Tag: job interview questions

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5 Things to Do After an Interview that Helps You Seal the Deal

What To Do After an Interview to Seal the Deal

The three step process of searching a job includes:

  • Drafting a perfect resume
  • Preparing for the Interview
  • Post-Interview Follow-Ups

The first two steps are conventional and you prepare according to the job you apply to. Done with the job interview, now what’s next?

Once you have shaken hands and parted ways, you do not just have to sit ideal and wait for the employer to get in touch with you.

Here are five things you should be doing after an interview that help you get the job.

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#1 Write a Thank You Note

Firstly, when in an interview remember to collect business cards from each member that you meet in your process.

The best way to follow up is to write an e-mail within 24 hours of the interview. Your follow-up mail should be drafted in a job letter format starting with acknowledging each one of them for their time and then reiterate why you are the perfect fit for the job.

Use this follow-up email to thank the interviewers for the time they invested in meeting you, express what interests you in the position and anything you feel led to a personal connection during the interview process.

Another quick way to leave an impressive mark in the minds of the interviewers, leave a hand written thank you note followed by a follow-up email in a week’ time.

#2 Judiciously Connect Online

It might be tempting to connect with everyone that you have met with online.

Do so, but make sure that it does not leave an impression of you stalking them. Check their online presence before you reach out sending those requests. For example, someone you met at ABC organization has more than 500 people on his/her LinkedIn account implies that he/she is open to accept requests.

On the other hand, there might be someone with a private account. So hold yourself there, before you send out a request.

To be on the safe side, it is better to follow people or the organization on Twitter. It displays that you have a keen interest in the company. Keep Facebook for friends and family. Connection professionally on Facebook might turn the tables around for you.

#3 Follow-Up Again

It can take a while to get a response from the employer after you have had that interview. The reasons can be many.

If this is the case, you should consider following up again. But make sure that you have something new to offer each time you write a follow-up e-mail.

You can look out for a piece of news or what’s happening in the related industry and share it in a small follow-up note.

#4 Keep Those Notes

It is important that you have a track of job openings you pursue, the resumes sent and the contacts you have made through an application.

Once you are done with an interview, take out time and make notes listing down the people you met, the conversation you had and what remarkable you learned through the process.

Additionally also keep a note of the impressions you made and any concerns or questions you would like to put up to the employer when given a chance.

Interview questions and answers

#5 Make a Call

Communicating electronically has become the norm these days.

The extent is to the level that some people today think that a phone call will intrude their time. So, when you call someone make sure that you are considerate and careful both at the same time.

Recall, if they told you to call or drop an email. If not and you have already tried to get in touch through an e-mail without any response, before calling think about what you are going to say. It is better to practice before you make the call.

Finding a job is not an easy task. If you get an opportunity, make sure you use it to the fullest. Some annoying things candidates do in name of follow-up can harm the chances of you making it to the job. Here is a list of things you must not do definitely to keep your chances high.

  • Following-Up too much
  • Changing the salary expectations after the discussion
  • Acting like you have the job
  • Skipping the thank you note
  • Bringing up other job offers

Author Bio

Akansha Arora is a professional writer and blogger who loves to pen down her views on a number of topics that interest a reader. She writes keeping in mind the current scenarios and wishes to keep her readers well informed. 

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Change Your Language Change Your Interview Stress Levels

Understand How Language Change Interview Stress Levels.

Job interviews are really stressful, but are more more stressful by the language the interviewee uses when trying to motivate themselves.

The actual words we use when talking to our-self has a massive impact on your emotional well being. Our internal dialog is created automatically, by taking control of your personal language, you create interview confidence, reducing job interview stress.

Here are 3 simple ways to reduce job interview stress by choosing stress reducing words

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Speaking in the Third Person

Stressed and anxious interviewees use associated language “I have to answer all the interview questions…” Is this is said from a negative perspective, the visual imagery you create from these words increases stress.

Self-distancing helps you to control your thoughts and emotional response. By using disassociated phrases the stress impact lowers “Chris has to answer all the interview questions..” you change your perspective, changing your response and behavior.

To lessen stress, think about the phrasing of yourself talk. Become aware of the “I” you are using, and repeat the same phrase replacing “I” with your name.

Strong and Weak Words

When preparing for the job interview it is easy to fall into the trap of using weak words that didn’t motivate.

Take these 2 examples;

  • I’m going to try and pass the job interview
  • I will pass the job interview

Words such as “try” “maybe” “want” don’t create the feeling of commitment. By replacing these weak words with commitment statements you are more likely to achieve your goals.

When feeling committed to a passing a job interview, your stress levels naturally drop as you have  a positive focus which creates interview confidence.

Interview questions and answers

Language and Perspective

Interviewees often focus on the negative reasons why they need to pass the job interview.

The way you phrase your reason for attending the job interview will create stress or desire.

