How to pass a successful job interview. How to successfully pass a job interview? Signs of bad habits

It often happens that work, for some reason, has become unsatisfactory for you. In this case, you have to start looking for a new job. You start sending out resumes with the desire to get a good position. Finally, the employer accepted your resume and responded.

So, you have been invited for an interview. At first you thought it was so great, but then a constant thought began to swirl in your head: how to behave correctly at an interview. And that's okay. The first impression is the most important thing.

It is worth remembering that during an interview it is 98% important how you behave, and 2% what you say.
Therefore, the most important thing is to have the right mindset and think positively!

Preparing for an interview

Before you go for an interview, you need to prepare for it. Many people think this is complete nonsense, but it is not. This is a very important step and should not be skipped. To do this you need:

• Go to the company's website and see what it is about.
• Study how many employees are on staff and work hours. View internal photos and videos of the company, if they are available on the website.
• See who is the head of the company.
• Study the professional qualities required for the proposed vacancy.

Next, you need to study the responsibilities that you will have when applying for a job. If you know the position, then look on the Internet what its responsibilities are. Also think about what you can do for the company that will benefit the company.
Then you need to collect all the documents that may be useful at the interview. Such documents include: certificate, diploma, various certificates, resume, etc. Everything needs to be put in a folder and taken out only if the employee who receives you has asked for it.

“5 minutes before...”: psychological technique

Many psychologists recommend the “5 minutes before” technique before an interview. It may seem funny, but you shouldn't neglect it. 5 minutes before the start of the meeting with the employer, go into an empty room (a toilet, for example) and stand in a hero’s pose. Straighten your back, push your shoulders back, lift your head and chin, and place your arms at your side. Just try it. This should give you energy.

Before the interview itself, you will have a telephone conversation. This is also an important stage. Here you have to communicate with a company representative, usually a recruiting manager, who then passes on the necessary information to the manager.
When speaking, show yourself to be a polite person. Be sure to specify the place and time where you need to go. It would be a good idea to write down your phone number just in case.

How to behave at a job interview?

The first thing to remember is that you should never be late. It's better to come early and wait a little. This will show your punctuality, which is important in any job. It is very important to be able to listen and not interrupt the employee. Answer questions clearly and to the point.

So, when you come to the interview, adhere to the basic rules:

1. Don't forget to smile.
   She will create the very first impression. There is no need to force it out of you, it must be sincere. If there is a lot of tension and you don’t want to smile at all, then try to remember some funny incident from your life and a smile will “draw” itself on your face.
2. Try not to suppress your voice.
   Voice suppression occurs due to tension and stress. If there is tension, warm up your voice before coming to the office. Remember - a clear and confident voice.
3. Gesticulation and posing.
   You need to sit calmly in front of your employer and not touch anything with your hands near you. If the stress does not go away, then try placing your hands on the table. You should also not cross your legs. Swagger is also not inherent. Eye contact must be constant. If you can’t look directly into the eyes, then you can find some point on the employer’s face and concentrate on it. Maintain a moderate and calm look. You should also not wave your arms, behave calmly.
4. Pauses.
   Learn to take pauses. If you finish answering a question and the employer does not move on to the next one, then don’t worry, wait. This could just be a test.

Video: How to behave correctly during an interview

Questions and answers

The most important thing in an interview is the employer's questions and your answers to them. This is worth dwelling on in more detail.
Any interview is not complete without the usual questions that need to be answered correctly. Before answering a question, listen to the end. If a question seems unclear, it is better to ask again than to sit and remain silent. To do this, you can say: “Did I understand you correctly?” This will show your tact.

Say only what the employer asks you about. Some details may simply not interest him. If something seems necessary to him, he will definitely ask you again. Eliminate the following phrases from the conversation: “I don’t know,” “maybe,” “probably,” etc.

If the question comes up about wages, then speak openly about how much you need, do not underestimate yourself. You may hear questions that have nothing to do with work. This always happens. This is done in order to understand how much you can react to non-standard situations. These could be questions such as why you left your previous job or why you divorced your husband. Many managers read the form and know that people are preparing for interviews, so they can confuse you. For example, ask this question: how long could you work at your previous job if you removed several people you don’t like from the team? Or what if you were paid three times as much?

In addition to career-related questions, you may be asked about hobbies and interests, food preferences, and so on. This is required in order to find out how adequate you are.
When asked about your personal qualities, don't praise yourself. Don't talk about yourself in the first person. You can say that you easily learn new information and love reading books. This will help them understand that you can easily settle into your new job.

Naturally, you will be asked about your disadvantages. There is no need to say that you are too lazy to get up from the couch and leave the house on the weekend. In this case, a white lie. As an example, we can say: I get so involved in my work that sometimes I forget about time. You need to talk about your disadvantages as if you were your advantages.

Often employees ask about children. For example, they may ask how much children interfere with your work.

I adore children, sir. In fact, I was a child too when I was a child.
- Is it true?
- Is it true!
- Strange...
Dance for a chance (Chance Pe Dance). Samir

Once the interviewer has run out of questions, he will give you the opportunity to ask him anything. You may ask the following:

• What is the main task at work?
• How well did the employee who worked before me do this job?
• Is there an opportunity to communicate with the boss? (In case it’s not him sitting in front of you)
• What are the operating hours?

Naturally, these are not all the questions. The question that interests you most concerns wages. But this must be done carefully. But everyone understands that you are going to earn money, and not just sit around. It happens that the employer himself names the salary level. If you are not satisfied with it, then you can ask if there is an opportunity to improve your position. When asked how much you would like to receive, there is no need to remain silent and hesitate. You name the number directly. Naturally, within reasonable limits for this position.

At the end of the interview they will tell you that they will call you after a while. Find out when to expect a call or not at all.

