Make A Lasting Impression To Land Your Dream Job

The minute that you walk into the door, the pressure is on! You have to make a standout first impression.

Be remembered in the best way possible with these helpful tips:

DRESS THE PART

Whether you are in favor of it or not, we live in a society where we are constantly judged by how we look and how we carry ourselves. This is why it is important to dress for success before entering the interview room.

For women, it is recommended to wear moderate makeup. Women who decorate their faces with makeup seemed to rank higher in trustworthiness and competence according to several studies. Moreover, a study in the American Economic Review found that women who wore makeup made 30% more than their co-workers who did not wear makeup.

For men, appearing to workout regularly makes boosts your appeal. Topping it off with the sleek clothes that you are comfortable with can affect the way that people perceive you.

HAVE A FIRM HANDSHAKE

As a sign of politeness, handshakes are internationally accepted and encouraged. Start the interview with a bang by having a firm handshake that lasts for 2-5 seconds. A firm handshake is in between the incredibly tight and limp handshakes. You want to convey that you are confident and excited.

ARRIVE ON TIME

It is ideal to arrive about 10 minutes in advance for an interview. This allowance will give you enough time to settle in, calm your nerves, and lounge at the reception area. Arriving too early makes you seem excessively eager. On the other hand, arriving late for an interviews makes you seem unreliable and irresponsible. You do not want that!

Commit to the optimum time by visiting the location before the big day. Identify the appropriate travel time and adjust your schedule.

SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE

Many individuals are very much prepared for the different interview questions. They have wonderful ideas and significant points to impart. However, some of these people speak either softly or loudly. These candidates tend to be skipped or overlooked.

Give your interviewer a reason to listen to you by speaking calmly and confidently. Interestingly, studies have shown that people who talk in a deeper voice are taken more seriously.

ACT CURIOUS AND INTERESTED

Acting that you are curious and interested can help you engage the attention of the interviewer. Share your ideas and experiences.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Then, ask stimulating questions to learn more about the organization. Doing so will help you determine whether you must pursue the position or not.

Sources: 1 & 2

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How To Ace These Tough 10 Interview Questions

There is nothing worse than coming into a job interview and the interviewer asks you with hard questions, which you do not know the answer to. Avoid this situation by being ready with polished interview answers.

1. WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR PREVIOUS JOB?

No matter how tricky this question sounds, you can make your way around it. I know how tempting it is to dish about your colleagues who mistreated you. However, this is not the time for that! Talk about your past experiences and focus on your career goals.

Elaborate about the important values and skills that you learned from your past experiences. Then, highlight that you are ready to use these in the position that you aspire to land. Another alternative is to state that you left to chase a better opportunity and face new challenges.

2. WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?

There is no perfect way to respond to this question but, you must avoid literal and generic answers. Saying that you are a workaholic or you are incapable of driving will not boost your image during an interview. Instead, identify the areas that you want to improve on and explain how keen you are to develop that skill in the new position.

3. WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?

This question allows you to shine the competition. With this question, the interviewer is looking for work-related strengths that are in lined with the vacancy. Provide realistic examples of the times you displayed these strengths and connect it with the objectives of the job.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

4. WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE?

Most job seekers answer this question by stating that they are 100% happy with where they are at the moment. If that statement is entirely true then, they will not seek a new job opportunity to change their careers.

Rather than coming across as cliché, pinpoint a major turning point or a missed opportunity in your life. Manifest that you are willing to move on from the situation by taking positive actions to turn things around. Provide examples to back up your claim.

5. WHY DO WANT TO WORK HERE?

This question calls for prior research and analysis regarding the targeted company. As a Registered Psychometrician, I know how important it is to find an employee that matches the objectives and goals of the company. This is why you must respond in a way that echoes the essence of the company.

Mention the aspects of the company that you admire and how your abilities make you a perfect fit.

6. HOW HAS YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND PREPARED YOU FOR THIS JOB?

There are various ways to respond to this broad question. I suggest to highlight the practical applications of the knowledge that you absorbed in school. State some examples that support the crucial competencies needed for the job.

