Job Interview Basics

Showing 30 articles

How to Make a Follow-Up Call After an Interview

Waiting to hear back from a hiring manager can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re really excited about the position or just need a new job. While the hiring process is not known for its speed, you can open the lines of communication by following up with the hiring manager with a thank you note, an email, a LinkedIn message, or phone call. S...

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Video Interview Tips for Success

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contrbutor

If you’re among the many people who are camera shy, it’s time to take steps to fix that. Your next job could depend on it, and not because we predict you’ll switch careers and get into movies or broadcasting anytime soon. It’s because video chat platforms—FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, etc.—have changed the way employers connect with job c...

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Tips to do well in a job interview

By Joanne Richards, Monster contributor

If you get called in for a job interview, you likely made the cut because your resume and cover letter proved you have the qualifications. Now it’s up to you to follow these interview tips and demonstrate what your resume doesn’t show—the qualities that can’t be captured on paper. Use this one-on-one time with the hiring manager to further prove...

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How to overcome the scariest job interview mistakes

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman

Oh no. You’ve been fielding interview questions from a hiring manager, and you suddenly realize you flubbed an answer. The interviewer knows that everyone is human —so you can move on and pretend you didn’t just accidentally bomb on one of the most common interview questions, right? Wrong. It’s better to acknowledge when your interview ski...

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Do A Mock Job Interview For Instant Feedback

By Mark Swartz

Employers aren’t your personal Yelp. If you want your interview performance rated privately, read on. Got pre-interview jitters? Hard to hide ‘em. Nauseous from nerves. Teeth clenched like a vice grip. Your deodorant drowned by rivers of sweat. After it’s over you anxiously plead for feedback. Were the interviewers floored by your brains and char...

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Job Interview Answers Not to Use

By Monster Contributor

By Joe Issid In many cases, an interview is a necessary evil that stands between you and your dream job. So, it is not unreasonable to assume that you will say whatever you believe the interviewer wants to hear to secure said position. To wit, as a hiring manager, I have sat through countless interviews throughout my career and have heard my f...

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"Should I Disclose My Pregnancy in A Job Interview?"

By Monster Contributor

By Pira Kumarasamy Pregnancy should be a joyous chapter, but that joy can be overshadowed if you’re in the midst of a job search. The reality is that starting a new role that you’ll need to train for and subsequently leave within several months isn’t ideal for many employers. Although you are not legally obligated to disclose your pregnancy to a p...

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What to Do When You Miss Your Job Interview?

By Monster Contributor

By Joe Issid I’m sure we’ve all had some version of the same nightmare: you wake up disastrously late for an important meeting but, try as you will, you simply cannot get your legs moving fast enough to get you there on time. I must have had dozens of these dreams while I was a nervous student around exam time. Fortunately, as an adult, thes...

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Signs Your Job Interview Is Not Going Well

By Joe Issid

Few situations are more awkward and anxiety-inducing than sitting through a job interview that has gone pear-shaped. Unfortunately, however, most of us will go through this experience at one time or another throughout our respective careers. At times, these negative experiences are our own doing: we may have turned up to the interview woefull...

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What Not To Do Before a Job Interview

By Monster Contributor

By the Monster Career Coach You’ve updated your CV, submitted applications and finally you get the call. You’ve been asked to come in for an interview. Congratulations! Now is the time to put your best foot forward. You probably know what you should do in a job interview, but what about the things you should avoid prior to it. Here are 10 u...

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How to Nail Your Internship Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Joe Issid Monster Contributing Writer The practice of hiring interns has come under increased scrutiny in recent years as many companies were, in fact, doing so illegally for many years. In order for a company to legally hire an intern, there are a number of very specific conditions that need to be met (depending on Province) so please be aw...

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Handling Multiple Interviewers At Once

By Monster Contributor

By Mark Swartz Monster Contributing Writer At some point in your job search, you may find yourself interviewed by more than one person at a time. This can be a rattling experience if you aren’t prepared. Panel interviews are more common in government jobs, academia, and for executive positions. Team interviews can happen at any level in ...

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8 Things HR Wishes Candidates Knew About Interviewing

By Monster Contributor

By Mark SwartzMonster Contributing Writer GlobalNews.ca issued a story from Calgary, on the top five interview mistakes people make. According to staffing company Express Employment Professionals, the biggest errors are lying about experience, checking a cell phone, arriving late, answering a phone call and acting arrogant. This is but the tip ...

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Does Gender Bias Play a Role During an Interview?

By Monster Contributor

By Joe Issid Monster Contributing Writer Whether we care to admit it, we all exercise personal biases on a daily basis; this is what makes us human. To deny the existence of natural biases would certainly be disingenuous. However, for many of us, these biases are minor and do not impact our macro decision-making capacities. Nevertheless, prejud...

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Surviving an Overly Demanding Interview Process

By Monster Contributor

By Joe Issid Monster Contributing Writer I have always been a big proponent of staying active on the interview scene - no matter how happy you may be at your job. I feel that keeping one's ear to the ground can greatly benefit your career - whether you change jobs or not. Over the years, I have been to dozens of interviews across numerous indus...

