10 Things to Bring With You Should Always Bring With You to an Interview

The current state of the economy and the job market has made it almost impossible to find a job. If you want to be one of the "chosen" to land an interview, you must be at the top of your game. No longer is it enough to simply appear at an interview dressed in a suit and armed with a positive attitude. Today's candidates must be thoroughly prepared for each interview they attend. An important component of that preparation is knowing the ten things you should always bring with you to an interview.

1. Five copies of your resume - even if you have submitted your resume electronically, it is still important to bring along hard copies. In many cases, candidates will find themselves interviewed by multiple managers, so it is always important to have enough resumes to go around.

2. Professional references - be sure to bring a list of 3-5 professional references. Include each reference's contact information including email address as well as the capacity by which they know you.

3. Personal references - more and more companies are turning to personal references to round out the interview process, so bring a list of personal references as well. Phone numbers, email address and relationship should be carefully noted for each reference.

4. Work History - keep a list of your previous employers including physical address, phone number, employment dates and manager names. Being unable to provide this information is unprofessional and may raise an eyebrow or two.

5. Education - bring a list of each school you attended, the address and the degree, or program studied.

6. Skills - As technology continues to evolve, many potential employers are interested in what programs candidates have mastered. You should also include any specialized skills or equipment you can operate

7. Questions - almost all hiring managers will end the interview by asking if the candidate has any questions - prepare a list in advance. It is a great idea to do this by carefully reviewing the company website. The questions should be thought-provoking and relevant.

8. Documentation - Bring along any professional certifications as well as a valid driver's license and social security card. In the event that the position is immediately offered to you, you will have all of the information needed with you.

9. Samples - Many jobs require a candidate to provide samples of their work. Be sure to bring along representations of your best work. This applies to almost all jobs. For example, an architect may bring along samples of their designs while a teacher might bring lesson plans or an example of a teaching plan.

10. Attitude - never underestimate the power of your attitude - remember you are selling yourself, so it is crucial you come prepared to do just that. Be well rested and eat shortly before your interview.

Being adequately prepared for an interview is the first step towards has a successful session. Be sure to prepare your interview items in advance so you are not rushing around trying to locate everything right before your interview.

Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW, BS/HR, is a Certified Professional & Executive Resume Writer/Career Consultant and President of Professional Resume Services, Inc. She is a nationally published writer and contributor of 9+ best-selling career books. She has achieved international recognition following yearly nominations of the prestigious T.O.R.I. (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award. Erin has written thousands of resumes for executives and professionals. As a proud member of PARW, CDI, AORCP, Erin also sits on CDI's Credentialing Committee for new certification candidates and serves as a Mentor for CDI's Member Mentoring Committee. She also is a featured blogger on several well-known career sites. Reuse of this article is encouraged but must include a link to http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com. Want to know more about Erin Kennedy, CPRW? Read her LinkedIn profile at:

Job Interview Tips - 3 Things You Need To Prepare

A job interview can be a nerve wrecking experience. It can also be an encounter that can change your life for better or for worse. Being yourself under that level of pressure and letting your best side show when all eyes are on you is something that requires more than just luck. You need to prepare for your job interview - regardless of how good your resume is. Most applicants make the critical mistake of relying on a good resume to land them a job. Not true. A resume will get you the interview. Your performance during the interview will get you the job.

Qualifications and experience will only take you that far. You need to "be there" in your interview and show your prospective employer why you are the one for the job. So, what can you prepare and how do your prepare? Here are a few basic tips.

1. Who are you?
Most interviews will start with an introduction. You will be asked something along the lines of "tell us a little more about yourself..." You can prepare for this and since you know that it will be asked you can design your response to say something meaningful about yourself. This question is more than just an ice-breaker. Its designed to give them an idea of what you are all about.

2. Why did you leave your previous job?
This is another question that most interviewees stumble over. It can be a delicate question and so many people make the mistake of bad mouthing their previous employer. Never do that. Think long and hard about how you will answer this and make sure that you answer is never directed at criticizing your previous job. It never comes across well in an interview.

3. Why do you think they should hire you?
What can you bring to this company? Always remember that your prospective employer's main interest is in what you can bring to them and what you can offer. It can be a difficult question but if you prepare it well and come up with an answer that translates your skills into practical uses within the firm then the job is as good as yours.

In the end confidence is all important during your job interview. Being well prepared is an important step towards feeling confident and having some idea of how you will answer difficult questions. Being calm and relaxed goes a long way and will help you to be yourself and impress your future employer.

Do you need help with your job interview preparation? See my blog for more on the most frequently asked interview questions... Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deon_Du_Plessis

Some Interview Success Tips

Normally the candidate worries if he/she would successfully impress the interviewer or not. Some of the success tips mentioned here would be definitely helpful for you to get green signal in your job hunt.