Correct answers to common questions

Let's look at some of the most common interview questions and how to answer them correctly. Questions in the form of a dialogue between the interviewing employee (I) and you (you):

1. AND: - Do you have any weaknesses?
   Naturally, every person has disadvantages. By asking this question, the employer wants to find out how open a person you are. You should not talk about all the shortcomings, otherwise it may cause negative consequences. The best answer to this question is:
   You: - Of course, everyone has shortcomings and I am no exception, but they will not affect the work in any way.
2. AND: - Tell us about yourself.
   The first thing you need to talk about here is your professional skills. You can talk about your studies, hobbies, and so on. You can ask a counter question to the employee.
   You: - Should I tell you about all my interests or only those related to work?
   

3. AND: - Why did you leave your previous job?
   This question is asked by any employer. If you had problems with your boss, then you don’t need to tell the truth about it. Say that you were promised a promotion for a very long time, but it never happened. Or, for example, it was not convenient to get to work, since it was far from home, or the schedule was unsuitable, or the monotony of work, and so on. But this is worth saying only in cases where there are no such problems in the given vacant position.
4. AND: - Desired and undesirable salary level?
   Add +30% to the previous salary level and name the resulting figure. As a minimum, indicate (if asked) the desired salary is +10% more than the previous one.
5. AND: - For what period would you like to work with us?
   You can say that you will always work here, but this is not true, because you have not even settled down and did not understand the meaning of the work. You can answer that you want to work for a month first, decide on the position you will occupy, and get to know the team. Very often the atmosphere in the team forces people to leave their jobs.
6. AND: - Do you have achievements that make you proud?
   You can tell me that you had an interesting thesis topic and you defended it perfectly. Boast a little that your friends value you very much and consider you the life of the party.
7. AND: - How do you look at recycling?
   Please consider this issue carefully. Find out how many hours it lasts, whether work on weekends is paid additionally. Answer with confidence that you are ready for this, but only if it does not harm your personal life.
8. AND: - Why did you choose our company and work in it?
   This question will allow the employer to find out what attracts you to the job. Maybe you have heard about good wages or additional bonuses. But it’s better to mention this last. Say that the office is located near your home or that you have heard about a good opportunity for professional growth.

By the way, very often an employer checks an applicant’s erudition by asking for non-standard situations. Here is one example of such a situation:

• I: - You are going to important negotiations. Having successfully carried them out, you can get a profitable deal. But on the way to this meeting, your car breaks down. What will you do in this situation?
• You: - I’ll get out of the car, catch a passing vehicle or taxi and get to the appointed meeting point.
• And: - The road passes through a dense forest, where there are no rides or taxis.
• You: - I will determine my location using the navigator and call a taxi.
• And: - You don’t have a navigator and the battery on your phone is dead.
• You: - I’ll try to fix the problems with the car on my own and move on.

What to wear to an interview?

Naturally, it will be better if you come in a business suit, but you should not buy an expensive suit that does not suit your status. Also, don't wear the newest and most expensive shoes and gold watch. This will not impress the employer. The color of the suit should be black or dark blue. This is about men.

The requirements for women are basically the same. Don't wear a skirt that is too short. Optimally - to the middle of the knee or slightly below. You should not wear open shoes. There is no need to dress provocatively and vulgarly, as this will not be appropriate for an interview. If you have tattoos, you shouldn't show them. Also, you don’t need to wear a lot of jewelry, keep everything to a minimum.

It is not at all necessary to buy an expensive classic suit for an interview. You can wear clothes that are familiar to you, choosing them correctly. For men - jeans and a jumper in light colors and black suede boots. For women - do not wear shiny belts, transparent blouses, high-heeled shoes, and so on.

Clothes must be clean and ironed. An expensive suit that is not ironed looks unacceptable. Also, girls should not wear dresses with deep necklines, torn jeans, T-shirts and sweaters with unclear inscriptions. If you have a bright manicure, do not wave your hands in front of your employer. Accuracy and a sense of proportion come first. You shouldn't pour a whole bottle of perfume on yourself, especially with a strong smell. This will definitely not make those around you happy.

Clothing must be appropriate for the vacant position. For example, you are going for an interview for a position as a credit specialist. Naturally, if you wear shorts and a red T-shirt for this, the employer will be at a loss. Specialists should dress casually: jeans, shirts, jumpers. Middle managers should already be in business style: a suit, polished shoes and a briefcase. The designer and photographer should not adhere to a business style at all. There is no need to try to stand out from the group and divert attention to yourself. Be like the people around you.

Remember that when going to an interview, you should pay attention not only to your appearance, but also to what you will say there. Set yourself a clear goal and answer to the question why you are applying for this vacant position. Be sure to practice with a friend before this, especially if you are going to a large company.

Often, instead of a regular interview with a manager, companies conduct interviews in a different way. For example, an interview via Skype. Recently, this form has become quite common. Having learned about this, many candidates relax, thinking that it is much easier than coming to the office and communicating in person. But that's not true. This type of interview has exactly the same requirements as a regular interview with an employer. Questions are also no different from a personal conversation.

Another form is a group interview. It is divided into two types: a group of candidates and a group of interviewers.
If the interview is conducted in a group of candidates, then try to notice everything that happens, but do not be distracted from your own tactics. There is no need to try to surpass everyone and jump over your head. All of the above principles also apply to such interviews.

When you come to an interview, it’s worth remembering that you didn’t come to ask. You are a professional and have come to find out whether the proposed conditions are suitable for you or not. In other words, you have been made a business offer and it is up to you to accept it or not.

List of common mistakes

To summarize all of the above, we can highlight several common mistakes that candidates for a vacant position make:

Thus, when you come to an interview, you need to behave calmly and confidently. Be sure to think about your words and behavior. There is no need to hide your excitement; if you are very worried, then say so directly. You don't need to speak too fast or too slow, you need to find a middle ground and stick to it in everything. Gestures should also be used sparingly.

When telling about yourself, try to focus only on what will be of interest to the employer and what concerns the vacant position. Try not to lie.

Are the other points on your resume as close to the truth as this one?
- There is as much truth in them as you like. If the summary suits you, it is truthful. Otherwise I'll rewrite it.
Julian Barnes. "England, England"

Conclusion

Remember that an interview is an opportunity to present yourself. Everything is important here - from words to appearance. The employer does not know what kind of person you are in life, it all depends on the first impression.