This is an example: “During my last two years at SIM University, I had the opportunity to become a part of the program-committee and represent the whole batch of my course. I constantly practiced my communication skills given this responsibility.”

7. IS MONEY MORE IMPORTANT THAN JOB SATISFACTION?

It is alright to value money as it aids in our survival. By answering that money is more important, the interviewer may perceive you as someone who is blinded by a larger paycheck. Job satisfaction shall trump money in this situation.

Put emphasis on the pivotal role of job satisfaction to your internal motivation and to increasing your productivity at work. This will surely impress the interviewer.

8. HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR OTHER POSITIONS?

Interviewers like to ask this question to identify how interested the candidates are in the position and how determined they are on their search. Candidates who are applying for similar jobs (i.e., in the same industry or work environment) are more desirable. You may enumerate the typical characteristics that are needed for the job that you are applying for. Say something like: “I have applied for other positions that involve strong customer service orientation too.”

9. HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR FREE TIME?

This question comes up frequently because it gives a glimpse into a person’s character and work-life balance. Instead of tailoring your answers to show some extraordinary pursuits, be honest and realistic. The interviewer will appreciate the conversation more if you explain why you engage in such activities.

10. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE WORST MANAGER YOU EVER HAD?

Ranting about your horrible ex-manager will not work to your favor. It is unattractive to talk badly about your previous managers or bosses. This is because your potential manager may anticipate that you will treat him or her in the same manner, somewhere down the line.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

A better response to this question is: “While no boss is perfect, there were some who taught me more than others. I am not complaining because I learned the types of leadership styles that I respond to the best.”

Sources:  1, 2, & 3

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Overcoming The Common Interviewer Biases

An interview for a possible job opportunity or salary increase is ultimately founded by an interaction between two or more individuals. Due to the nature of human behavior, both the interviewer and the interviewee are subjected to Psychological biases and errors.

What my background in Psychology has taught me is that these biases can be conquered. Awareness of the different biases is the first step!

AFFECT HEURISTIC

In Psychology, affect refers to the person’s overt display of feelings and emotions while heuristic allows people to make judgements swiftly and efficiently. Putting these two together will produce the Affect Heuristic. The Affect Heuristic is an error in judgement due to interpreting the world based on the person’s current mood.

For instance, if the interviewer had a horrible day due to domestic conflicts then, he or she may project negative feelings onto you. 

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

This error goes hand-in-hand with the negativity bias. Negativity bias happens when individuals give more emphasis on the bad experiences rather than the good ones. Hence, you have to be careful with the pattern of your feelings and thoughts!

CONFIRMATION BIAS

As the name suggests, Confirmation Bias is the tendency to listen solely to the information that approves one’s preconceptions.

Say your parents instilled the idea that superior employees are products of local universities only. As an interviewer, you encountered aspirants who graduated from private schools such as PSB Academy and EASB. You may be more inclined to apply your preconceptions to make false judgements about their abilities.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Spend a substantial amount of time in evaluations to overcome this bias and increase rater’s accuracy.

ANCHORING BIAS

Anchoring Bias is the tendency of some people to rely heavily on the first piece of information they receive. For instance, you are negotiating your salary. The first offer that you make will establish a spectrum of “reasonable” possibilities and the following counteroffers will be anchored by that initial offer.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Negotiating a salary is a conversation that aims to reach an agreement with someone whose interests are not perfectly aligned with yours. Make your first offer count despite of the Anchoring Bias by researching all the necessary information such as the average pay for your position.

CONTRAST EFFECT

Contrast Effect is the “magnification or reduction of perception as a result of previous exposure to something of lesser or greater quality”. A candidate who understands the essence of this effect will immediately volunteer after a poor candidate in order for his or her ratings to be optimum.