Interview Success Tips

• The most important thing that is needed is to be confident while speaking. If you want to think and then answer a particular question, do not be afraid. Think for a while, frame out your answer. Give answer in the clear, enthusiastic and confident manner.
• As per the career and interview tips, carry copies of resume while going for an interview
• Be optimistic, if your resume displays some of the lacking points such as frequent job changes, unemployed for quite a long duration of time etc., and if the interviewer asks about it. Explain the situation in such a way that it gives clarity and the interviewer may realize that you have learned from your mistakes or you are overcoming your weaknesses
• It is always recommended to go through the company's website or you can get the information about the company from the authorized person. The interviewer may ask company related questions. You should be well prepared for that. Similarly you can ask the questions to the employer, regarding how you will grow with the company? Future prospects of the company etc.
• If you do not know the answer of any question asked during the interview, no harm in it as the employer wants to judge you for what you know and what you do not know. What matters is do not lie, plainly say the fact if you do not know the answer of any particular question
• Make sure that you reach the venue where interview is going to be conducted before time i.e. 10- 15 min. before.
• Dress properly while going for an interview. Do not put on loud make up. Prefer formal wear.
• Another important thing you should follow is write a letter of thanks after the interview and express your interest to work in the organization

An interview is a quick round to judge you for various criteria i.e. knowledge, skills and personality. Try to deliver the best you can and success is yours.

I am a professional expert providing interview tips. Author posted the link Some interview success tips andSalary Expectations in Resume. It will also give you the description on the resume writing... Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jiya_Singh

Tips to Introduce Yourself at the Interview

Interview is a quick round of judgment. The interviewer asks the questions to test your knowledge, confidence and quick answering ability. The interviewer wants you to tell about yourself and that is the first ball to play on the wicket. Now you do not have the setting time in hand and should be confident to answer the question. You will find the tips to introduce yourself at the interview quite helpful.

You will come to know how to answer this typically asked question. Follow some of simple thumb rules which are abstracted from the authorities on interview tips.
1. First and most important thing you should remember is you should answer the question quickly and to the point
2. The answer is subdivided into various aspects. You have to introduce personal information, educational details and professional experience
3. While telling about the personal information, you should brief your name, your educational and family background. If the interviewer interrupts in between and asks specific personal information, you can provide it accordingly
4. When talking about education talk about the education that is most relevant for the job profile you are looking for. Then you can include your specializations and skills
5. Professional experience is the more focused area the employer is keen to know about. So talk about the appropriate experience first and then in short you can summarize the total experience
6. Your answer should not sound too descriptive. Take care that you should not copy the same things that are mentioned in the resume
7. Sometimes it happens that while explaining professional experience, the interviewer may interrupt you and ask for details about particular period where you worked. Understand the logic behind it, i.e. the interviewer may judge how you tackled the situation or the interviewer is judging your quick answering ability
8. Always remember it can be a first question you may be facing during the interview. If you win it, the ball may turn in your court.

Interview tips are available today which was not possible early days. So prepare yourself for the interview from all respects, i.e. domain knowledge, communication skills and you will definitely win the interview.

Ashton Lopez is professional expert in providing interview tips and Interview questions. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashton_Lopez

Important Interview Questions

When preparing for a job interview don't forget to include important interview questions in your career guide. These questions should be divided into two groups; questions you should ask and questions the interviewer could ask you. Though there is no set formula for questions interviewers will ask, there are basic ones you can prepare to answer. The questions you should ask depend heavily on your knowledge of the position, the company and what you want or need in terms of fulfillment and compensation.

It is also suggested to be tactful with the order in which you ask your questions. Don't let the first words out of your mouth be, How much are you guys gonna pay me? Be professional and courteous. Let your initial questions reflect interest in the position and company. Here are questions to consider adding to your career guide when preparing for an interview.

Questions to consider asking during a job interview:
• How did this position become available?
• What accomplishments would you like to see within this role?
• What were the major strengths and weaknesses of the last person who held this job?
• What would you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?
• Could you describe a typical day or week in this position? What are the expectations for this position?
• How many people are in the department for this position? How many people are on the team for this position?
• How long has this position been open? What is your time frame for filling his position?
• What are some examples of the achievements of others who have been in this position?
• What do you see in my personality, work history or skill set that qualify me for this position?
• Are there growth opportunities involved with this role?
• What are the next steps in the interview process?
• When can I expect to hear back from you?

