Ariana
Tips for candidates new to the interviewing process
What are some tips or pointers for people who are looking for their first jobs(s).
How do I stand out while having no experience or professional qualifications?
#interviews #interview #interviewing-skills #professionalism #new-hires #
27 answers
Lucie dC
Lucie’s Answer
First of all dress for the job you want, without a tuxedo, dress the part.
Second, in my opinion what everyone looks into a good candidate/good interview is someone who is concise, doesn't lose his train of thoughts, to the point, good story teller, etc.
To stand out, despite the many answers you already got, I would say:
#1 Match job posting and resume
Highlight the different part of the job posting and match it to your resume. Use maybe a few different highlighters to really distinguish the different skillset required. This will be make it easier for you to speak about what has not been highlighted (because it will come up!)
#2 Look out for the obvious
Look for the obvious questions you will be asked: Experience, gap in resume, etc. Be prepared to respond to these questions with a well prepared answer. It might be a way for you to shine.
#3 Work on story telling
A good story needs to be down to the point and follow a path of development. Don't get lost into rabbit holes and other tangent, look into the narrative and make sure it is one where you stand out.
#4 Prepare and Practice make Perfect
There will be obvious questions about your resume, also, there will be the questions we are all expecting: Tell me about yourself, what are some of your qualities, what do you like about our company, why do you want to work here, etc.?
It will vary per the role and industry but all the questions you will have will be in some sort of the same flavor from one interview to the next.
Then rehearse, under the shower, in front of the mirror, with friends, family, etc. The more you repeat your stories the more they will come naturally and when a question you have not prepared for arise you should be more relaxed to answer.
Hope this helps,
Cheers
Tom Thomas
Tom’s Answer
Go into the interview with the right mindset: Be yourself, be genuine. Don’t worry, don’t overthink it. Being nervous is NORMAL. Know that the person conducting the interview may be just as nervous as YOU are. Know a little bit about the company (google them!). Tell them that your lack of experience is a GOOD thing; you’ll have no bad habits to break during training. Ask what happened to the person who did the job previously (why is there a job opening?). If you think that you ‘click’ with the job and the interviewer, and are interested in the job, be sure to ASK for the job. Tell them (joke) that you’ll be happy to call and CANCEL all of the remaining interviews!
John Bleakney, PMP
John’s Answer
Hi, Ariana,
Be positive and confident during the interview. Make sure that you can relate your answers directly to the job and/or company. If this is your first job, let the employer know that you are dependable, teachable, and a team player. A great attitude and the soft skills that I mentioned above will go a long way. When I hired employees, these were the skills that I was looking for. Good luck!
Rachel Beam-Jares
Rachel’s Answer
First thing is to be yourself. Most companies make efforts to fill positions with people who are qualified, but also a good fit for the team. By remaining true to yourself you will raise the chance of being hired into a team that is a good fit for you and the hiring company. Second, be prepared. Have a couple of ideas and situational examples of challenges you have overcome and success stories. Good luck!
Kathleen_gladden@fanniemae.com Gladden
Kathleen_gladden@fanniemae.com’s Answer
Be prepared and breathe. Do your research on the company and know your strengths and faults. Be personable and positive
Drew Stokes
Drew’s Answer
Your biggest asset as someone who is new to the job market is your potential for growth. Help the individual you are interviewing with understand who you are, why you are interested in the position, and how you intend to help the business grow and improve. Make sure to ask any questions you might have and don't be afraid to ask for details. As a hiring manager, I'm most interested in seeing that candidates are engaged and motivated.
Steven Breen
Steven’s Answer
Tom Thomas
Tom’s Answer
Martha Mezei
Martha’s Answer
Do your research on the company and their products or services to help ask questions during your interview shows that you did some pre-work and are prepared. Be curious and stay engaged to show your interest in the company. Research glass door for helpful tips. Ask for next steps.
Lucy Lu
Lucy’s Answer
Be confident! They interviewer should know that you don't have much working experience via your CV. So they probably not looking for someone with experience. Don't let this make you unconfident. I would suggest to get familiar with the projects you did in college or at your spare time. Do some research about the company and the role and find out what they are looking for. Prepare for some general interview questions. Maybe find a someone to do a mock interview with you. I found it's very helpful for me.
Amanda Andino
Amanda’s Answer
Rebecca Carney
Rebecca’s Answer
Hi Ariana,
The tips I have for interviewing is to allow plenty of time to prepare. Ensure that you review the job description thoroughly before the interview and come up with specific example of your own experience and how it relates to the job you are interviewing for. Ensure to research the company before hand and have knowledge of what the company does and how you will fit into the company culture. Ensure to practice popular interview questions beforehand to get more comfortable answering questions. Come with several questions already in mind for the interviewer, this will show that you are interested enough in the position to want to know more about the company or the individual that is interviewing you.