In the end, I would like to say that if you were rejected at the end of the interview, then you don’t need to be too upset. Look at everything from a positive point of view. If you didn’t succeed with this job, then another one awaits you, even better than this one. Instead, analyze your interview from start to finish: what you did and how you did it, what you did right and what you did wrong, etc. This will help you in future interviews.

The question of how to pass an interview worries all people looking for a job. Let's try to figure it out. What tips should you take into account? We bring to your attention 7 secrets for a successful interview.

Secret No. 1. Monitoring the situation

When you are looking for a job, you expect a call with an invitation to an interview like manna from heaven. We prepare ourselves in every possible way for this event: we turn on the ringer sound on the phone at full volume, warm up our voice and free up time for waiting, because it is important to position ourselves correctly even during the first telephone interview. Having the right mindset is undoubtedly very important, but you also need to decide on a plan of action. Collect as much information as possible about the company for which you are applying. What main ideas does she preach? What message does it convey to society? To get acquainted with this, just go to the official website of the company. Well, having collected all the necessary information, you will know what to talk about first at the interview.

Secret No. 2. Preliminary preparation of answers to basic questions

Regardless of what job you are applying for, there are common “classic” interview questions that will be asked 98% of the time. It is by the answers to them that the employer will judge how suitable you are for the job and how ready you are for it. And when it comes to how to successfully pass a job interview, you should separately discuss each of the predictable interview points to keep anxiety to a minimum.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

This question usually comes right after the obligatory greetings and introductions. It is important to understand that the time you answer the question will be spent by the interviewer collecting his thoughts and making his first (most important) impression of you. Briefly summarize the contents of your resume, focusing on the key points (those that meet the employer’s requirements). Your monologue should last an average of 2 minutes and include only work-related information. But the main thing is to stay positive, speak in a confident voice and establish strong eye contact with the interlocutor during the story.

1. What are your greatest strengths? What about the weakest?

At the first stage of acquaintance, the employer is not at all interested in knowing everything about you, so it would be correct to tell only about those advantages that intersect with your field of activity. If this is trade, mention communication skills, working with finances requires responsibility and attentiveness, and in the teaching field, the main thing is love for children. And even in shortcomings, try to praise yourself by mentioning perfectionism or scrupulousness. You should not talk about things that contradict the desired position, even present them in a good light. So, if you are applying for a leadership position, revealing a soft, compliant personality will be unnecessary.

1. Why do you want to work in our company?

This is where the information you collected about the company comes in handy. Mention prestige, reliability, adherence to modern trends, as well as what company representatives boast about on the official website.

1. What made you leave your previous job?

Speak kindly about your previous place of work. Say that you have gained a lot of irreplaceable experience that will stay with you for life, but you feel that you have outgrown the position. Or if you decide to change your field of activity, you can say that you see your new job as your life’s work.

1. What achievements do you consider to be your most significant?

Naturally, we are talking about professional achievements, and even if you have four wonderful children, you can only mention this in passing. Talk about projects you have successfully completed or ideas that have been successful.

Secret No. 3. Ideal image

We are, of course, talking about your appearance. Unless you are applying for a creative position where creativity is a key requirement, you should appear as neat as possible during the interview. A neatly collected hairstyle, light, natural makeup (for women) and a classic, discreet manicure will become your main assistants in creating the image of a reliable business person. What clothes should you wear to an interview? The advice of stylists in this case is clear: a well-chosen outfit for an interview should consist of clothes that you can wear to work.

In most cases, a set consisting of a plain blouse, pencil skirt and pumps is perfect for women; jewelry should be used very sparingly. A man can be sure that it will be appropriate to look at an interview in a suit of modern cut with a plain shirt of not too bright colors and classic men's shoes. After all, when hiring, the interviewer will take into account your appearance on the same level as your professional merits.

Secret No. 4. A pleasant first impression

A successful interview begins from the moment you cross the threshold of the office. Be sure to say hello to the employees in the room, clearly introduce yourself and correctly explain the reason for your visit. At the same time, try to smile and look as welcoming and friendly as possible, because often the interviewer consults with office staff before making a final decision, and they can put in a good word for you.

It is also important to create the impression of a punctual person. When preparing for an interview, try to plan your route as carefully as possible to get to the desired location in advance. After all, according to statistics, over 90% of people who are late for an interview are denied a job.

Secret No. 5. Nonverbal openness

Positioning yourself correctly is one of your main tasks in an interview. It is known that a person perceives 80% of information subconsciously, through non-verbal (visual) signals. Try to ensure that your posture and gestures express maximum openness, friendliness and confidence. Here are some great examples of good nonverbal behavior:

1. Hands hanging freely along the body, or lying on the knees.
2. The knees, torso and head are directed towards the interlocutor.
3. Showing your interlocutor your open palms.
4. Direct and open gaze into the eyes, but not too intently.
5. A smile present on the face throughout most of the interview.
6. Correct beautiful posture.
7. Moderate gestures and facial expressions.
8. Nodding during the interviewer's speech as a sign that you understand what the interlocutor is saying and that you are listening to him.

Secret #6: Demonstrating Professional Competence

To pass an interview successfully, you need to show how competent you are in your field. Part of this will help to do this by presenting your work experience and a short story about your career achievements. It is also possible that during the interview you will be asked to take special tests or fill out questionnaires to determine your qualifications.

There is even a practice of creating presentations when applying for a job, in which you can talk about your ideas for further promotion of the company, which can well demonstrate the professional suitability of the employee. However, the person conducting the interview may try to determine your level of competence using the usual interview method. In this case, try to unobtrusively expand a few questions about work processes prepared for you by the interviewer into a whole small conversation, because this moment should be your finest hour.