Most people phrase their job interview goal in the negative stating the thing they want to get away from “I don’t want to be unemployed…”

What you say to yourself, your reason for the job interview, is represented by visual imagery. This image creates an emotional response, either positive or negative and only positive emotions help you to relax in the job interview, increasing confidence.

To increase job interview confidence, reframe your negatively phrased goal positively “I want to gain a job with a pay rise”

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Job Interview Questions for Budgens

Job Interview Questions for Budgens

We have spoke to many interviewees to what the big employers are asking candidates in job interviews.

This article give you the inside gossip for Budgens job interview questions. To prepare for your Budgen’s interview, read the question, prepare and practice your job interview answer.

Why is practice important? To pass interviews you need your answer to ooze confidence. Practice makes perfect, and perfect gets you the job interview offer.

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 Budgens Job Interview Questions

Budgens’s Job Interview Questions 1. Tell me a little about you and your retail/customer service experience?

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 2. Why do you want to work for Budgen’s?

Buddens Job Interview Questions 3. What do you know about our competitors? 

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 4. Explain how Budgens differs from other supermarkets 

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 5. What is more important profit or customer service?

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 6. How would you remember where all Budgen’s stock is stored in the supermarket?

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 7. Give an example of going above and beyond for a customer? 

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 8. What would you bring to the Budgen’s team?

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 9. What would you do if you suspected a colleague of stealing? 

Budgens Job Interview Questions 10. How do you develop yourself? 

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 11. What is your approach to working hours?

Budgen’s Job Interview Questions 12. Do you have questions you would like to ask us?

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Job Interview Questions YMCA

Job Interview at YMCA

YMCA is one of the largest charities, supporting young people to be more successful.

When applying for a job at YMCA you need to focus your job interview answers on supporting young people, giving young people a voice and going above and beyond to help young people.

Below are 10 interview questions asked in YMCA job interviews.

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10 YMCA Job Interview Questions

YMCA Job Interview Question 1.  What is your experience working with youths?

YMCA Job Interview Question 2. Why do you want to work with children?

YMCA Job Interview Question 3. How do you motivate unmotivated teenagers?

YMCA Job Interview Question 4. How do you make sessions creative and fun?

YMCA Job Interview Question 5. What does safeguarding mean to you?

YMCA Job Interview Question 6. How would you handle a situation when a service user fancied you?

YMCA Job Interview Question 7. What would be your approach if a client said they hadn’t eaten anything for 3 days?

YMCA Job Interview Question 8. How would you help a client set a realistic goal?

YMCA Job Interview Question 9. What is the key to helping someone be successful?

YMCA Job Interview Question 10. Do you have any questions for us?

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Have you ever had a problem with a supervisor?

Commonly asked job interview question

This article will explain how to respond to the ‘problem supervisor’ job interview question.

When asked a question about previous supervisors, don’t fall into the obvious trap of stating the negative characteristics of the previous supervisor.

Instead follow these 3 steps to create a positive structured answer – see the video below for a more detailed explanation

  • State the situation (the reason for the fallout)
  • Explain how you both came to an agreement
  • Give the outcome from the situation and solution

Interview Question Have you ever had a problem with a supervisor?

Explanation of the Question:

This could be a trap-they want to see if you will speak ill of a pass employer.  Start by explaining that “you have always worked well with your supervisors”, if they push this question, continue by giving an answer along the lines of this:

Example Interview Answer and Video Tutorial

“The only thing I can think of is when I was asked by a supervisor to complete a task, and I already had a task that needed completing by a certain deadline. My supervisor was a little stressed but we prioritized the work and got both jobs done on time”

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What Questions Do You Ask at the Job Interview?

Interview coaches teach interviewees to prepare for the job interview.

It can be hard to prepare for the job when no one really knows what questions will be asked by your future employer.

One question you can prepare for is the most commonly asked interview question, the one question you will always be asked “do you have any questions for me?”

Interview Question Do you have any questions for me?

Interview Video Tutorial “do you have any questions for me?”

Explanation of the Question:

Most interviewers ask this question and generally towards the end of the interview. Remember to prepare for this, as asking questions will be a great end to an excellent interview.

Don’t ask about salaries or holidays etc until you have been offered a job position.

Example Questions to Ask

  • “Do you have any future plans to expand the company?”
  • “Does your team work well together?”
  • “Have you put in any new bids for any new contracts?”
  • “What is the company’s policy on personal development and training?”
  • “Where do you see the company being in 5 years time” 

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Interview Questions and Answers Describe Yourself as a Person?

This is a great question to be asked, as it is open for you to really your skills and experiences.

Prior to the interview, you need to research the company and position by checking the job criteria and the essential criteria. Use the essential criteria as the base of your interview answer

Interview Question Describe yourself as a person?

This is a great question to be asked, as it is open for you to really sell your skills and qualities.

When answering this question, talk about the skills, qualities and experiences the company requires (taken from the job specification) and answer the question by telling the interviewer how you have these required skills.

Use real-life stories and examples to highlight your strengths. 

