washington, D.C., recommends her clients agree to a two-date minimum. “The chemistry does not always present itself the first time they meet,” she said. That avoids the snap judgment approach that can rule out someone who is a great match. She sometimes has to act as the advocate for the second date – and job seekers also may need an advocate, too, to be reconsidered after a lackluster first interview.

That advocate could be a recruiter or a friend who believes in you, or it might be a former sorority sister or colleague who is willing to speak up on your behalf.

It takes courage to request a second chance and some employers may admire that, said Tashana Sims-Hudspeth, a Columbus, Ohio-based human resource manager who also teaches on HR and being successful in college. She suggests an approach that includes an apology, a general explanation of what went wrong and a request for a second chance. The candidate must be very clear how much they want to work at the employer and then use their personal judgment on giving a detailed explanation on what contributed to their bad performance.

Sometimes the recruiter could be a good filter, to help you if you need to reschedule an interview because of a car accident or a family funeral, said Sims-Hudspeth. Call and talk to the recruiter and ask for their suggestions on how to handle the situation.

This works best when the problem was outside your control; if you stayed out too late at a party or feel very nervous and messed up the interview, don’t expect anyone to be eager to give you a second chance. Second or third interviews often are granted to just two or three candidates – the top choice and a backup, Locey said.

Another approach that could work to get a second chance is if the company fills the job you’re seeking a few times each year: Find out what one skill-set you are missing and take a six-week class in it. Or go out and gain that experience through a pro bono charity project that you could complete within two months. Then write to the recruiter and hiring manager that you have filled in the gap or expanded your knowledge or expertise in the area they recommended, Locey said. Or if you have the expertise, but did not outline it in the interview, write a succinct follow-up note and give one or two examples. “It really works,” said Locey. “You have almost nothing to lose at that point.”

Trying For A Second Chance After The First Interview Was Crap is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

How To Really Impress During A Job Interview

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:30:37 +0000

Next to a root canal appointment, few things in life are as nerve inducing as the job interview. In this day and age, the face-to-face interview is typically the first time a prospective employee will speak to an actual person. This “actual” person literally has your career in the palm of their hand. They will determine, based on this portion of the hiring process, whether or not the process will continue or come to a screeching halt.

Wow! No wonder you’re nervous. Right?

Below are a few ideas that will go a long way toward taking some of the pressure off of you and making the most of your time with the interviewer.

1. Keep in mind, this company called you. From the stack of resumes they received, something about you gave them the confidence in your qualifications and abilities to want to get to know you better. That knowledge alone should put a spring in your step and arm you with the confidence necessary for a successful interview.

2. Save the bright colors for the first casual Friday at your new job. For the interview, though, keep it neat and professional. Doing so will immediately create an air of quiet confidence that will be evident in how the interviewer responds to you.

3. Few things in life can boost your confidence levels like a good round of exercise. Try to schedule a vigorous workout routine as close to the interview time as possible. Doing so will keep the butterflies in your stomach at bay, and will help you to interview from a standpoint of strength versus weakness.

4. Get plenty of rest the night before. You may be thinking to yourself, “Well, duh.” But believe it or not, many job seekers are so nervous they find it hard to sleep and wind up pacing the floor half the night, only to be exhausted by the time they get to the interview. I don’t have to tell you how adverse this condition can be to an interview.

5. Don’t forget to eat. Studies have proven, time and again, that a nutritious breakfast increases concentration. The ability to focus is essential for a winning interview. And besides, few things are as distracting as the sound of a growling stomach.

In addition to the simple suggestions above, get ready for your interview by conducting a few preparatory steps:

1. Equip yourself with ample research on the company’s needs. Visit Glassdoor.com, Hoovers.com, BizJournals.com, WSJ.com, LinkedIn.com, Forbes.com and the company’s website. Simply Google the company’s name or a combination of the company name + targeted keywords to vet as much detail about the company for which you are interviewing as possible.

Read between the lines about how their current growth patterns, product or marketplace positioning and so forth speaks to present and future needs – their areas of pain.

2. From that info, ferret out where you sense their needs and your talents intersect. Make sure you prepare at least 4-5+ mini-stories (Challenge-Action-Result format) that vividly describe how you have achieved solutions similar to problems this company has faced, or will face. Paint a picture that YOU are THEIR solution, a better fit than the next interviewing candidate.