Hope this helps :)
Jessica Bennet
Jessica’s Answer
Experience isn’t always everything. I think the best thing to do is research the job you are interviewing for and think of questions to ask the interviewer that will help you better understand if that job is the one for you. This will also show the interviewing your interest and set you apart from other candidates. My other piece of advice would be to practice! Run through practice interview questions with your family or friends and make sure you are comfortable answering a variety of interview questions. There are an array of interview prep tools online as well.
Carole Curtis
Carole’s Answer
Hi Ariana:
Although your resume may get you a job interview, you still must prepare yourself further. It is important to show yourself in a very positive way from other candidates for the same position. A good way to do this is to sit down and write out the good points for why you think you would be good for this job even without experience, or qualifications. Look at some of the thing that you have done before this first job:1. Did you excel in school in math, English or did you get any kind of certification? 2. Did you volunteer in a job or have done something in a class that you normally don't do( for instance teach something to someone?); 3. Are you playing a sport, work on a newspaper for a school or club?; in a political group or another group? Do you hold an office in a club maybe secretary at school or in a group? These questions are important because they can enable you to emphasize your stronger points and leave a positive impression in the interviews mind. All of these question are important for you to think about and because many candidates will have experience in a job and you have to sell yourself with all that you have done and are doing. As you explain these to the interviewer about what you have done, you also have to be able to show them that you are reliable, interested to learn more, especially if they have on job training, and your relate well with the public and enjoy communicating with people and are a team player. Think about your initiatives and accomplishments and if possible offer examples in which you have delivered more than what was expected. Making a list of some of your qualifications you can get an idea how they would help you to know yourself better and be ready to show your best skills. I wish you the best in your interviewing process. Please follow the suggestions made and get the book that was suggested either at library or amazon or book store. I really think it might help you!! Best of Luck!! Please let me know if you need any more information.
Carole recommends the following next steps:
Kathy Iscra
Kathy’s Answer
As far as standing out goes, get feedback on your resume from school resources and professors tied to the industry or industries you are interested in to ensure the resume format is acceptable and that the content included is appropriate. Once an interview is secured, be sure to have your arms around the job description and background on the company so you can come prepared to answer and ask questions.
Adam Heugh
Adam’s Answer
This is an excellent question!
When interviewing for your first job and having no professional experience, it can be very intimidating. However, you can remember that high school and college were like jobs. By attending school you had a lot of responsibility and you were on a schedule.
Make sure you do your research on the company that you are going to interview for. Then, when you are asked specific questions, you can relate them back to the company and the experience that YOU have.
For example, if you are asked how you function in a team, you can possibly reference to the study groups or group assignments that you had while in school. Give examples of how you worked with others or took the lead in a group. This can and will demonstrate how you function in a team.
Remember, everything that you have done has given you some form of experience. While you may not have direct experience in a field that you are applying, you can definitely relate your past experience to what is being asked.
You also want to make sure you come across as someone who will fit in and whom a potential employer would want to invest.
Gary Willard, MBA
Gary’s Answer
If you can find a friend or co-worker of a parent who is a manager, you can see if they would volunteer to do a mock interview with you. It's better to choose someone you're not familiar with so you get some of the nervousness. As others here have noted, doing volunteer work will also give you experiences you can talk about confidently in an interview.
Be prepared for unexpected questions. Some managers like to see how you respond with unexpected questions (thinking on your feet), so they'll ask you to respond to something like "if you could be any animal, what would you be and why?". The one that will always get you will be "why should I choose you over everyone else that I'm interviewing" or it's close cousin, "what do you have that the other candidates don't have that would make me choose you". They're asking you to judge other people and put yourself above them. You just need to be confident and prepared with the top quality that you feel you have and that you are confident about. You don't have to relate that quality to anyone else applying for the job. You can confidently say, "my teachers say I'm the most trustworthy and hardworking student that they've seen".
Mark P
Mark’s Answer
When you are new to the interview process and looking at companies, roles and cultures research will be key. I would encourage you to do research on the industries you may have interest in as well as the roles, their key responsibilities and minimum qualifications. I would also encourage you to build / start a professional profile on LinkedIn.com. You can use LinkedIn to learn about companies and roles you may be interested in today and in the future. Using this site is a great way to start building your network your own professional brand. I would also encourage you to reach out to professionals and set time with them on a call or in person to learn what they do if you are interested in a role they are currently in. Above all have fun with the process and don't be afraid to fail.
Fiona Meow
Fiona’s Answer
Are your grades outstanding?
