Interview Tips by Kristina Shope

Before attending an interview… here are a few things you should consider:


Important Job Interview Tips:
-Be Smart. Dress smart and “dress for success”. Consider suitable dress code for a particular job. In most cases, excessive piercings and overdone tattoos are frowned upon. Most importantly have a positive attitude.
-Use Eye Contact. Try to relax and appear confident.
-Work on your handshake. Make sure it is not too firm or too soft. A simple handshake can say a lot about ones personality.
-Sell yourself. Share great things about yourself and how you would contribute to the company.
-Listen. Do not be too aggressive during an interview. It is the interviewer’s job to conduct the interview. Wait until after the question has been completely stated before answering.
-Don’t waffle. Be clear and concise when answering. In other words, “do not beat around the bush”.
-Body Language. 80% of communication is nonverbal. Good posture and a smile are very important when trying to conduct oneself in an interview.
-Ask Questions. Show interest in the company.
End your interview with a smile. Leave them with a good impression.
-Punctuality. Do not be late to an interview. As a rule of thumb, arrive 5 minutes before. Be aware of the location and the interviewer’s name.
-Prepare. Do research before-hand about the company and its goals. If necessary practice the interview before-hand and become familiar with what the interviewer might ask.
-Know Your CV/Resume. Know the places and times in which you worked/volunteered and what your learned from each.



Some Questions to Expect during an interview:
-Tell me about yourself
-What do you know about the company?
-What are your strengths/weaknesses?
-Why did you leave your last job?
-Why should we hire you?
-Do you have any references?

References:
http://www.worksmart.ca.gov/tips_interview.html

Sounding More Professional by Robyn Ciancia

When writing professionally or speaking in a professional setting it’s best to pay close attention to your choice of words and phrases. Expressing yourself eloquently represents a business professional. Following are examples of words and/or phrases that have better alternatives.

Using phrases that imply negativity like no problem or not at all tend to indicate that it would be a problem to fulfill a request. A good alternative would be to use It will be my pleasure to.
Yeah or Yes have many other alternatives such as Absolutely, Certainly, or Gladly. These alternatives sound more professional.
Hey, Hi, and Bye can be acceptable but there are other options available as well. Good Evening/Morning/Afternoon show more interest than simply saying Hello. Wishing someone Have a wonderful evening/morning/afternoon are great substitutes for Goodbye.
When ending a letter, sincerely, can come across to personally. Using regards is less personal but still professional.

There are other small changes to look for when writing professionally.
Bypass gender specific terms unless you are familiar with your audience to avoid offending or confusing your readers/listeners.
Avoid using slang unless being used for appropriate reasons.
Ya’ll may be acceptable in certain regions but it’s best to stay away from such a broad term. Addressing your audience specifically is best.

The smallest difference in words can completely change how you represent yourself. Always remember being more formal sounds best and shows professionalism.

Just a few other words/phrases to consider.
It would be my honor.
I would love to.
Fantastic, Wonderful, Brilliant
Enjoyable, Outstanding
Definitely, Positively, Most assuredly