First of all thanks for anyone just reading, this isn't for a huge job just for a 13.00 dollar an hour customer service position. Salutations CF? This job interview is probably the biggest thing going for me right now, I am a broke guy in his 20's with aging parents to take care of whuke living in another city. I have never had a job opportunity like this. I am a 25 year old college student who due to life, love, stress and set backs has not had a job since High School. I was affected by my mother getting cancer, and have been teaching guitar lessons and selling pot to get along, whilst in school. And I am only graduating with an Associate's this summer. With an employee reference, I have made it to the face-to-face interview for a customer service position at a major insurance company's corporate office in Texas. My resume only mentions Ive been in school the past 7 years, and I've been teaching private music lessons. What questions will they be asking, and most importantly what answers will they be looking for? How can I explain such a ****ty job history and education?
First of all, they are calling you in for an interview, so that's a good sign. They see something they like. I would just mention that you've been in school and teaching guitar lessons. What's wrong with that? So what if it's just an associates degree? I would not bring up family and personal drama. As a customer service rep, they are probably looking for someone with people skills. If you were a teacher, you can talk about how you helped your students.
What he said. Good luck and don't mention the pot. Lol I wouldn't judge you on a personal level, but in an interview you'd be judged like a mudda.
I know this interview is Big(ish) for you, but I suggest first don't psych yourself out. Be yourself, but realize they want someone who is smart and bright. Prior to the interview think about what are the skills needed to succeed in this type of job and then prepare how you will explain you have those necessary skills and how you will do well at the job.
This. Go into the interview like you don't have a care in the world and it doesn't matter if you get the job or not(don't let them know that though). All the pressure evaporates and you can be yourself. Also, go in with a major positive attitude. Attitude will get you further than knowledge or experience.
^ This. First of all, goodluck!! - Per your post, you sound negative about your own self. I understand you may just be trying to be realistic, but for the interview, first step is to know that they are interviewing you because you’re qualified for the position. They called you for an interview, and that’s an accomplishment in it’s own – the job is yours for the taking. - Easier said than done, but seriously, take a couple of minutes envisioning the interview, and everything going well. Follow this in the interview. - Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes – what are the qualities/body language the interviewer is looking for? - Read and re-read the job description. Use the job description as a guideline of things you want to highlight. - Be sincere, show genuine interest since you do want this (w/o appearing desperate) – interviewer will notice this! Lastly, Best of luck!! Wish you all the best!
+2 This really works. Employers love confidence and a positive attitude. You can make up for a lot of your perceived shortcomings by having supreme confidence in the interview.
1. Wear a suit and tie. Look clean and be profressional. First impressions mean a lot. 2. Be prepared for the inevitable "Do you have any questions for me?" at the end of the interview. You should always have questions. 3. In response to your ***ty job history and education, try looking on the bright side and re-wording those experiences to sound like a positive and valuable experience. I didn't have much experience before either, and I made my job working at a Chinese restuarant sound like it was a dream job. We all had to start somewhere...
I've been there. What MoonDogg says is true. I had a recruiter set me up for the job a few years back. Based on her descriptions I didn't think I was even qualified as she told me to tell them about a particular skill set and experience I didn't have much of. Before the interview, I went and slammed two big brews at Chillis. I thought I had no shot so i didn't care. This level of not giving 2 ****s and I think having the anxiety kind of leveled off from the DosXX allowed me to nail the interview. Was hired two weeks later. Not saying to do that but when I went in not caring, I think it exhibited a sense of confidence across the table that the hiring manager liked.
Good luck. Tell him you want the job, I mean say that a couple times during the interview and as you are saying good bye. In my experience saying straight up "I really want this job" counts for something.