3. Prepare for the multiplicity of questions interviewers often ask, such as:

Tell me about yourself.
What is the greatest value you can bring to us?
Why do you want to leave your present position?
What qualities do you admire in others?
What are your salary expectations?
What does ‘success’ mean to you?
What is the most stressful situation you have experienced at work within the past year, and how did you handle it?
What would your current (or past) employer say about your work?

4. Prepare questions to ask them, such as:

What are the greatest challenges you’re facing in your industry?
Is your industry/business growing?
What is the most important thing I can do to help within the first 30 days of my employment? 60 days? 90 days?
What did you like most about the person who previously held this position?
To the interviewer: What excites you about this job? What do you like most about this company? I’d like to know something about your background and how you came to work here?
What main factors do you attribute to your growth?
What do you attribute to the success of your company?
What makes you better than your nearest competitor?

5. Have a friend or family member (or hire an interview coach) to act the part of the interviewer. This will go a long way to quieting those nerves by giving you an opportunity to practice your tone and ensuring you won’t verbally stumble during the actual event.

The person interviewing you has one goal in mind: fill a vacancy with the best-qualified candidate possible. You can make their job easier by being that candidate.

So practice, prepare and be cognizant of the fact that this company would not have called you, if they didn’t need you.

How To Really Impress During A Job Interview is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Most Common Interview Questions

Glassdoor Team — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:00:44 +0000

When it comes to the interview process, research and preparation for the interview can often times determine your chances of making it to the next step. One of the best ways to get ready for a job interview is to practice your responses to any and all interview questions – even the downright weird.

To help you get started, Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of interview reviews to find out some of the most common interview questions candidates are getting asked in recent interviews. So, if you have a job interview lined up, practice in front of a mirror or ask a friend or family member to listen to your answers to the following questions so you’ll be ready to put your best foot forward.

Most Common Interview Questions

What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why are you interested in working for [insert company name here]?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
Why do you want to leave your current company?
Why was there a gap in your employment between [insert date] and [insert date]?
What can you offer us that someone else can not?
What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?
Are you willing to relocate?
Are you willing to travel?
Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
What is your dream job?
How did you hear about this position?
What would you look to accomplish in the first 30 days/60 days/90 days on the job?
Discuss your resume.
Discuss your educational background.
Describe yourself.
Tell me how you handled a difficult situation.
Why should we hire you?
Why are you looking for a new job?
Would you work holidays/weekends?
How would you deal with an angry or irate customer?
What are your salary requirements? (Hint: if you’re not sure what’s a fair salary range and compensation package, research the job title and/or company on Glassdoor.)
Give a time when you went above and beyond the requirements for a project.
Who are our competitors?
What was your biggest failure?
What motivates you?
What’s your availability?
Who’s your mentor?
Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss.
How do you handle pressure?
What is the name of our CEO?
What are your career goals?
What gets you up in the morning?
What would your direct reports say about you?
What were your bosses’ strengths/weaknesses?
If I called your boss right now and asked him what is an area that you could improve on, what would he say?
Are you a leader or a follower?
What was the last book you’ve read for fun?
What are your co-worker pet peeves?
What are your hobbies?
What is your favorite website?
What makes you uncomfortable?
What are some of your leadership experiences?
How would you fire someone?
What do you like the most and least about working in this industry?
Would you work 40+ hours a week?
What questions haven’t I asked you?
What questions do you have for me?

In addition to questions commonly asked during a job interview, many unexpected and downright bizarre questions may also be asked. Check out some of the strangest ones to show up on Glassdoor:

What are other common questions you have been asked during an interview?

Interviewed lately? We hope you’ll tell us about it!

Most Common Interview Questions is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

7 Questions To Ask The Hiring Manager During An Interview

Rob Kelly — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:00:14 +0000

On the next interview you go on, I recommend that you take some control.

Don’t let the hiring manager ask all the questions; ask your own!

A good hiring manager will welcome your curiosity.

Here are some examples of useful questions to ask the interviewer:

1) Would you please describe purpose/mission statement & set of values?

2) What are the company’s greatest challenges (or priorities) your company faces right now?

3) Who would I report to and how does our team fit within the rest of the company structure?

3) Who are the shareholders/owners of the company?

4) What is the path to earning more responsibilities?

5) How are priorities set?

6) How does feedback work…how often will I receive feedback on performance?

7) How does compensation work? Is salary the only component, or are their equity or bonus/commission programs? What opportunities are there for me to grow your compensation?

When searching for a good job, it’s even more important to get your questions answered than just answer the employer’s questions.