Secret No. 7. Pertinent questions to ask the employer

Questions about lunch breaks, vacation time, advances, and the ability to take unscheduled time off to attend family events should be deferred until you have established yourself as a competent employee. Passing an interview requires the future employee to show how committed he is to successful mutually beneficial cooperation. Of course, you can ask all the questions that arise during the interview process, but the main emphasis should be on the possibility of career growth (this will show your ambition and seriousness of aspirations), as well as an explanation of your immediate responsibilities.

You've been looking for a job for a long time, and now you've received the long-awaited phone call. You are invited to an interview. In addition to joy, there is a feeling of anxiety and fear. How to please an employer? How should you behave and what should you say? We suggest looking at an example of interview questions and answers.

Standard interview questions

In order for the interview to go in your favor, you need to properly prepare for it. Let's start with the fact that you should be prepared for the questions asked. Let's list the most popular:

What can you tell us about yourself?

Here you need to talk about your successes and achievements. Pay attention to your education and professional skills. Emphasize that you are very interested in this particular field of activity that this company is engaged in. There is no need to “pour water”; the answer must be clear and last about three minutes.

For what reason did you leave your previous job?

It is necessary to prepare a correctly formulated answer to this question. Under no circumstances should you say that the former management is to blame for your dismissal. This way you will demonstrate your weaknesses. There may be the following answer options: inconvenient location for you, frequent changes of manager, inconvenient work schedule, lack of professional growth, and so on.

What exactly aroused your interest in our company?

Here you can use the answers from the previous question, that is, say that in this company you can solve the problems that you had at your previous workplace. Or you can name some other reasons that prompted you to do this.

What were your responsibilities at your previous job?

When answering this question, you need to be clear about what tasks you have performed previously. You can also supplement the story with your participation in any projects, achievements and awards you received.

What can you tell us about your weaknesses and strengths?

Try to name the positive qualities that an employee needs in the position you want to get. Don't forget to mention your hard work, punctuality and responsibility.

Find out what interview techniques exist:

What salary would you like to have for this position?

When answering this question, we recommend that you name an amount slightly higher than the average salary. If you mention a low salary, the employer may get the impression that you have low self-esteem or are a bad worker. Well, if you call, on the contrary, high wages, then you can give the impression of a very ambitious and proud person.

What information do you have about our company?

The answer to this question requires good preliminary preparation. Before joining a company, find out as much information as possible about it: what it does, what products it produces, how long it has been in business, who runs it, etc.

Who will you be in 5-10 years?

Here you need to show that you are focused on fruitful work in the company and in 5 or 10 years you see yourself in a higher position, significantly climbing the career ladder.

By what criteria do you choose a job? Name 5 main ones.

The answer should be short and comprehensive: career growth, decent wages, a good cohesive team, convenient work hours, office location, opportunity to improve qualifications, and so on.

Do you have any questions for us?

Be sure to ask at least a couple of questions. It is important! After all, if the applicant has no questions for the future employer, then perhaps he is simply not that interested in this job. Here you can ask about job responsibilities, probationary period, social package, career growth, etc.

Non-standard interview questions: sample questions

Find out how to prepare for and pass a stressful interview:

Some employers, wanting to immediately see the reaction of a possible future employee to unexpected situations, ask tricky questions during the interview that the applicant does not expect to hear. They simply drive many candidates into a corner. What non-standard questions can you hear at an interview? Let's list some of them:

• What thoughts do you have about your future boss?
• What will you pay more attention to: family or work?
• What character traits should a good leader have?
• Are you a conflicted person?
• Have you been criticized at your previous job?
• What is an ideal company?
• Why should you work in our company?
• What's the first thing you'll do when you start a new workplace?
• Do you plan your work day?
• In connection with what, in one organization they engage in theft, but in another they do not?
• How would you spend a million you won in the lottery?
• Last book you read?

So how to properly respond to such questions? The main thing is not to be confused and scared. Always remember to take a creative approach to any issue and don’t forget to have a sense of humor, but don’t get carried away! Be prudent and collected, do not indulge in demagoguery. Answers must be brief, adequate and comprehensive.

How to behave confidently?

What should you not say at an interview?

The most important mistake a candidate makes during an interview is rash answers to the questions posed. Sometimes a candidate simply exaggerates his capabilities too much or outright lies. Let's look at the main mistakes applicants make during an interview:

• the candidate talks too much. You shouldn't do this. You need to answer briefly and to the point;
• in no case should you boast of any connections with famous and influential people;
• You cannot ask during an interview about what the company does. You must be aware of her affairs;
• You shouldn’t put forward a list of your demands; they choose you here, not you;
• You can't criticize your former boss. You will make yourself look like a complainer and a sneak.

What personal qualities need to be shown at an interview?

We provide you with a list of those qualities of an employee that should be shown to a future employer and, if possible, talked about:

• initiative;
• punctuality;
• stress resistance;
• goodwill;
• persistence;
• responsibility;
• accuracy.

Factors that negatively affect the impression of an employee

The employer will not appreciate the following points during the interview:

• poor, careless appearance of the applicant;
• outright lies;
• the smell of alcohol or cigarettes;
• the applicant's mobile phone ringing during the interview;
• excessive silence;
• arrogance;
• criticism of former superiors.

When conducting a dialogue with an employer during an interview, you should not delve into your personal life. It shouldn't have anything to do with work. Keep all detailed details to yourself. Answer strictly to the point. And remember that you must always remain yourself and give only truthful information.

By preparing in advance for the interview and thinking through all the answers and counter-questions, as well as your behavior when talking with the manager, you will significantly increase your chances of getting the desired position.

Video - “What questions do we ask at an interview?”

Greetings, dear readers. I’ll say right away that this is not an ordinary article about how to find a job and pass interviews, of which there are plenty on the Internet; a little later I’ll tell you what the originality is. Here I will talk not only about how to successfully pass a job interview, but I’ll also explain how not to sell yourself short and achieve the maximum salary for yourself. In this series of articles, I will touch on how to prepare for an interview, how to correctly answer the most tricky questions of HR employees and. I will also explain how to be and not feel nervous during an interview.

