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What’s a Good Way to Approach Interviewing?
8/23/2009 12:23 PM By Catherine TSure, you've gone on a job interview before. But if you're just moving into freelancing after some time in the same job, or if you find that you're not getting jobs for which you interview, it may be time for a refresher. — Do your homework. Check out the organization's website and poke around, especially in the "About Us" section. You'll find out the names of key players, current projects, recent successes, even what other jobs they're hiring for. If you're not familiar with recent developments in their field of operations, check out industry Web sites to give yourself an idea of what's going on in the markets in which they work. — Review the job description carefully. Tailor your elevator speech to match the organization's stated needs. Come up with experiences from your past to match those needs. — Only when you've got the content under control should you focus on the externals. Dress professionally, and if possible try to match the style of the organization. The company website's design may give you some idea of how they imagine themselves, and you may even see pictures of employees and check out how they're dressed. Obviously you should be neat and clean, including your hair, fingernails, and breath, but stay away from perfume or cologne. Keep distracting fashion items such as jewelry to a minimum. Your bag/briefcase and coat are part of your presentation and should be as professional as you can make them. — If you're going to an unfamiliar place, go there at least once before the day of the interview so you know how long it takes and can recognize the right building. And yes, allow extra time to get there.