7 Questions To Ask The Hiring Manager During An Interview is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Three Rules For Following Up After A Job Interview

FINS from The Wall Street Journal — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:22:17 +0000

When Erika Walker’s good friend set her up on a blind date, she wasn’t expecting much more than a nice dinner over a couple of glasses of wine.

The human resources manager for Best Essay Help, a small professional writing and research company in Florida, Walker hires qualified freelance writers. She had turned down one candidate because his writing didn’t pass muster and never heard from him again.

Until the middle of the date, when the guy came clean. “He told me that he was the writer whose application had been denied, and he did all of this to get an opportunity to talk to me face-to-face and convince me to hire him,” she says. “Is there a way for a date to go worse?”

Aside from an example of poor dating behavior, Walker’s experience shows how desperate job applicants are to get hired these days. “Whether they’re applying for a job or following up after an interview, most candidates just want a response,” says Jayne Mattson, senior vice president of client services with Boston-based career consultancy Keystone Associates.

But how you follow up is as critical as following up in the first place.

An October survey from global staffing agency Robert Half International found that after simply sending a job application, 81% of 1,000 hiring managers want to receive a follow-up message within two weeks. Following up after an interview is even more critical. According to a 2011 survey from CareerBuilder, 22% of hiring managers would dismiss an applicant who didn’t send a post-interview thank-you note, saying that it indicates poor follow-through and a lack of interest in the position.

Follow up should begin before you leave the interview, experts say, by asking when they expect to make a hiring decision. Starting your post-interview communication off with that knowledge can help you properly time your attempts.

Always appear gracious, positive, patient and interested, says Bill Driscoll, the New England district president for Robert Half International. Career experts say they’ve seen everything from scathing follow-up emails from job seekers who think they’re out of the running to candidates who write one-liner, “Can you call me back?” messages. Neither falls into the “reasonable follow-up” category. Here’s a guide.

What to Say

After an interview, you should send a note within 24-48 hours while it’s still fresh in your mind — and the company’s.

“With technology like iPhones and BlackBerrys, you don’t have an excuse to not be in touch immediately,” says Roy Cohen, a New York City-based career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide. Handwritten notes are okay to send in addition, says Frank Dadah, general manager of financial contracts with Boston-based staffing firm Winter, Wyman.

Address a note to each individual person you met with – sending a group note doesn’t necessarily imply laziness, but sending individual, personalized notes definitely won’t. That means no copy-and-pasting. Being personal will increase your likability factor. And spell everyone’s name correctly, including the company’s. Errors of that sort can be a game-changing embarrassment.

Start by thanking them for the opportunity to meet, and acknowledge that they took time out of their day to do so. Next, note why you think you’d be a good fit for the role. “You’ve had the opportunity to ask the hiring manager questions about the position,” says Driscoll, so this is an opportunity to elaborate on why you are a great fit in writing, beyond your initial cover letter.

In your conclusion, Dadah suggests hitting three points: 1. State that you’re still interested in the position; 2. You’ll follow up with them again within a specified time frame; and 3. Thank them again. Anything that requires the reader to scroll down the page is too lengthy.

Subsequent Follow Up

After your initial follow up, you might be tempted to reach back out to a hiring manager. “Nudging isn’t appreciated,” says Cohen. But you can send something equivalent to a reminder note.

Begin with a pleasantry, followed by a sentence explaining where you left off during your last communication, says Mattson of Keystone. “You had indicated to me that you’d be making your final decision during the week of such and such, and I just wanted to follow up to see where you are in that decision,’” is one way to phrase it, she says.

Include something of value in your follow up, instead of simply sending nagging emails. If you completed a course you were taking or closed a big sale, anything that you think will impress them, pass it along.

Mattson also advises that you match the communication medium the interviewer has been using, i.e. returning emails with emails, phone calls with phone calls, etc. “If you’ve been communicating back and forth with emails and that has been effective, continue to use it,” she says. “If you haven’t heard back from a person, let an extra week go by and then leave them a voicemail.”

Speak in a very respectful manner when you’re leaving a message, Mattson says, by saying that you know they are very busy, but wanted to follow up on the email you sent them, and that you’re still very interested in the position.

What to Never Say

One of the most common ways in which people flub their follow up is by showing impatience. “Maybe there’s a recommendation delay, or something routine that’s just slowing down the process, or maybe you’re not in the running anymore,” says Driscoll of Robert Half. Regardless of the reason, you don’t want to blow your chances by being rude.

