The selection interview is a cardinally important stage of the job search. Your advisor will play a very fundamental role in helping you succeed in this stage of the job search. Here are a few practical advices to succeed:

• Become familiar with the products and services offered by the prospective employer beforehand. Consult his website thoroughly and become very familiar with the company and its intricacies. We even recommend that you prepare a few pertinent questions that will showcase your interest as well as your motivation and to use them during the interview if you feel the need.
   
• A firm handshake accompanied by a genuine smile is always the best way to start a selection interview. The vigorous handshake and the smile let the recruiter know that you are confident and motivated to be there. Be however careful that your handshake is not so vigorous as to crush the recruiter’s hand!
   
• Know your resume extremely well. Your resume is the summary of your professional life so you should know every detail thoroughly.
   
• Do not adopt an over-confident or an extremely friendly demeanour. The trick is and will always be to simply be yourself.
   
• Familiarity is never well perceived during an interview. Never call the recruiter by his/her first name and avoid using familiar expressions and words. Even if the recruiter is younger than you and very laid-back, avoid any familiarity unless he/she explicitly invites you to do so.
   
• Abstain from chewing gum. Refrain from putting down your cell phone or iPod on the desk in front of you. Avoid walking with a bottle of water or a cup of coffee.
   
• You will be asked many questions about your professional history. Answer with succinct, straight to the point and well articulated answers. Do not be evasive. Always make eye contact with the recruiter. Never stare into space. If there is more than one recruiter, make sure to make eye contact with all of them equally.
   
• Great body language is crucial during an interview. To appear relaxed but also in control is primordial. You should also make sure to wear suitable clothing: classy and sharp.

Do not forget that you never get a second chance to make a first impression! Trust your advisor; this is what successful teamwork is all about!


Don't miss our next columns :

November : How to dress for an interview - the appropriate attire to find employment
December : How to choose the position that best suits you
January : Bilingualism Criterias / Standards
February :  Reorientation or change ?
March : Make a successful comeback on the job market
April : The next generation, our successors