This will be a whole series of Anti-HR materials devoted to this issue. So far, two articles are ready, these are “Anti-HR: How to successfully pass a job interview” (this article itself) and “Anti-HR: how to answer questions at an interview”, later in this article I will give a link to it, since I recommend reading it order and start with this text.

What does it mean to be effective in an interview?

To pass an interview effectively, in my understanding, means not only to receive a job offer from the company where you came to apply. This also applies to choosing the right organization and position in which you plan to work, having previously assessed your desires and capabilities. This means get a job on the most favorable terms for yourself: salary, bonuses, social package and prospects. Work is an important part of our lives; employment largely determines our future and present. I will tell you how to do it in order to achieve the most useful effect in your job search and not make mistakes. I hope that the advice in this article will not only help you pass an interview and find a job you like, but, as a result, improve your life.

After all, this is a blog about self-development, not about work, so I try to consider the issue broadly, within the context of your entire life, and not limit yourself to a dry list of hackneyed advice to job seekers. I approach this critically; in some places I can allow myself more bold judgments than the format of articles about getting a job requires.

Why are these articles called Anti-HR?

But this is not the only reason why this material is unusual. The series of articles is called Anti-HR. Because these texts are not written on behalf of a professional personnel service worker who, when creating recommendations for applicants, proceeds from his own interests, and they, in turn, express the goals of the organization he represents. Therefore, I consider such recommendations not entirely honest.

HR will tell you to behave the way he wants you to behave. For example, they were honest and sincere. He does not want to be led by the nose; he wants to reserve the right to cunning and trickery only for himself. Therefore, in all these guides they advise never to lie, for the reason that a lie will supposedly always be revealed. This is complete nonsense, firstly, the HR employee does not have a lie detector built into his head, and secondly, not all information can be verified. Meanwhile, without exaggerating your merits and hiding some facts, it is sometimes difficult to achieve the desired job. I will talk about this a lot more in these articles.

I am telling the story from the perspective of a job seeker, one who is looking for a job himself and is not hiring new employees. And I will tell you how to achieve the best result for yourself, and not come to a miserable compromise, the balance of which will be shifted towards the interests of the corporation!

In search of the most suitable job, I went through a lot of interviews, probably about fifty. At first I was plagued by failures because I was unsure of myself and had difficulty knowing what to say and how to position myself. But then, as I gained experience and knowledge, the presentation of myself began to bounce off my teeth and I began to receive job offers, among which I could already choose. In the end, I managed to find the job I was looking for. This article is the sum of my own experience in interviews and knowledge obtained from books on personnel selection and information provided by HR themselves.

If you want to know what to say in an interview, it is best to read textbooks for HR themselves. From them you will learn a lot of information about the tactics of conducting interviews with the applicant, that is, with you. You will find out by what signs a company representative determines your motivation, whether you are lying or telling the truth. But since I read these textbooks, you don’t have to do this; I will present the main provisions from them here and comment on them.

The material of the articles cannot be called brief, but it is still much less than all the textbooks on the relevant topic. I lost a lot of time on all these interviews, made a lot of mistakes and stepped on a lot of rake. Only experience, trial and error, allowed me to draw the right conclusions about how to successfully pass a job interview, which I actually did, but it cost me hundreds of hours of my time. So it’s better for you to spend some part of your leisure time reading this article than to fill in the same bumps. I assure you that this time will more than pay off, in the literal sense: it will pay off financially as well.

How to properly prepare yourself for an interview

So let's get started. Before giving advice on passing an interview, first I want to get you in the right frame of mind. Without this it will be more difficult and in this case I cannot guarantee the quality of the result. This is what I want you to understand.

First: An interview is a negotiation, not an exam!

Think of the interview as a negotiation to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. No matter what pathos is instilled by the company’s employees who communicate with you, calling the interview a “competition”, in an attempt to impose on you the idea of ​​this event as a tough selection among many talented applicants, each of whom is only eager to take this position. This is done so that you are more willing to make concessions if you receive a job offer (for example, you agree to a lower salary, because you are afraid that they will take someone else instead of you) and rejoice at the mere fact of receiving this position, as if passing a difficult exam in the conditions strong competition.

Understand finding a good employee is very difficult, no matter what they tell you about competitions. For that matter, the interview is not only about checking the company for you, you are also looking closely and checking a company that is very interested in smart specialists, and if you are not satisfied with something, then this company does not pass your “competition”. This is a search for mutually beneficial conditions, remember this and set yourself up accordingly.

You don't have to agree to everything if you don't need to. Know your worth and don't lose your dignity. The company will still have to prove that it is worthy of an employee like you.

Of course, this pathos is not created everywhere; this is mainly the fault of large international companies that are trying to play on their name, and it is not a fact that working conditions and prospects there are better than elsewhere. This is also typical for various scams. So if you come somewhere, and they constantly tell you about the “selection”, that you are one of ten applicants who were selected out of a hundred, know this is a standard trick of all sorts of scammers. Don’t be fooled, after these words get up and get out of there, you can even slam the door.

Second: Everyone deserves a good salary

You deserve a good, reasonable salary that suits your needs and current realities. Life now is not the easiest: providing yourself and your family with everything you need is not an easy task. In Russian families, both men and women often have to work in order to feed all family members. Food prices are not the lowest, and I’m not even talking about the opportunity to purchase real estate, especially in the capital. You deserve a good salary so as not to live in poverty and not drown in loans. I'm not talking about all sorts of excesses, but about normal, reasonable consumption of material goods.

If you take a full-time job, you will not have the opportunity to work a second job, so the level of compensation should cover your basic living needs! Keep this in mind and ask for more if possible. Don’t be shy about this, corporations with large profits will not lose money if they increase your salary, but for you the extra capital will become a tangible addition to your budget.