Also read up on the company and the position. Know who they are and what they are looking for, generally speaking.
confidence and a good attitude goes a long way, but don't go too far and be perceived as arrogant -- that's bad just relax, tell them why you're interested in the job, and why you're qualified. You can spin the personal music lessons as dealing with customers -- that's good experience actually
first off, if I need your opinion, I'll tell it to you secondly, I'm referring to a job interview, not posting on a message board
Where you want to be and where you see yourself in 5 are common questions. You can straight say something like learning more about the industry or knowing the ropes of customer service. Tie that with your interest in the company and if you don't have any, think of ways to tie that with your personal life in dealing with other people. Tailor your personality to the job. If you're a stuffy b*stard, you can still be good at csr by explaining that you want to get their needs right while defending your company image. Try to present yourself as someone they want as someone to represent their firm and/or do the job right in a different capacity. if they bring up education, say you love the opportunity to learn and did what you could under your families circumstances. Only tell why if they ask. I was 26 when i got my first real career opportunity. Don't let age get in the way of your life. Hell if they mention education, when you get an opportunity to ask then questions, one question would be if they'd help costs if you wanted to continue college. If you genuinely do, that is...
Congrats on your interview, that's definitely a positive....don't spin it into a negative. Most of the things I as going to mention have already been posted, but I'll list them anyway: 1) Research the company beforehand and tie this in with #2 below. Also research the job itself. 2) ALWAYS have a list of questions ready. At the end, when they say..."do you have any questions for me?" You should never decline. Have your list ready, and by tying a couple of your questions in with the research you've done, they will be impressed, and you will be showing that you are dedicated and interested in the company. FYI...I usually have about 10 questions ready because they tend to answer a decent amount of them before I have the opportunity to ask. 3) First impressions are very important, so be sure you're clean cut, and wear a suit. If you don't have one, wear slacks and a button up or polo with nice shoes. 4) Be ready for specific questions asked in most interviews. I'll list a few that you may hear. What is your biggest accomplishment? Why have you been out of work so long? What have you been doing since your last job? What is your greatest strength? Weakness (never say you don't have any)? Do you work well with other people? Tell me about yourself. What interests you about this job? Why do you want it? Why should we hire you/what can you do for the company? Why do you want to work here? 5a) Don't be late! Be 5-10 minutes early. It could be advantageous to get there 20-30 minutes early, sit in your car and prepare, then head in. 5b) Turn off your cell phone, and don't be on it while you're waiting for your interview. Self explanatory. 5c) Be ready to talk about your resume and back up what you have on it. Even if some of it is bs, be sure you have some storyline behind it. 5d) I believe this is SUPER important......MAKE EYE CONTACT constantly (when you're talking, and when they're talking), sit straight, smile, firm handshakes, and be sure to write down notes during the process, even if it's unimportant, write something down every once in a while. 6) Some small tricks I've learned over the years....lean forward a little to show interest, 7) Bring things like a pen, notepad/portfolio if you have it, extra resume copies, list of questions (can't stress this enough), a list of 5-10 qualifications you have that are related to the job, and a list of references. 8) Lastly, don't wear too much cologne and don't smoke beforehand. Yeah, this seems like a lot, but putting in this effort now, will easily pay off in the long run. Good luck!!!
Bull**** as much as you can, as long as you can get away with it. It's what I've been doing and it works. Also bigtexxx is filthy rich, so he probably never needs to go for job interviews... so his advice is appropriate.
Everything I learned about job interviews I learned from 90's cinema. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BsxYfYCbVC0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-JBvfZTx-vs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Your 25 years old, so you got that going for you. As long as you aren't a moron and pass all of their tests, you'll get the job. Look up the STAR technique for behavioral interviewing and it will help you out: 1. Situation: Open with a brief description of the Situation and context of the story (who, what, where, when, how). 2. Task: Explain the Task you had to complete highlighting any specific challenges or constraint (eg deadlines, costs, other issues). 3. Action: Describe the specific Actions that you took to complete the task. These should highlight desirable traits without needing to state them (initiative, intelligence, dedication, leadership, understanding, etc.) 4. Result: Close with the result of your efforts. Include figures to quantify the result if possible.
