Timeless Job Interview Tips

On the first part of this Job Interview Series I of course told you how to prepare for a job interview. Thank you for those who appreciated the post and see it as a reference if and then an invitation from a job interview comes.

Today the focus of the blog post will be Timeless Tips and Tricks in Handling a Job Interview. My goal is to release you from the agony of dealing with interviews and let you focus on the positive side and the bigger opportunity that awaits once you become a master of the said specific hiring process.

Interviews far more than an examination is like a “make it or break it”. Most applicants go through 2-3 interviews during the duration of their application. First the initial screening, next is the interview with the hiring officer and last but not the least the final interview with the President or CEO. If you don’t have proper preparation then you might feel like “ginigisa” or in the hot seat and that is the least feeling you want to feel.

Timeless Tip #1. Never miss a job interview

As I mentioned before, I am more comfortable of interviews rather than exams. The moment I resigned to my previous job I made it a point to apply to various companies. Fortunately, I got invited for interview most of the time and I attend to the invitation as most of the time too. These added to my experience and to my confidence in dealing with job interviews.

Timeless Tip #2 Tell a story

You have to really show yourself on the interview by incorporating a story in your answers. One-sentence answer to job interview questions should be avoided. Note that your story is the only tool that other people could get to know you.

• Remember the phases or moments in your life that shows your strength as an employee. Example is the time when you handled a big project and you succeeded because you showed your diligence on the work. You can also tell the seminar you attended where you learn a skill that may be needed for the job. You might also want to share your mistakes but always follow it with the solution you did.

Timeless Tip #3 Relax

Job interviews can be very nerve-wracking so you might want to relax and cool down. If you are nervous then you might lose the important things that you have to say to the interviewer. Remember Preparation Before the Interview that I shared. Start the night before and have the treat the day of the interview light enough.

Timeless Tip #4 Be active during the interview

It doesn’t hurt if you show your personality asking questions or showing how enthusiastic you are for the job. Just make sure that you don’t ask personal or questions that are not related to the job.

Timeless Tip #5 Find Common Areas

I feel fortunate that I found a lot of commonalities with my Hiring Officer and the boss of the company. You can read that when in the My Job Interview experience I shared in my blog post. Me and the Hiring Officer got along very well because we were both Christian and same story with the Boss on my final interview for we both came from Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Why Job Interviews should be a Big Deal?!

1. Job Interviews develop your communication skill.
2. Job Interviews make you a pro when it comes to job search for you’ll be knowledgeable on the trends, positions and opportunities in the respective career you chose.
3. Job Interviews will let you network with the right people and strengthen your existing connections.
4. Job Interviews may lead you to unexpected opportunities. I have more than one experience when I apply for a position and when the job interview comes in I was asked if I want to try out for another position. If you ace your interview then you a better employment opportunity may come.
5. Job Interviews become part of your career experience.



One last tip that I’d like to give to you is to talk to someone whom you know can give you advice on how to handle interviews. You might have an elder sister or brother who had done an interview before or you may have a friend who is an Hiring Officer in another company.

Just know that if you really want to land the job you have to have the courage to face the interview.