But know that from the very fact that you deserve the best, it does not at all follow that the potential employer shares this belief (organizations do not care about your problems and no one will pay you much just because you need it). You are paid for what kind of employee you are or how you show yourself. You will also have to prove that you are worthy of a certain salary. You shouldn't come to an interview with your nose in the air and act as if everyone owes you something. (but also don’t shyly lower your nose, keep it straight))

You need to understand that when you go for an interview, you accept certain rules of the game. You should not deviate from these rules: it is better to subtly and delicately conduct your chess game, setting traps for your opponent, than to simply thoughtlessly scatter pieces around the board, ignoring the laws of the game.

So now I can finally move on to tactics for effectively acing a job opening interview.

Preparing for an interview and writing a resume

Every interview starts with a resume. I will write a separate article about how to compose it; you can subscribe to my newsletter immediately below the article and receive a notification that such an article has appeared. I will touch on this only briefly here. Set your expected salary to be about one and a half times higher than your last one - you won’t go wrong, since there is a wide variation in the amount of compensation on the market for the same positions. Different companies pay differently. You will lower it only when you realize that no one will give that kind of money and this is a complete hopelessness.

Also, wait for an article on how to prepare for an interview, it will also appear soon, I promise not to delay its publication.

How much can I receive maximum?

We definitely increase the salary at previous places of work (again by one and a half times), this will help us achieve a higher level of compensation in the new place. In the job application guides that I found on the Internet, they advise not to do this under any circumstances, since everyone can check this. This is nonsense, they won’t check anything, if you do everything correctly, in an article that I promise to publish soon (it will be called: how to achieve the highest possible salary at an interview), I will write how everything can be done carefully and why, stay tuned or subscribe .

Interview Questions

In this article I will try to provide general tips on how to successfully pass an interview. If you want to know, then click on the link.

We keep our hands on the table in front of us, we shouldn’t fiddle with anything in them, we shouldn’t prop our face up with our hands. Watch your posture. The back is straight, the jaw line is parallel to the table. This is not just to project dignity and confidence. When you constantly pay attention to how you sit, how you speak, it increases your alertness, you begin to feel like a driver feels when he drives a car well. This increases the degree of self-control; you don’t have to expect unpleasant surprises from yourself. As a result, your self-confidence increases and you are calmer.

Tip 2. Don't be nervous! Or at least pretend to be calm

If we start to get nervous, we try to stabilize our breathing, take deep breaths and exhales. If we can’t cope with nervousness, use my tips from the article. It helps very well before an interview, it will make you calm and calm like a boa constrictor.

At the very least, under no circumstances should we show the company representative that we are under stress. Your concern may indicate to HR that we are mentally unstable, which may be incompatible with our future work. Therefore, even if we are very nervous, we try not to show it, we pretend to be completely calm. And the calmer we want to seem, the more we calm down, this works feedback principle: our pretended state becomes real, this is a fact.

We speak clearly and confidently. Look into the eyes. No, of course it won’t be good if you stare at HR as if you are trying to hypnotize him, look away sometimes. But you don't need to keep them down all the time. I think this is the most obvious.

This is the most important point and success factor for the interview. There is no need to turn this process into an interrogation! Let this be a live dialogue. Try to brighten the atmosphere with jokes, witty remarks, and response questions. HR conducts interviews every day, do you think he’s not tired of them? He will be glad to have at least some dilution of the everyday routine with a dose of humor and communication. But here, of course, stick to the boundaries of what is reasonable, I think this is obvious.

It is especially important to create a dialogue in a conversation with a future manager (after all, this is not as necessary with HR itself as it is necessary with your potential manager), he must like you. Here you should not be particularly brief and concise in your presentation: give real life examples, talk about situations at work, talk about how they teach your specialty in institutes (if you recently graduated from it), this will be interesting to people of the old school. Smile and laugh at jokes. But everything should be organically woven into your presentation, it should not be said without a reason, and you should always observe moderation. I hope this is clear and is at the discretion of everyone.

I repeat once again that this is very important and I began to pass interviews without difficulty only after I began to adhere to this rule! Only then did I begin to have a choice of several offers from different companies, rather than having to settle for the only thing they offered.

This advice should not be taken literally. It refers to the fact that it can be difficult to make a decision quickly on the fly. For example, you are happy with everything, but HR says that the office will move to the other side of the city in half a year and is interested in whether this will suit you or not. Without thinking (after a theatrical pause), say, “yes, this is normal for me” (even if it is really far from you).

We immediately agree with everything, which requires deliberation, you are not obligated to talk now about your final decision. And then, in a calm atmosphere, you’ll think about everything. It may turn out that you did not take into account the lack of traffic jams on this route and that the journey, in fact, will not take much time, and you will understand that this is not a critical factor. Or maybe just stick with your original decision.

But it’s better if they offer you a job, and then you’ll think about accepting this offer or not, than if HR immediately puts an end to you because you don’t agree with some conditions during the interview. This gives you greater freedom of choice. So feel free to agree with everything, then think about it.

Remember the phrase from American films about cops? "Anything you say will be used against you." Also during an interview, almost every HR question is an attempt to find out as much as possible about you and understand your hidden motives. Try to look at yourself from the outside, to understand what image you create with your behavior and manner of dialogue. Be sociable, but don’t say too much, say only what you want to hear from you. This is not a reason to withdraw into yourself and remain silent, this is an action aimed at enclosing your interview within a certain framework, without which it will be who knows what. But still have a dialogue, you don’t need to answer only in a dry and formal manner, just watch the presentation and what you say.

You may have to hide something else during the interview, and openly distort some information. I don’t see anything wrong with this and I think that you have every moral right to do this. In the article I tried to consider this issue in great detail.

Why don't they call us back after the interview?

And finally. Don’t be upset if they don’t call you back or they refuse, citing some vague reasons why you weren’t approached! It may not be your fault and it may not mean that you weren't a good fit or performed poorly during the interview! There may be something else here, I’ll share my guess. This conclusion is in the nature of an assumption, albeit quite logical and justified, but I do not have accurate information that it is 100% correct. But still, I will express it, because I think it makes sense.