Describe your key traits. Usually terms like motivated, keen to learn, love challenges, persistent are good to include as characteristics
Alyssa Castellano
Alyssa’s Answer
Hi!
Going into an interview can be intimidating, but if you go in there prepared and confident you will be in a much better mindset. I would say the most important things to keep in mind are: be genuine, be confident, do research on the company AND the position you're applying for, have your elevator speech prepared (a brief explanation of who you are and what you want to do), dress professionally, be polite, and ask questions at the end. As much as you want an employer to think you're right for a job, its equally important that the job is also right for you.
It also doesn't hurt to review standard interview questions and practice with a friend or family member. Here's an example article of a list of typical interview questions for you to look over: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/top-interview-questions-and-answers
Good luck with everything!
Mikal Pedersen
Mikal’s Answer
I have found that in interviews, it is often the little things that can help to set you apart. Aside from being interested in the position, one of the best things that I can recommend is to show interest in the position, the job, or the company that you are interviewing with. Employers want to hire people that are engaging and show an interest or passion in the role that they are filling, so the more you do your homework, the better off you will be. You should have a couple good questions ready to go when the interviewer asks you if you have anything to ask them.
I would also like to add that you should always send a thank you! Even if it is just a courtesy email afterwards, a thank you note goes a long way to keeping you in the interviewer's mind and hopefully setting you apart from other candidates that may be competing for the same opportunity.
Krasti Quach
Krasti’s Answer
Good luck!
Sarah Robinson
Sarah’s Answer
Pre Interview Tips:
Research the role- preparation is key!
Understand the function the role sits within.
Know who is in the current team and reach out.
Know who you are going to meet.
Treat interviews as if you are external.
Every day is an interview at Cisco- be aware/learn how you are perceived in the business.
Ask recruiters for previous feedback received on any prior applications.
Seek out coaching support prior to interview.
Practice answering questions- film yourself to see your facial expressions/body language.
Dress professionally.
During the Interview:
Be on-time.
If the interview is via TP or WebEx, join prior to the meeting time and turn on camera on for WebEx.
Switch off your mobile phone!
Bring a notebook to take notes.
Bring your resume for reference (and as a spare).
LISTEN and respond to the questions being asked.
Stick to the topic, stay on track.
Consider your answers.
Show personality.
Be aware of your body language.
Have questions prepared.
After the Interview:
Thank the interviewer/panel for their time.
Follow up with a thank you email, and further information if requested/offered.
Call the recruiter to share feedback.
Discuss next steps.
Be patient in the process.
Talent Connection process- encourage you to advise your manager but not necessary until you are informed as the finalist candidate.
Common mistakes:
Don’t speak negatively about yourself, colleagues, managers, employers, roles etc.
Frame your answers positively.
Be aware of your personal hygiene.
Don’t talk about salary.
Failing to prepare. Approach a job interview the way you would a test.
Failing to research your interviewer.
Wearing the wrong outfit.
Not being punctual.
Using your mobile.
Asking questions with obvious answers.
Getting too personal
Sample questions:
Why are you applying for this role?
What do you know about the business/role?
Why do you think you would be a good fit for the role?
What can you bring to this role?
What are your strengths?
What’s an example of a development area for you?
What have you learnt from your previous mistakes?
How do you handle constructive feedback?
What are your activities and interests outside of work?
What motivates you to do your best work?
How do you handle conflict within your team?
Poonam Kherde
Poonam’s Answer
Here are the best interview tips for freshers:
1. DO NOT FAKE IN YOUR RESUME:
Lying can backfire on you! The individual sitting before you has adequate experience of interviews and can without much of a stretch know when you are faking it. So, keep it genuine and just write in your CV, what you have really accomplished. Else, more often than not, you would be in a soup.
2. TAKE IT EASY:
More than whatever else, the anxiety hampers most interviews. Just before going into the interview room, take a couple of deep breaths and unwind your nerves. It for sure, makes a difference!
3. BE CONFIDENT:
for more tips: face to face interview tips
Practice answering behavioral interview questions.
Tim Gastin
Simeon Snow
Simeon’s Answer
Interviewers know it's difficult to really know a person during an interview, so they are usually scanning for basic interpersonal skills. Show that you can work well with others, motivate yourself, and push through stressful situations calmly and efficiently. Try to have four or five stories about yourself from the past and try to redirect questions toward these stories during the interview. Make sure to choose instances from your past that highlight your positive qualities, including your ability to learn from or perform during difficult situations.
Jennifer Aho
Jennifer’s Answer
1. Research the company, ask a question about something you read.
2. Be willing to explain and describe your eagerness for the job even if you dont have a lot of experience.
3. Ask questions about their expectations of you if you hired
4. Be punctual for the interview :)
