Job interview tomorrow, getting worried!

[chriswood_7]

Hey guys

I have my first professional job interview tomorrow after finishing my degree and im a little bit apprehensive and worried... Does anyone have any pointers or advice to offer? The company sounds really cool and he said it was more of a chat over coffee to see if we get on more than anything else, and a browse through my Portfolio...

I know a lot of you guys out there have professional jobs, just wondering if you can offer me any advice?

Cheers

Chris

[IBM]

Stay as casual as your interviewer. Try not to be funny unless you know you are. Try to be competant, professional, and informed, without being confident. Do some research on the company. Anything you can find that you can slip into the conversation, even as a question at the end, is bound to impress 'So I see you're working on such and such, do you have any plans to...' or 'what's next after you've finished with the such and such project...'.

What's the job?

[chriswood_7]

Its as a Junior Design Engineer for a company making Articulated Dumper Trucks called MOXY UK. Its a norwegian company, but the job is in a Business Innovation Centre here in the UK...

The job sounds great and ive been reading up on the stuff they do for a few days now, and polishing my portfolio off... I just wish I had more stuff to put in it!

Cheers

Chris

[IBM]

Your attitude can be as important, if not more important, than your portfolio. Good luck tomorrow.

[Kaine (AoD)]

firstly good luck bud!

best thing for interviews i found was to really be me, dont try and be this amazingly smart person that is totally different when you leave the place, show them what you really know. i found that when in interviews that i was trying to hard i would never get anywhere and always ended up very nervous/shakey before talking to them and after a few interviews like that i gave up trying to be someone else and went in as ME, ended up gettin a part time job for over christmas which i was well impressed with (was 2 years ago whiles not working at scan ^ ^)

[chriswood_7]

Yeah, thanks very much for the advice, its much appreciated...

Chris

[EvilMunky]

dont make norwegian jokes


good luck.

Stay calm

Dont lie - if you dont know soemthing - just tell them.

Eye contact

Be yourself

[chriswood_7]

Thanks for all the advice guys, ill be myself and honest with what I do and dont know.

Cheers

[Gr44]

Yeah, definatly don't lie - you see it on american TV all the time... people 'pretending' to know stuff on interviews. Employers don't mind if you don't know something ( unless of course you should know it due to experiance/education ).

Just be calm, don't be cocky - don't be funny unless you really feel the person is OK with it, if you feel a connection with them etc. Informal interviews are the best - go suited of course, but you probably won't need to speak 100% PC with everything, unless your being interviewed by an arse.

[XA04]

Can't really give any advice as I've only had 1 job before.. paperround years ago .

BUT............... GOOD LUCK!

[nev_payne]

I've just got out of day 3 of my new job so heres my advice:

Get to the interview EARLY (10mins is a good mark).

Eye contact as above...do not stare at shoes, ass, or breasts, or out of the window at tits/ass for that matter.

A good handshake is taken as a sign of strength of competance...a weak one is a sign of someone who prefers a quiet spot and get out of the main flow so to speak.

Polite - Ps and Qs - if someones coming through the door behind you, keep it open. Speak with an interest...dont talk under your breath. No matter how boring the topic, and the fact you know the topic inside out, discuss it, but dont act as the know it all.

WEAR A SUIT. You can't get a better first image than an early arrival, polite welcome to your interviewers, a strong handshake and a good suit to wear....and for petes sake wear a tie properly. If your can't do a Windsor knot, dont try to.

Get some good questions in your head...not on paper. A classic is asking how the business came about, and what drove an interest into the companys' particular field of work. A question about future plans of your particular office/position is also taken as a sign of keen interest...but not somthing like "when are you going to make me redundant?" something like " Are there plans to further develop the *field of your position* in the near future?"

Switch your mobile off....you deserve a beating with a wet dover sole if you don't.

Drink tea/coffee with breakfast...keeps your brain ticking over on a high clock speed instead of having a caffiene high half way through your interview.

If you're offered Tea/Coffee - accept. Failure to do so implies your not happy with someones kitchen skills...or their skill to make somthing as simple as a cuppa. Oh - ALWAYS milk and 2. A sign of British stength is a milk and 2 sugars.

and finally, after that Sargent Major style drill through, I wish you the best of luck, and for Gods' sake get an early night!

[chriswood_7]

The guys asked me to come as myself and commented that they wear jeans and tshirts at the place, still go suited?

Thanks for the advice guys

[unreal]

Imagine the interviewer naked. But if its a hawt woman, don't, because you won't leave your chair.

[tiggerai]

Always suited and booted, even if it's casual. either that or still trousers and shirt, but leave the tie.

Everything else everyone else has commented on, so I'll say good luck.

[Twigman]

Enjoy it

[chriswood_7]

Hey guys

Just to let you all know I got the job! Start on the 24th.. and cant wait...

Cheers for the advice

Chris