Why don’t they call us back (although, it would seem, we are a perfect fit and don’t require much). First, imagine how HR works. A vacancy opens in some department. A list of responsibilities and requirements is formed, and on their basis a so-called “vacancy profile” is formed (here I may not be precise in terms, but I think I can convey the general principle). It reflects the features of this position and lists the qualities that a person who, in the company’s opinion, would be ideal for this vacancy should have. “There are no bad applicants, but only people unsuitable for a certain position” - that’s what HR people say and it’s true. For example, if they hire a sales manager, they want to see in him a focus on results (sales = result), rather than on the process, while, for example, an accountant is expected to be attracted to the process itself, less than result. This should all be reflected in the vacancy profile.

After the profile is ready, all that remains is to start searching for applicants and interviewing them, which is what HR people do. After communicating with each applicant, they leave their notes and look at how well this or that interview participant matches the job profile. Thus, they compare and evaluate applicants. That is, their job is not only to interview you, but also to profile and evaluate you.

What happens when HR is young and inexperienced and needs to be trained? Or what should they do during the period when the company is not looking for employees to fill vacant positions? Now do you understand what I'm getting at? A non-existent vacancy is being created! A vacancy for which no one will ever be hired anyway! It is created only to train inexperienced HR people or to take over the existing staff of the HR department. Let them practice creating a profile and evaluating different employees in “field” conditions and not in theory! He will look at different candidates, evaluate them and present the results to his superiors, so a decision can be made to end the probationary period of this employee without any risks for the organization! This doesn’t cost the company anything, it’s just your time being wasted!

In my opinion, there are quite a few such fictitious vacancies on the market. Although I have not checked this and admit that everything may not be as I imagine, but, nevertheless, it seems very probable to me. So don’t be upset if you receive yet another job refusal; maybe you were just someone’s subject for personnel training! But nevertheless, you should not count on this too much, if you are not offered anything after many interviews, it is better to think about changing your tactics and presentation than to blame the HR conspiracy!

Conclusion. Don't be afraid of anything!

There is no need to be afraid or feel insecure. Ordinary people are talking to you, despite the fact that they have put on jackets and are trying with all their might to assume importance. Behind this form lies a person, with his own weaknesses and desires. There is no need to be timid and withdraw into yourself. Be more open where the situation requires it, but don’t say too much! Most often, not the most intelligent HR workers will talk to you, who ask their questions only to ask at least something.

Or you will immediately talk with your future manager, who does not understand anything about the intricacies of conducting interviews, and therefore many of my tips here will seem unnecessary. But I am trying to put you in a state of full combat readiness and prepare you for a meeting with the most powerful, cunning and insightful enemy. And there are certainly such people among HR people.

So I wish you good luck in your job search and interviews!

Let us remind you that the main goal of our resource is to teach you how to quickly and effortlessly find an interesting and well-paid job.

In the previous article “” we examined in detail all the features and rules for drawing up this document.

How to pass an interview successfully

When applying for a job, every person experiences a certain amount of stress, regardless of how many interviews they have already had in their life, one or dozens.

The potential assessment of one's own skills, abilities, what can I say, and appearance by other people turns out to be an extremely stressful situation.

Nevertheless, there are quite simple rules that will help you cope with the interview and get the desired position.

Applicants who have information about a potential employer have an advantage

The first thing you need to do after receiving an invitation is to carefully study the information about the company as a whole and about the department in which the vacancy is open.

It is necessary to study all possible sources - the official website, reviews of the company’s work, probably articles that mention the name of the company (you will find a lot of information on the Internet about large organizations like Sberbank, Leroy Merlin or MTS, but with regards to small companies, you will have to work a little)

This is how a picture is formed, in which there should be a clear vision of what the company does and what reputation it has.

And, most importantly, you need to answer the question, do you see yourself taking this position, what will you do, what knowledge and skills will help you perform your duties, what unique skills are you endowed with to do it better than others.

During first-level interviews (with the HR department), they are very fond of asking “Why did you choose our company?”

The answer should be prepared in advance; if you include a couple of bright, but not hackneyed facts about the company, you can definitely get a good plus.

Be sure to study your own resume in advance

With a 99.9% probability, the first question that will be asked is tell us about yourself. And this is your finest hour.

Inexorable statistics say that the impression of the applicant is formed in the first 3 minutes.

If you managed to use them, maximizing the interest of the interviewer, then we can say that your fate is decided, then he will unconsciously either help with his statements, or, conversely, drown you.

Therefore, before the interview, you need to take your own resume and carefully study it.

Next, you need to draw up a plan in which you enter data about the place of work and the functionality performed, placing special emphasis on successes and achievements. Ideally, for each place of work, write down the following points: completed, organized, designed. It is better to avoid the banal: worked, participated.

Naturally, the employer is interested in your professional experience; any interesting life facts not related to work should not be included in the story about yourself.

Based on the plan, tell about yourself in front of the mirror or practice in front of your family. The story should be clear, concise, informative, but not drawn out.

Ideally, 2-3 minutes of structured monologue. A story about yourself should be “tasty”; the goal of the story is to interest the interlocutor and present yourself favorably.

You should finish the story about yourself with information about the reasons for looking for a new job.

Interview questions and answers

be prepared and success will definitely come

It is also worth preparing in advance typical answers that you will probably have to use during a dialogue with the employer:

1. Reasons for leaving your last job?

No matter how the situation develops in last place, in no case should you voice the negative (bad relationships with colleagues, low wages, boss is a tyrant). Such reasons provoke people to think of you as a narrow-minded person.

A more acceptable answer would be information about the thirst for development, the search for new horizons, the desire to try oneself in a new role.

2. Strengths and weaknesses

Oddly enough, you can often hear unintelligible muttering in response to this.

You should be careful with your strong qualities; not all of them can be useful in a potential position; choose 2-3 that can uniquely set you apart from other applicants.

Denying the presence of weaknesses is also a wrong move. You should think in advance about how you can advantageously present your shortcomings; to do this, it is recommended to turn them into advantages. For example, unsociability is not a disadvantage for an accountant or analyst, just as for a manager the willingness to take on several tasks at a time.