Questions you may be asked during a job interview:
• Tell me about yourself.
• Why do you want to work for this company? Why do you want to work in this position?
• What contributions can you bring to our company?
• Why should we hire you instead of another candidate with similar qualifications?
• What are you strengths and your weaknesses?
• What are your short term and long term professional goals?
• How long do you see yourself working for this company?
• Where do you see yourself in five (or ten) years from now?
• What do you look for in a job, i.e., responsibilities, hours, co-workers, managers etc.?
• What do (did) you like the most and the least about your current (last) position?
• Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?
• What is your compensation requirement as far as salary and benefits are concerned?
• Describe a situation where you had to work under pressure to solve a problem and what was the result?

Don't blow your chances during an interview and miss out on a good opportunity because you can't answer or ask questions properly. Our career guide offers additional interview etiquette to help in your job search.

Interested in more career guide hints and tips? Check out our Get that Job page for a free sample cover letter and additional ways to improve your career search. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alana_C._Johnson

Keeping Up With Marathon Job Interviews interview

One jobseeker was stymied by a good/ bad problem: on the positive front, she was getting called in by employers to interview several times; on the negative side, these marathon interviews didn't result in offers. How do you stay fresh throughout these marathon interviews?

There are a few issues here. First of all, congrats to jobseekers on getting to the later stages of the process. This means that the market recognizes your value, and you must be communicating that effectively. You're not going to get every offer where you're a finalist because things happen out of your control - the job opening changes, the budget disappears, someone internal takes to spot. This is why it's good to have multiple companies in play.

However, you will need to find a strategy for getting through multiple interview rounds because many companies, especially in a down market, are being extra picky with their decisions. There are several types of interviews, each with its own unique protocol and challenges. Here are some tips for common types of interviews:

Phone interview. Most first rounds or prescreens for first rounds are on the phone. Pick a quiet spot for the call. Stand up to avoid getting too informal and colloquial with your language. Have water, resume, and whatever else you need already by the phone prior to the interview. You don't want background noise as you fumble around for things.

First round interview. The first round interview covers a range of topics, mostly dealing with your experience, your motivation and your knowledge of that specific company/position. Practice answering common interview questions (out loud!) about these topics. Tell a compelling story about who you are. Be able to speak about everything listed on your resume. Know basic information about the company and position, and have a list of intelligent questions to ask.

Subsequent interviews. These interviews are designed to cover what the first interview does not. You'll need more depth to your answers from above and additional intelligent questions about the company/ position. At this point, the company also knows whatever weaknesses appeared from previous interviews, so be prepared to address these.

Sell interview. Sometimes an interview is designed to get a candidate interested in the job. Perhaps, the company wants to gauge the candidate's reaction before extending an offer. Don't lose your guard during sell interviews. If you don't have an offer in hand, don't assume one is forthcoming. Conduct yourself in a professional manner. Be nice to everybody. Use these interviews for research, and pay attention to what the company is telling you. The information will be handy for offer negotiations.

Hopefully you have been taking careful notes after each interview so that you have data to dissect about what you have been asked, what you did well and where you think you need to improve. Companies will always give good feedback because they don't want the liability issues associated with rejecting candidates. So you will need to rely on your own observations to figure out where along the interview process you fall short.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine helps people find fulfilling jobs and careers, as the co-founder of SixFigureStart®, career coaching by former Fortune 500 recruiters. Caroline has recruited for leading companies in financial services, consulting, media, pharmaceutical/ healthcare, and technology. She is the co-author (along with Donald Trump, Jack Canfield and others) of the best-selling "How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times" 2010; Two Harbors Press. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caroline_Ceniza-Levine

How to Prepare for Interviews

Interviews are a sort of discussion between the interviewer and interviewee. Interviews are very significant for all those who hunt for a good job. Through interviews, interviewers assess the analytical abilities of the candidates, their skills and their overall personality. Job seekers come across various interviews from time to time.

Interviews are basically meant to get an insight into the thinking process of the candidate. In interviews, abilities of the candidate to handle difficult situations, his expertise and also the assessment of whether he would be able to do justice with his job or not is done.

Interviews are generally taken by some high authority of the organization. They are interested in those smart candidates who can bring more profit to their organization and create its positive image in the market. While taking interviews, interviewers check whether the candidate can identify the problem, formulate the problem and then make use of his analytical ability to solve it.

Those who take interviews wish to see whether you can develop structure framework for solution to any problem which has been correctly identified and well-formulated. While taking interviews, the candidate should keep in mind that during the process their thinking process is being analyzed and hence they should not give instant answers and think before they speak.

While taking interviews, candidates should take proper care of attire. They should be dressed in a decent manner and should not put on clothes which are uncomfortable to them. Candidates should always try to dispose his good manners while taking interviews like he should wish all the panel members and to the ladies first. They should also deny taking snacks of they are offered by the panel members. They should be polite and well spoken to all.

Long and short of this lies in the fact, that the candidate should present his best in the interviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Krishna_N