If the hiring manager gave you a specific date or time frame they’d be working within to make a decision, give them some wiggle room. “People always overestimate,” says Mattson, “and you don’t want to seem overly anxious.”

Mattson says that applicants should choose their words wisely when reaching out, especially when it’s subsequent follow up. Namely, she says, don’t ask someone to “call you back.” Instead, let them know that you’ll follow up again within a few days, but, in case they need to reach you, here is the best contact number.

Other no-nos? “Don’t reference someone senior in the company who might put in a good word for you,” says Cohen. “Wait for them to put the good word in for you.”

Cohen also advises candidates avoid gimmicks. “Gimmicks don’t really work, except on an exception basis,” he says. “We’re conditioned to think that sort of behavior can be tolerated, but doing something totally bizarre and out of the box isn’t necessarily going to be appreciated.”

Save the dozen roses for your girlfriend.

- Originally posted by FINS from The Wall Street Journal

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Three Rules For Following Up After A Job Interview is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

How To Handle The 5 Killer Telephone Interview Questions

Aol Jobs — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:00:34 +0000

A telephone interview is usually short, just enough time to rule you in or out, so the focus is on questions that help evaluate you quickly. Your goal is to turn it into a face-to-face meeting, so your answers need to be concise. As a rule of thumb, keep your answers to less than two minutes, if an interviewer wants to know more s/he will ask.

“Tell me a little about yourself,” is often the first question. Interviewers don’t want your life story; they want to know if meeting you would be a good use of their time. Answer with a brief work history showing how each project and job helped prepare you for this job; then give a profile of the “professional you” addressing your skills as they relate to doing this job well.

“What experience do you have in…?” Make any discussion of your experience relevant to this job, and the specific skills you bring to executing it well. At its core, everything you do professionally is concerned with the identification, prevention and solution of problems within your area of responsibility. Your answers can show this awareness by saying that this is always part of your thinking and by giving examples of preventing or solving problems common to your area of responsibility.

“What are your strengths?” Slant your answer toward the specific skill requirements of the job, your problem prevention and solution headset, and your possession of the transferable professional skills such as Multi-tasking, Critical Thinking, and the eight Communication skills (see any Knock em Dead book) that underlie success in every job. “What are your weaknesses?” You can safely, and honestly, say that your greatest weakness is finding time to stay current with all the new technologies/skills required in your work, because it’s a challenge everyone experiences. Then you give an example(s) of how you have made time to develop an in-demand new skill.

“How much do you want?” If the interviewer asks about money, say that at this point you don’t know enough about the company or the job to answer accurately, “I have no real understanding of the job, your company or the different benefits that could come from joining your team, so obviously my discussion of salary without this knowledge can’t be entirely accurate. However, after analysis of employment sites, salary calculators and talking with colleagues, I would be looking at something in the range of $XX, 000-$YYY, 000.”

The telephone interview comes to an end when you are asked whether you have any questions. If you have not already been invited to meet the interviewer, now is the time to take the initiative, “The most pressing question I have is when can we meet?”

In closing your conversation, take care to ascertain the correct spelling and pronunciation of the interviewer’s name, for your follow-up email. – Originally posted on Aol Jobs by Martin Yate

How To Handle The 5 Killer Telephone Interview Questions is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

7 Ways To Royally Mess Up A Job Interview

Aol Jobs — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:00:29 +0000

Visit Google sometime and type in “interview tips.” In less than quarter of a second, you’ll have 187,000,000 articles, posts, and pages filled with advice on how to ace your next interview, tips for job search and career success, and other helpful hints.

It’s been done before, so there’s no reason for me to write 187,000,001st article on the subject.

While there are plenty of ways to ace your next interview, there are also a slew of ways to expertly mess it up. I’ve compiled a list of ways to fantastically mess up an interview. Keep these 7 tips in mind before your next interview:

1. Don’t bring anything

Sometimes they ask for it, but most of the time they do not. Employers simply expect you to know what to bring to an interview and to be prepared. While every industry is different, the bare minimum to bring to an interview is a copy of your resume, your portfolio, a pen, and a pad of paper.

2. Wear what you want

Jeans and t-shirt? Not a problem! It’s whatever you want to wear, right? Not quite. While you should wear something comfortable, don’t get too comfortable, what you wear tells the interviewer you respect and value them and the company. As a rule of thumb, dress slightly nicer than one would usually dress when working in the position.

