Interview Tips
provided by Rich Edwards, Long-time Charleston Businessman

Know the Company
Research the company website. Conduct your own references on the company. Arm yourself with info and a thorough understanding of the job opportunity including the job description. Make sure you know how to get to the interview location, and work location, if different. Be on time; arrive 10-15 minutes prior to scheduled interview time.

Dress Professionally
An interview is a professional business meeting; dress conservatively in accordance with the dress code for the company. If you don’t know the dress code, go in standard business attire. It is OK to be overdressed for an interview. It is not OK to be underdressed. Standard conservative dress for men consists of a dark business suit, white shirt, conservative tie and polished shoes. For women, a dark suit or dress with matching shoes is appropriate.

Make a Good First Impression
Enthusiasm, a confident smile, and a firm hand-shake will go a long way toward establishing the best first impression. Make eye contact. Confirm the position title you will be interviewing for. Break the ice with a universal topic; avoid controversial issues. Mirror your posture, intensity and speech patterns after that of the interviewer. Be positive, and do not offer information that may be perceived as negative. Take time to build rapport and to compliment the client. Your people skills are just as important as your technical skills.

Listen Before You Start Selling
Make sure you understand what is important to the interviewer about the position before you begin discussing your background, skills and experience. Stick to the scope of the project or responsibilities of the assignment. Your skills and attributes must be addressed specifically. Do not come off as a “jack of all trades”. Unless specifically questioned, offer to address only the skills that are required of this particular position. If it’s not going to help you, don’t offer additional, irrelevant information. Present a logical, concise description of your experience that matches the client’s need. Using a recent example from a previous job provide detail regarding the situation, the task required to resolve, the actions used to correct, and the end result.

Before the Interview Think About What You Will Say
Use action words like planned, created, developed, conceived, organize, implemented, initiated… to describe yourself. If this is a leadership role, use words like organized, directed, lead, managed, coordinated, built and supervised. Use result oriented words such as, it lead to, contributed to, saved, reduced, achieved, provided for, increased and evaluated.

Ask the Right Questions
Interview the interviewer just as he/she is interviewing you. Come with prepared questions written down, and take notes during the interview. Most interviewers will give you an opportunity to ask questions about the company, the work, the environment – and this is your opportunity to show you came prepared. Asking informed, open-ended questions shows your interest in the company and in the assignment. Here are several suggestions (Do not use all):

Gain Agreement
Answer the client’s questions openly and honestly, being positive about yourself and your skills. Translate experiences you have had into benefits the client will gain if he/she selects you for the project. Many people are passed over for opportunities because they fail to ask for the job. Assuming you are interested in this opportunity, ensure you have communicated well with the client and that you are able to fulfill the client’s expectations by saying, “Based on the description of the job as described and what’s required to be a success, I am very interested in this opportunity and becoming a member of your team. How do you see the fit?” If appropriate, follow with, “Is there anything we discussed that would indicate I am not a good fit”? If you find that you are not interested in pursuing this opportunity, tell your recruiter after the interview is over. Do not cut the interview short because you have changed your mind about the position.