It doesn't matter if you are interviewing for college, a job or a pageant; make sure your interview skills are sharpened so you can ace any interview.
You may not see the link between a pageant interview and an interview that could secure your dream job.
But they are exactly the same.
Follow these tips and take home the acceptance letter, the job offer or the crown.
1.
Prepare! Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said, "by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.
" The test isn't easier, you just prepared for it.
And the interview questions aren't that easy, you simply know what to do! So start preparing today.
2.
Prepare an "About Me" statement.
Sounds simple, but more interviews are lost on this question.
You ask, "what do you want to know?" and you may as well kick yourself out the door.
Ramble randomly or talk about your personal life and you can do the same.
Stick to 30 - 60 seconds and done right means you set the tone for the entire interview.
Students and clients at Springboard work more on this one question than any other.
3.
The Power of Three.
You must give more than a one-word answer.
But you shouldn't ramble either.
If you think about giving three reasons for each answer, where appropriate, you'll sound like you have some depth, yet won't ramble on and on.
4.
Strengths and Weaknesses.
When stating your strengths, make sure you give examples that illustrate the strength you're claiming.
When stating a weakness, don't try to hide.
Just state what it is, then explain how you manage it! Now your weakness doesn't seem so, well, weak! 5.
To Personalize or Not? Never talk about your personal life in a job interview.
Interviewers can't legally ask you about personal matters, so don't bring it up.
When interviewing for pageant or college, it is appropriate to state that you have three siblings, you're 18 and have five pets! That is one difference between an employment interview and others.
There are many more strategies when preparing to interview well.
But these are the five biggies.
Master these and you'll do well.
If you need coaching for interview, Springboard offers Interview Coaching and Interviewing Workshops.
Call me if you need assistance and we'll have you acing the interview in no time.
© 2009 Springboard
You may not see the link between a pageant interview and an interview that could secure your dream job.
But they are exactly the same.
Follow these tips and take home the acceptance letter, the job offer or the crown.
1.
Prepare! Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said, "by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.
" The test isn't easier, you just prepared for it.
And the interview questions aren't that easy, you simply know what to do! So start preparing today.
2.
Prepare an "About Me" statement.
Sounds simple, but more interviews are lost on this question.
You ask, "what do you want to know?" and you may as well kick yourself out the door.
Ramble randomly or talk about your personal life and you can do the same.
Stick to 30 - 60 seconds and done right means you set the tone for the entire interview.
Students and clients at Springboard work more on this one question than any other.
3.
The Power of Three.
You must give more than a one-word answer.
But you shouldn't ramble either.
If you think about giving three reasons for each answer, where appropriate, you'll sound like you have some depth, yet won't ramble on and on.
4.
Strengths and Weaknesses.
When stating your strengths, make sure you give examples that illustrate the strength you're claiming.
When stating a weakness, don't try to hide.
Just state what it is, then explain how you manage it! Now your weakness doesn't seem so, well, weak! 5.
To Personalize or Not? Never talk about your personal life in a job interview.
Interviewers can't legally ask you about personal matters, so don't bring it up.
When interviewing for pageant or college, it is appropriate to state that you have three siblings, you're 18 and have five pets! That is one difference between an employment interview and others.
There are many more strategies when preparing to interview well.
But these are the five biggies.
Master these and you'll do well.
If you need coaching for interview, Springboard offers Interview Coaching and Interviewing Workshops.
Call me if you need assistance and we'll have you acing the interview in no time.
© 2009 Springboard