What should you say in a job interview?

The interview is the most important stage of hiring. In order to successfully pass it, the applicant needs to prepare and think in advance about what to talk with the future employer in person, and what to avoid.

To communicate correctly at a meeting with a potential employer, it is necessary not only to sound questions and answers thoughtfully, but also to adhere to generally accepted norms of behavior.

• Only the truth should be spoken at the interview, since false information can be quite easily verified, and this will clearly not benefit the applicant. In addition, in large firms, the security service often independently creates a dossier for each potential employee, and truthful information can already be placed in it. The speech should be competent, but focused on the field of activity of the company and the personality of the recruiter. For example, talking with dry clerical phrases will be inappropriate at a meeting with the head of an advertising agency for 25 years.
• It's better to prepare for productive communication - think over the answers to possible non-standard questions, as well as prescribe a number of points of interest in advance. At the interview itself, one should always speak on the topic, without being distracted by stories from the lives of relatives or discussions about the political situation in the country. It is important to try to avoid parasitic words as much as possible and, of course, completely eliminate profanity. During the dialogue, you should not show any aggression or disrespectfully answer a question with a question. Complaints about your own well-being or any attempts to generate pity will be inappropriate.
• It is believed that recruiters are good at using strong words and perfect verbs. During the interview, you should try to insert the words “did”, “achieved”, “developed”, “completed”, etc. A large number of verbs such as "adjusted", "did", "researched" can create an impression of the interlocutor as a person who does not bring anything to the final result. Throughout the conversation, confidence and clarity must be heard in the voice.
• Self-presentation can deservedly be called the most important part of the interview, therefore, you need to prepare for it in advance. Ideally, it lasts from 2 to 3 minutes, and during this time all important and significant aspects of the professional activity of the applicant are covered.

As a rule, after interviewing the applicant, the employer invites you to ask your questions. At this point, you should definitely find out about the salary and working conditions.

The issue of wages cannot be discussed in the first place, but after the applicant has presented himself with high quality, it will be quite appropriate to find out all the financial details. Moreover, if you show disinterest in wages, you can show yourself as a non-professional and a person who does not care about both the field of activity and himself... In the case when the recruiter is interested in how much the applicant would like to receive, the latter should be guided by the average salary in the labor market in this area.

It is equally important to check with the recruiter about the working conditions. You can start with a question about the direct responsibilities and activities of the department in which you will work. It will be useful to find out who will become the immediate boss, how many people work in the department. It is imperative to clarify the issue of possible business trips and the likelihood of overworking at inopportune hours. It would be nice to immediately clarify the length of the probationary period, the work schedule and the vacation schedule. The list of pertinent questions also includes questions about corporate transport and dress code.

Personal questions should be avoided, for example, regarding the presence of single men in the company. You should not ask about basic things that the applicant must know about, for example, what the company does in general.

When asked at an interview to tell about yourself, of course, we are talking about professional activity and the successes achieved in it, and not about some personal details. However, it makes little sense to literally duplicate the personal data indicated in the resume. It is imperative that you present your achievements, qualifications and experience to the interviewer. Phrases that reveal the strongest sides, for example, attention to detail, the ability to work effectively both in a team and alone, responsibility and perseverance, will also be useful. It is important to structure your presentation in such a way as to clearly demonstrate your advantages over other competitors applying for the same position.

It is important to remember that the main purpose of the self-introduction is for the recruiter to see a direct connection between a candidate's education and seniority with the position they are looking for. Thus, the emphasis will have to be made precisely on those achievements that are somehow related to the requirements of the current position.

If the applicant is asked to talk about their shortcomings, then it is important to choose the words in such a way as to present them in a positive way. For example, tell that excessive perfectionism sometimes leads to a violation of deadlines, but only because of the desire to do the job as efficiently as possible.The story of how a certain flaw led to a mistake would be useful, but it, in turn, allowed a valuable lesson to be learned and this will never happen again.

Very often, a recruiter tries to find out the motivation of the applicant, prompting him to work in a particular company. In this case, you can talk about professional interest in this place of work, having previously familiarized yourself with its activities. It will not be superfluous to tell about your desire to participate in projects implemented by the company. It's great if inspiration from the work process itself, the path to achieving the goal or teamwork are mentioned. It should not be said that money is the main motivation.

If a recruiter asks a strange question that drives you into a dead end, then you should not worry, refuse an answer, or demonstrate your discouragement. You can always discuss and demonstrate, if not specific knowledge, then the ability to think or be creative in solving a problem. If the interlocutor asks about possible other job offers, then you can mention their existence, but focus on the fact that this company and position is most attractive.

When applying for a job, it should not be mentioned that this vacancy is the only chance to somehow improve your own life. Especially one should not focus on the future salary and the opportunities that will open with its receipt. The employer may think that the job seeker is not going to invest and act in accordance with the interests of the company, but only wants to receive financial rewards.

It is important to initially write your resume in such a way as to avoid unpleasant questions about the constant change of place of work. If this topic nevertheless turned out to be raised, then it is better to talk about the liquidation of the enterprise, change of residence or other external circumstances. The answer should be completed by mentioning the desire to work full-time and full-time.

The question "How do you see yourself in 5 years?" very often sounds at interviews. It is better to prepare the answer to it in advance, since sometimes the truth told from the heart plays to the detriment of the applicant. There is no need to share your dreams of starting your own business, as the employer is usually interested in long-term cooperation. In this case, it is best to communicate specific intentions to succeed within the company. Of course, “family, children, travel” should not appear in the conversation.

By the way, you should not talk about your failures during the interview. Not every recruiter will take them as a plus. It is better not to dwell too much on personal achievements - they should not be hidden either, but an explicit emphasis will be inappropriate. In the event that the employer is interested in a hobby, it is better to inform about those that can somehow benefit the company: for example, the ability to photograph or learn languages.

In the absence of such, neutral answers are suitable: sports, reading, being in nature. Of course, one should not mention an interest in gambling or any similar destructive habits.