In addition, the employer is not looking for specific shortcomings; by doing this, he is trying to determine your self-esteem and readiness for self-criticism.

3. Why should we hire you?

When answering such questions, it is important to focus the answer on skills and abilities that other applicants do not have, as well as on the willingness to develop, introduce innovations into work, and interact with colleagues.

4. Where will you be in 3/5/10 years?

Again, the employer is not waiting for the exact title of the position (although it can be named if you know what you are talking about), but wants to see the direction of development and the person’s ability to plan and set long-term goals.

You should also be prepared for uncomfortable, or as they are called, stressful questions. Their goal is to see a person’s live reaction. Pain points can be used as a “push”, for example, flaws in appearance (“If you know that you look fuller in trousers, why did you wear them to the interview?”). You should react to such attacks calmly and preferably with humor.

Also, if you apply for a “selling” position, you may be asked to “sell a pen” - this is a typical test used by HR personnel to assess the selling ability of a future employee.

According to statistics, HR officers value significantly more those candidates who show interest during interviews.

Think in advance about what you want to know from a potential employer. Do not hesitate to ask about salaries, fines, bonuses, benefits and relationships in the team. Be sure to ask your manager what skills and personal qualities are important to fill the position.

Remember that you also evaluate the conditions offered to you and have the right to fully satisfy your curiosity.

Applicants who do not ask anything at all are considered lacking initiative.

How to dress

Don’t forget that “you meet people by their clothes”"

Before the interview, it is advisable to think about your appearance - wardrobe, makeup, hairstyle.

All of these elements are directly related to the position you are applying for. If the vacancy involves working with clients, then we definitely choose a classic style, a minimal set of accessories, pleasant and neat makeup, and low heels.

For places that are closed from client eyes, there is often no dress code, but it is advisable to clarify this information in advance. The lack of formal style does not imply wrinkled clothes or unwashed hair.

Bright jewelry, rings, and piercings will be unnecessary.

You will never have the opportunity to make a first impression again.

How to behave

Strictly follow the rules of conduct

On the day of the interview, you need to arrive at the place of your future work in advance. Remember that a late applicant receives a fat minus even before the meeting.

1. Take a printed resume with you to make it easier for you to talk about yourself, and a pen to take notes.
2. Try to relax. Remember that not only you are being evaluated, but also you and the company. No one obliges you to work under unacceptable conditions, be confident in your words.
3. Smile. Let the conversation take the form of a friendly conversation, the topic of which is you and your professional activities.
4. Avoid closed poses and do not cross your arms or legs. It’s good when the body is slightly tilted towards the interlocutor, the palms are open, looking up. Look into the person's eyes; if there are two interviewers, then move your gaze from one to the other, but not too often; you should not wander your eyes over the ceiling or table.
5. Answer to the point, without fluff or beating around the bush. If you can’t find the answer right away, take a couple of seconds to formulate a competent and structured answer.

And most importantly, be in a good mood and your dream job will be yours! If you are invited to a meeting, it means the company is interested in your abilities.

Your main task is to impress and convince the employer that you are the most suitable candidate for the vacant position.

If you are applying for a leadership position?

In principle, all requirements remain the same. But if you are applying for a leadership position, then you should show a harmonious combination of politeness and tact, as well as show the firmness and determination of a leader - after all, these are the qualities that are primarily important for a future boss.

A typical interview consists of several steps. First, the potential employer studies, most likely will contact you by phone, ask general questions in areas of interest.

If after the first meeting your candidacy made a positive impression, then you will be invited to an in-person interview with a specialist who conducts professional testing.

Be sure to watch Maria Kravchuk’s video, in which she talks in simple and accessible language about going through a job interview

Its task is to determine the level of your qualifications and assess your compliance with the requirements.

After this, you will have a conversation with the head of the company or HR department. If everything goes well, then discussions will follow regarding the availability and conditions, form and level of payment, social package, etc.

It is worth remembering that during the interview you also have the right to clarify points of interest, because this is, in fact, a dialogue between the employer and the future employee.

This is the best time to find out in detail the points that interest you: career prospects, workplace arrangement, etc.

Also, showing interest will have a positive impact on the employer's assessment of you.

Interviews are usually conducted by experienced HR professionals, so your best advice is to be authentic and be yourself.

By Skype

If you have a conversation via Skype, there are some things to consider:

• ensure silence: remove pets and children in advance, turn off the sound on the phone and the intercom - nothing should distract you
• choose a suitable background: plain light wallpaper is better. It is unlikely that you will make an impression when applying for a job at a serious bank if you conduct a conversation against the backdrop of a Marilyn Manson poster.
• Dress appropriately
• Adjust the camera position

With security service

One of the stages of employment may be an interview with a security specialist or even a polygraph test (for example, if you are joining the internal affairs bodies). Here it is important to cope with stress - be calm, consistent and honest - after all, basically all SB officers are former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who have retired, and they understand very well when they are trying to deceive them.

What to do if you have to take an interview in English?

Actually, this is a separate topic! If you know the language perfectly, then there should be no problems with this, but if you are not confident in yourself, then we offer several recommendations for passing an interview in English (for example, when applying for a job in the USA):

1. Take the list of questions from this article in Russian and translate them
2. Analyze different options for their wording and write them down in order
3. Enter them into Google Translate and click on the microphone icon, so you can listen to them with good pronunciation and get used to these phrases
4. It is also worth pre-composing example answers and memorizing them.
5. When speaking, pronounce everything naturally so that it does not sound like you are reciting a poem.

Main reasons for refusal

The main reasons for refusal include:

1. Inappropriate (vulgar, sloppy) appearance.
2. Trying to demonstrate your superiority in everything
3. Poor diction
4. Lack of plans, goals, uncertainty.
5. A large number of requirements and conditions
6. Failure to comply with business etiquette
7. Showing apathy, disinterest, lack of enthusiasm
8. Stealth, aggressiveness.

I hope we were able to clearly talk about how to successfully pass a job interview and what you should never do. In the next article we will talk about the next steps - writing and passing in a new place.