Interviews

Hello and welcome!

Maybe you have been at your first interview or the last one. I don’t know, maybe you just came from an interview, I had that feeling too. Bear with me.

First of all don’t beat yourself up. Enjoy your unemployed time, go out, fix your vices. When you will be hired full time everything changes. Similar to when you have a baby. Your schedule changes, you start going out with people that have jobs. It is difficult to schedule a night out. Basically you are now an adult. Of course, I am talking about the grind. Going on and on and on until burnout settles and you start taking it slow.

Yearning to be hired

You want that job, that number one spot you know you deserve. It will give you a purpose and everything in your head will be silent, if you get it. Yes, indeed it will, for a while,  until you want to escape and go somewhere else.

What I’m trying to say is that before you think about getting hired, ask yourself, would I hire someone like me?

If the answer is yes, you should be proud of that. Society needs people like you. Start to value your time, even go further and take that course to better yourself.
If the answer is that you would not hire someone like you. I have the same answer. Go and improve yourself. 

Looking for a job

The Internet is the best solution to find a job. Don’t think in small numbers. Looking for a job is like a tortoise laying eggs. Many are created at the beginning, so at least a couple reach the ocean.  Look for as many jobs as you can find until you signe a contract.

A workplace can offer you other things beside money.  You should look for a normal work schedule, health insurance, manageable distance that you have to cover when going to work, colleagues, the lifetime of the company and other traits. All are important when choosing your job. If you can, take all of them into consideration. That will make your life better and you won’t change jobs so often.

A good tip to cut in line when looking for jobs is: 

Find the job posted on the Internet. Search on the Internet for someone working in a company that you want to apply to. Call them directly, tell them that you are currently looking for a job and ask for an email address. It is important to ask them how to differentiate your email from spam, ask them nicely if you can use their name in the email as a reference.

You got the interview

At last, after many emails, and lots of calls you got it. You settle down the date when you will go to the interview. But be assured this is just one of the many that will follow. I advise you to keep applying, keep sending emails even after you got an interview. You need a constant flow of interviews, until you sign the contract you want.

The thing that dictates if you will be hired is not the interview itself. It’s a long preparation before the interview.

First, start with a nice relevant outfit. If you are sneaky, find out what color is predominant in the company and try to integrate it in your outfit. At least you will have a conversation subject. 

Learn everything you can about the company. Learn their number of employees, the names of the founders and when the company was founded. Most important, if you can, find out the beginnings of the company, the struggles that they had at the beginning. 

If you are in a more technical field, a project that you can present is mandatory! I got hired at my first job because of a project that I created in my free time. So, a big get going on the side project.

What is certain when you will go to the interview is that you will have to deal with people(Software is Easy. People are Hard). Take in consideration that they have lives too, ups and downs, maybe they didn’t have their coffee before meeting you. So, keep smiling and don’t react when they press you. After the interview is over they will appreciate the way you reacted under pressure.

The Meeting

Make peace with your emotions. It is normal to have them. Everyone has them, even your interviewers.

After you meet your interviewers take in consideration that a successful interview can be settled in the first five minutes. Keep your energy high and your answers precise.

They will ask to present yourself. That is the selling point of your interview. This should be just like telling a story. Starting point, the main reasons for whom they need to hire you and a conclusion. All spoken in around 180 seconds.

Make your own list of questions for them. As said earlier, money is not the only advantage that a job can provide. 

Ask them how long it took to be promoted in the company, how it was for them on their first day in the company. Of course, they will be sweet talking you. Be focused on the subtle nuances of their tone. Anger is a though emotion to disguise. If they are genuine you will feel it.

As every talk, your interview must have a conclusion. Listen to their final statements and you will feel it if they want you in their team.

Always keep your shoes clean and polished. When you exit the room people will notice if the back of your shoe is dirty. After the interview is finished always turn around and smile when you exit the room, don’t let the last image of you, be your rear end.

The remote interview

Come on who really goes to meeting interviews these days?. 
I got you!
So for you the one that works remote or it is just far away from his possible employer. You are important too. 
It might look simpler than a booked meeting at XYZ location. But the call has its ups and downs too.

Firstly, it’s important to have a stable Internet connection. The most annoying thing is to be caught off guard with your Internet and forced to reschedule the call.
Secondly, take into consideration the time zone of both parties. You could think they said 2 PM and everything is cool. But they meant their own time zone. Keep that in mind. 

I personally got caught off guard once but luckily got saved by the Skype notification from them saying “Hi” and started right away.
Inform your roommates or family to not bother you while you are on the call. It seems trivial but it is vital.
If the call is video, same advice to you, have a relevant outfit. 

Take advantage of the fact that you’re not in the same room. If you are sneaky, prepare a sheet of paper or a notepad file with some possible answers or questions that you want to address to your interviewers. 

After the interview is done if you are courageous I advise you to create a short summary of your talk and send it to them. At the end politely ask them to give you feedback on your performance. This way you will know right away where you stand on the hiring matter.

Conclusion

Take in consideration that you are important and so is your interviewer. Keep a polite manner of interaction. Most importantly, you choose where you will be hired, you are an asset, you will bring them value and money more than you will be paid. Don’t let fear cloud your judgement and ask for what is fair for you.

Tell us about your worst interview experience in the comment section.