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Ten Interviewing Rules

By Monster Contributor

By Carole Martin Monster Contributing Writer In the current job market, you'd better have your act together, or you won't stand a chance against the competition. Check yourself on these 10 basic points before you go on that all-important interview. 1. Do Your Research Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as po...

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10 Tips To Handle A Hostile Interviewer

By Monster Contributor

By Caroline M.L. Potter The interview is undoubtedly the most important part of your job search. Your network and resume may help you get your foot in the door, but you've got to ace the interview to get the job. What happens, though, if your interviewer turns out to be mean or abrasive? Read on for advice from job search experts and learn how to...

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How To Research The Employer Before The Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Mark Swartz Monster Senior Contributing Writer Important job interview a few days away? Review that finely honed resume of yours. Practice replying to those interview questions. Work on your smile. Tighten up your body language. You’ll make a great impression. But a lot of other potential candidates might too. So how to convince the intervie...

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How to Prepare For A Job Interview: 10 Tips to Boost Your Skills

By Monster Contributor

By Carole Martin Monster Contributing Writer Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these 10 strategies to enhance your interview skills. Practice Good Nonverbal Communication ...

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Interview Tips: 3 Types of Job Interviews

By Monster Contributor

By Barbara Reinhold Getting ready for an interview isn't what it used to be. Now you must contend with many different kinds of questions and formats. Here are three types of interviews you may face and how to prepare for them. 1. Phone Interviews Employers want to do things cheaply these days, so many conduct their first screening rou...

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What to Wear to A Job Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Peter Vogt Monster Senior Contributing Writer You have a job interview tomorrow. You've learned everything about the company, you're prepared for any questions they ask, and you even arrived a few minutes early. You couldn't be more ready. But when you stop in the restroom for a last look in the mirror, your mind starts racing: "Am...

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50 Positive character traits for the workplace

By Monster Contributor

People are so used to constantly expressing themselves now. They plaster captioned photos on Instagram, post their innermost thoughts to Wordpress, and outline entire work histories on LinkedIn. And yet, so many Canadians find it challenging to talk about themselves in the one instance where it’s unabashedly necessary: in an interview. Whereas ...

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5 Reasons You Should Never Turn Down an Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Brandon Miller Monster Generation Y Contributing Writer It seems like fate. The second you start a new job or find some sort of consistency in your career will be the exact same time that a new opportunity comes your way. It’s cosmically inexplicable as to why those interviews call at the most inopportune moments, but that doesn’t mean tha...

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What If Your Interview is Tomorrow?

By Monster Contributor

Adapted from Monster Careers: Interviewingby Doug Hardy Even if you have less than a day before your job interview, you can outshine the competition with a little preparation. The following four tasks will take you about four hours (plus five minutes) to complete, and you'll walk into the interview confident you'll be successful. Conduct Basic ...

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Six Answers Interviewers Need to Hear to Hire You

By Monster Contributor

by Peter Vogt During the typical job interview, you'll be asked a lot of questions. But do you really understand what the interviewer needs to know? "Most students have no idea why a recruiter asks a particular question," says Brad Karsh, a former recruiting professional for advertising giant Leo Burnett and current president of career consulti...

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Interview Tips for Landing a Creative Job

By Monster Contributor

by Thad Peterson Dan Garriott chuckles as he recounts the time he met a man who has since become a good friend, and they got to talking about their vocations. "He's a big-time tech recruiter," says Garriot. "I met him at a party, and he introduced himself as a ‘flesh merchant.'" But Garriott, who eight months ago founded Right Brain Resource,...

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The Interview Thank You Email

By Monster Contributor

By the Monster Career Coach Are you waiting to hear from an employer after you’ve interviewed with them? You can increase your chances of being chosen for the next round of interviews – or of being offered the job – by following up professionally. This includes writing a customized thank you note. The purpose of this often neglected bit of ...

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Interview Cheat Sheet

By Monster Contributor

by Carole Martin Relax. A cheat sheet is not really cheating. It’s a checklist to make sure you stay focused before, during and, after the interview. Creating a cheat sheet will help you feel more prepared and confident. You shouldn’t memorize what’s on the sheet or check it off during the interview. You should use your cheat sheet to remind you...

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Business Casual: The New Dress Code

By Monster Contributor

by Pat Boer There was a time when every professional knew you wore a suit on the job and for an interview. One Fortune 500 Company even required prospective employees wear one when requesting an application. Times have changed. Now, both men and women go to work dressed casually. Today’s question isn’t, “Should I wear black or navy?” It’s, “...

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Mastering the Phone Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Peter Vogt Monster Contributing Writer You just got word that you landed a job interview with a company that really interests you -- only there’s a slight catch. You won’t be meeting with your interviewer(s) face to face. Instead, you’ll be taking part in a phone interview, the results of which will determine whether you’re invited to meet with...