Reduce the Contrast Effect by delegating a standardized criteria where you base your decisions on. Thus, your interviews, discussions, and evaluations must all be structured.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

May you apply your knowledge of these common cognitive biases to your next interview! 🙂

Sources:  1 & 2

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What Not To Ask In A Job Interview

1. HOW MUCH WILL YOU PAY ME FOR THIS POSITION?

Asking questions about wages and benefits in the first job interview may potentially send an inappropriate message. You may come off as someone who is more interested with reaping the rewards of the job, rather than coming off as someone who is serious about the position.

Every job seeker is curious about money matters. However, you must wait until the interviewer brings it up or until the later interview.

2. HOW EARLY CAN I GET PROMOTED?

According to Rebecca Woods, an HR Professional in Minneapolis, this is one of the most usual questions that job seekers shall avoid. Put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer. You would not want someone who is expecting immediate gratification!

Instead of asking when are you getting promoted, Woods encourages applicants to familiarize themselves about the ways to reach occupational success.

3. CAN I WORK FROM HOME, INSTEAD?

Your top priority at job interviews is to sell yourself by showing what you are capable of. Do you think that asking special favors such as “working from home” can help you land the job? Of course not.

Unless the job description implies that you can work remotely, do not ask this question. You will be glad to know that some Singaporean companies allow their employees to work from home after they have proven how productive they were.

4. IS THE RUMOR ABOUT YOU…TRUE?

Never ask about the gossips that you heard or overheard. You are not only being rude to the interviewer but you are also engaging in a highly unacceptable behavior. Need I say more?

5. WHY?

People who are faced with questions that begin with the word “why” typically raise their defenses. For instance, “Why did the company fire so much people?” seems more confrontational than “I heard about the recent layoffs. What is your opinion about the company’s future?”

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Phrasing your questions in a friendlier manner can help your chances at getting your dream job!

Sources: 1, 2, 3

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Standout In Your Next Job Interview Like A Pro

1. MAKE IT MEMORABLE

Some job aspirants have this idea that sitting quietly and answering all the interviewer’s questions correctly will land them the job. They are wrong! Interviewers can easily forget you if you do not stimulate their intellect.

To make your interview memorable you must take the conversation off script and ask sensible questions about the company. Make your interviewer think beyond the standardized script by giving substantial answers (about important topics including position challenges and solutions) to his open-ended questions. Towards the end of the interview ask how you can potentially improve the company upon receiving the position.

2. SPEAK IN THEIR LANGUAGE

I am not saying to have the conversation all in your mother tongue but a few phrases will not hurt! In fact, beginning in the language that the interviewer understands help build rapport. If you know that your interviewer is Japanese, greet him with the phrase: “O Genki desu ka?” Use “Nǐ hǎo ma?” if your interviewer speaks Mandarin and “Kamusta ka?” if he speaks Filipino.

As for the awkward pauses, refrain from saying “Ummm” or “Ahhh” in face-to-face or phone interviews. Instead you must smile and speak clearly.

Note: The foreign languages underwent Romanization for your understanding.

3. PRACTICE YOUR RESPONSES

Most likely, questions like “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” or “Why should we hire you?” will come up. So look up the common job interview questions online and have some ready-made answers for each. Brainstorm your ideas with a trusted friend or partner to ensure that your answers cover every aspect of the job description. Rehearse these responses days before the interview.

4. ACE A PHONE INTERVIEW

Just because the interview is made through the phone, does not mean that you can talk informally. Treat it the same way as you would treat a face-to-face interview. Ensure that you have a copy of your C.V. and the original job description at all times. Also, you must equip yourself with writing materials for note taking and sensible questions for the interviewer.

5. BUILD A NEW RELATIONSHIP

Aside from making the interview memorable through your intellect and logic, you can also add a dash of humanity. Humanity in a sense of social interactions and building rapport. Once you built rapport and the conversation is going smoothly, the interviewer can associate you with positive feelings such as warmth and friendliness.

Everyone else is just an image on a piece of paper but you will standout because you built a new (humanistic) relationship with the interviewer.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

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