3. Nix the research

The interview is all about you, right? There’s no need to know about the company! Not even close, and not cool. While the interview is about you, it’s also about how you fit in the company. Do some research about the company, its products or services, competition, target customers, salary rates, interview process and the company culture (if you can find this information). Before you can convince the interviewer that you are the right person for the company, you have to figure that part out on your own.

4. Arrive fashionably late

You know it takes exactly 23 minutes to get from your house to the company, so why leave any earlier? Follow Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. And, even if you’re on-time, you’re late. Try to arrive at least five to ten minutes before your interview – this tells the employer you are a punctual person and won’t be a tardy employee.

5. Wing it

Just like the toast at your brother’s wedding, this might not be the best time to just wing it. Even the most solid folks fall victim to butterflies, so you want to be as prepared as possible. Practice interviewing in front of the mirror or with a friend. Review the major points of your resume. Practicing really helps.

6. Don’t offer anything extra to the conversation

The interviewer should and will lead the conversation, but that doesn’t mean you have to act like a criminal in an interrogation room. When asked a yes-or-no question, open the answer up with an example, but avoid digressing into unrelated topics. Connecting conversation topics logically with examples that demonstrate your understanding of the position helps the interviewer see the entire package you offer.

7. Ditch the thank you note

Why should you send a thank you note? After all, you were the one that went to meet them! They should send you a thank you note. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

In addition to an email follow-up, send a hand-written thank you note addressed to the person(s) who met with you. Thank them for their time, tie up any loose ends from the interview, and revisit any especially strong points about your qualifications.

What do you think? What other ways can a job seeker royally mess up a job interview? How can they rectify this mistake? Share your thoughts in the comments below! – Originally posted on Aol Jobs by Tony Morrison

7 Ways To Royally Mess Up A Job Interview is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

What To Bring To An Interview

onTargetjobs — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:00:19 +0000

You’ve sent out dozens of resumes. You’ve been through several pre-interview screenings over the phone. Now you’ve finally received a request for an in-person interview and your anxiety is through the roof. Will they like you? Will you get the job? Is it a good job? Should you wait for a better job? When all these questions are swirling through your mind, it’s easy to lose focus and head out unprepared. Instead, take a deep breath and spend some time gathering these essentials to bring with you.

1. Bring a fabulous outfit – On your person, of course. It is nearly impossible to overdress for an interview. While a ball gown or coat and tails would be pushing it, you’d certainly make an impression. Dressing well shows you respect the time of the interviewer, the potential position, and yourself. Don’t wear lounge pants, pajama bottoms, sweats, jeans, inappropriate message t-shirts or smelly athletic shoes.

2. Bring directions – Even if you’re gifted with an infallible sense of direction (as most males tend to believe they are), take the time to map out a route to the interview location. Use Google Maps or GPS on your phone. Even better, make a trial run in person to scope out the traffic and parking situations.

3. Bring identification – You shouldn’t be driving or wandering the city without it. You may actually need your driver’s license if the building is secured or you’re asked to fill out the company’s employment application.

4. Bring a notebook and pen – If you need to write down notes about next steps, you don’t want to have to ask your interviewer for a pen and paper. Don’t bring a large bag or full backpack. You want to look organized and not like you lug everything you own around with you.

5. Bring your notes – It’s not uncommon to be nervous before an interview, so write down important details you may otherwise forget such as the interviewer’s name and title. You should also bring questions to ask about the position and the company during the interview. Don’t bring questions about salary or benefits until you’ve actually received a job offer.

6. Bring copies of your resume – Bring at least two. It can be helpful to have one to refer to yourself and another to give to the interviewer if he or she does not have the one you originally submitted.

7. Bring work samples – If you’re applying for a position in a creative field, such as graphic design, you may want to show the interviewer your portfolio if time allows. If you’d rather not haul around hard copies of your work, consider a digital portfolio stored on your iPad or netbook.

8. Bring your references –It’s common practice to include names, relationships and contact information of three people who can provide a reference regarding your professional skills and three who can provide a reference as to your personal integrity. Don’t bring unqualified references. These include people who do not know you intend to use them as a reference.

9. Bring a winning attitude – Times are tough and everyone knows it. If you’ve been unemployed for awhile, don’t let that affect the attitude you present during the interview. Be cheerful and enthusiastic. Don’t bring negativity, complaints about the economy or your previous employers.

Be confident! If you’re progressing to an in-person interview, the company is very interested in you as a potential employee. Arm yourself with these essentials and you’re more than halfway there. – Originally posted on onTargetjobs by Angela Rose

What To Bring To An Interview is a post from: Glassdoor Blog