Example Interview Answer

“I am a keen and driven person; once I start a task I always put a hundred percent into completing it. I have often been told I am approachable and a good listener who completes goals quickly and efficiently”    

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Interview Question and Answer Would you be willing to relocate?

Before going to the interview for an organisation who wants you to relocate you first need to think about the pro’s and con’s about relocating as it is easy to say yes in the first instance when you are offered a job, but the reality is you may miss friends, family and local interest.

If you are happy to relocate make sure this answer is said in a clear confident voice.

In this article we have broke down what the interviewer is looking for in a perfect job interview answer and to help you create the perfect answer we have recorded an example answer

A video explaining how to answer the job interview question

Interview Question Would you be willing to relocate?

Often when employers need you to relocate, they would have stated this in the job specification. Before the interview you need to think about your life and how it would change if you relocated, look at both the positives and the negatives before making a decision. Once you have done this, you can give your answer at the interview and the reason why. 

Example Interview Answer

“I have researched your company and I feel we would work well together. I have no ties where I am currently living and I am happy to relocate”

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Jamies Italian Restaurant Trainee Chef Job Interview Questions

Jamie Oliver offers exciting opportunities for young wanna be chefs. The catering sector has for a long term encouraged people passionate about food to join as a trainee or apprentice, where you get to work alongside distinguish chefs to learn the skills of the trade

During the job interview you need to show your passion, highlight your commitment and to explain to the interviewer how you will work hard, be committed and are keen to learn, grow and develop.

The interview questions below will help you prepare for a Jamie’s Italian Restaurant Trainee Chef Job Interview

Jamie’s Italian Restaurant Trainee Chef Job Interview Questions

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef Job Interview Question 1. What is your experience working in a kitchen?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef Job Interview Question 2. Where dishes can you cook?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef  Job Interview Question 3. How would you fillet a fish?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef  Job Interview Question 4. Explain how you would prepare meat?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef  Job Interview Question 5. Give an example of working in a busy team?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef  Job Interview Question 6. How would you rota stock? Why is this important?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef Job Interview Question 7. Why is labelling food important?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef  Job Interview Question 8. How would you ensure you follow food hygiene regulations?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef Job Interview Question 9. What’s more important taste or presentation?

Jamie Oliver Trainee Chef  Job Interview Question 10. Do you have any questions to ask me?

Good interview questions to ask interviewers at the end of the job interview include questions on the company growth or expansion, questions on personal development and training and questions on company values, staff retention and company achievements.

Many people are afraid of job interviews. The truth is if you prepare for your job interview, by predicting the job interview questions, you can easily prepare your job interview answers.

If your job interview answers highlight your unique selling point, are stated in the positive and are said in a confident manner, then you can influence the job interview to increase job offer.

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What Salary are you Looking For? Interview Question and Answer

“What salary are you looking for?” Interview Question and Answer

Interview questions are asked to uncover a particular skill, quality or experience from the interviewee. The reason why many job applicants fail during the job interview is because they don’t understand what it is the interviewer wants to hear.

In this article we have broke down what the interviewer is looking for in a perfect job interview answer and to help you create the perfect answer we have recorded an example answer. The interview question “what salary are you looking for?” is a key one to prepare for, as this will set out the income you will receive and has a direct effect on future pay-rises

Depending on the sector and position you are applying for depends on how you would approach this question. For some sectors the employer wants to see if your salary expectations meets the salary band the employer is offering, for other positions, you will need to negotiate your salary   – technique explained below.

Video Explanation

 

With most industries the company will advertise the salary on the job advert. If they don’t this could be a loaded question.

Answer this question with a question.

Example Interview Answer

“Can you tell me what the salary range for this post is?” If the interviewer insists, give a general answer “The salary would depend on the job duties, around £??-£??” Give a wide range

How to Negotiate Your Salary

When negotiating your pay rise, you need to first set the value high by you first setting the initial offer, your employer will then come in under what you stated, but due to you setting the mark high (this has to be realistic) you will often receive a higher salary compared to when the employer sets the first initial offer, which is often low.

This is because we use the initial offer as a baseline and then the employer and employee negotiate from this first offer, all the following negotiations or salary offers are compared to the original offer as we naturally compare everything.

In this example the employer’s original offer is £25,000, your counter offer is £35,000, the final offer will be around £30,000.   If you set the initial offer for the same position at £42,000, the employer’s first offer will be around £30,000 which means the final offer will be around £35,000.

Now obviously these figures and offers will vary depending on your experiences, negotiation skills and the employer’s business acumen, but the point is by setting the initial offer high, highlighting your value, you will be offered a higher wage while leaving the employer believing that their shrewdness has secured them a good deal (you asked for £42,000 and accepted £35,000 – £5,000 more than you would have accepted if the employer set the bar low with his initial offer).

As you have stated your perceived value in monetary terms with your initial offer, the employer is forced to offer you a higher salary as they can’t offer a salary that is dramatically lower unless they believe that you are not worth the money or if the company has set a non-negotiable salary limit for your position.

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