The Importance of Job Interviews for Future Employment

In this Journal Article which written by Stephen, Donald and Thomas from Emporia State University, they found out that majority of the students seem like disinterested and demotivated in learning to handle employment interviews effectively. So, in this case study, the investigated target is student or fresh graduate, discuss about the THREE main issues which the first key issue is discussed about how student can be motivated to become skilled interviewee, follow to the next is discussed about the mistakes that student frequently makes during interview session and the last one is focused on the ways to avoid those mistakes.

First thing first, since many of the students or fresh graduates are the new bloods in the employment environment, they might have limited work experience as well as have little familiarity on the job interview session. Despite from student’s individual apparent and personality indifferent, since they seldom or never conducted the employment interview session, this shows them having a little experience on employment interview which will procrastinated them in developing the important skills that required to succeed in the interview. Since people like to feel comfortable and competent, they will always give priority and feel confidently in doing or handling the job or the task they are familiar with, once they fall into the strange area that they are unfamiliar with, they will start to feel nervous, fear and inadequate where such emotional will exactly decrease someone’s confident. The way to solve this problem is “practice makes perfect”, students should practice basic interview skills with their friends, family or other person they can talk to. For example, students can ask a friend to act as an interviewer and students themselves act as interviewee to conduct a demo employment interview session. So, during the practice, student can find out where they did wrong and what they need to improve, as well as be familiar to the employment interview. By this, they can present a better-self and be more confident when they are having an employment interview session in the company they applied for.

Secondly, it is very important for student to conduct a self-analysis to know themselves better before going to interview. Students should focus on and consider their dreams, concerns, and frustrations, and then follow their judgment of what is best for them. They should look closely to their long-term and short-term goal is, as well as recognise their weakness and strength. For example, they should know about professional, communicative, intellectual and personality strengths and weakness. “What is your goal”, “What is your weakness”, and “What is your strength” are the common question that the interviewer will ask during interview session, this is a very good chance for student to impress the interview, therefore, don’t answer such question shortly. When student answer such question, they should elaborate the points they want to tell. It is important to be prepared and honestly, try to turn potential negatives into positives. With a good self-analysis, student can have better understanding about themselves whereby there is no afraid when the interviewer asks about the student’s personal-related question since student already prepare the thoughts in their mind.

Be clear to the company background and familiar to the position you are applying for is very important too. For example, if you are interviewing by someone in a business firm for a marketing manager position, you should know what product and services that the company selling, your responsibility and skills require for your position such as leadership skills, management skills, innovative e.g. Therefore, it is better for student to do a deep research about the company first before going to the interview since nowadays many resources are available online where you get those resources you require in a convenient way with just a simple click on Google.

In short, the ways for student to be motivated to become skilled interviewee is practice more where “experience keeps a dear school”, understanding their own’s personality weakness and strength, be familiar to the company background. With the good preparation and knowledges, their confident will truly increase during the interview which will lead them to have a good presentation in front of the interviewer hence increase the chance for them to succeed in the interview.

Even have a good preparation, student might also have a chance to fail in the employment interview if they make some of the common mistakes that were frequently made by others too. The first common mistake is answer too simple and boring. It is more than enough for you to answer simple and short for the closed-ended question such as “what is your name”, “what is your highest education”, where you can just answer like “My name is Jimmy and my highest education is bachelor’s in accounting”. However, when it go to some behavioural open-ended question such as “what is your long-term goal”, “what is your weakness”, student should avoid answer such question too simple, where they need to elaborate more with the points they given and look deep to the questions, think about what are the words that the interviewer wants you to say. For example, if the interviewer asks you about “what is your biggest weakness?”, you shouldn’t just answer it like “my biggest weakness is impatient” the no more words after it. A good respond should be “at times, I tend to be a little impatient, but this has always helped me to stay focused and achieve personal and professional goals….”.

Secondly, the mistake that often makes by student during interview is do not show their enthusiasm to the job. Even the lack of excitement during the interview might cause by the students’ nervousness, but in the views of interviewer, he or she may think that students are lacking motivation to the job. It will be implied that student will not be able to handle the job well with full efficiency and innovative, due to the lack of motivation. Therefore, if students are interested in the job they are applying for, that interest should be shown visible through their enthusiasm during the interview. Student should boost up their energy level, where students really need to seem like they’ve been looking forward to talking with the interviewer and excited to be there talking with them. Apart from that, Students should also manage and perfect their non-verbal communication like their eye contact, voice tone, as well as the posture. For example, student should avoid tapping or fiddling with hands, slouching or looking tired when answering and listening the interview question, this might show that you are nervous and lack of confident which will conceal your interest on the job. Another thing that student can do to show their enthusiasm is where there’s a chance for them to ask question, student should just open their mouth and ask rather than sitting on the chair maintain silent, since it is also a good chance to impress the interviewer too. But student should always keep in mind, when asking question, don’t ask question related to “yourself” such as “How much annual leave I can have?”, “Do I need work for overtime?”. What student should ask is about the company or something related to their position such as “What is your expectation on me for the first 30days, 60 days, 90days?”, “What is the company’s goal workplace culture”, “What is the challenges facing by company?”, this will make them seem like they’re eager to learn more and really putting thought into considering the company and their position.

Lastly, student should always keep in mind that there are no second chance for them to impress the interviewer, so it is better for them to manage themselves good for example dressing formally, don’t smoke and be polite etc. to avoid giving bad impression to the interviewer. “The key to hiring success is identifying the candidate with the greatest level of ‘fit’ with the job and the organization”, so when the students answering question by showing they are good fit for the job, it will favourably impress the interviewer. For example, when the interviewer asks about “Why are you interested in this job?”, inexperience student will answer the question vague generality such as “I am interested in this job because this company is a very nice company, and I was hoping to be able to stay in this area after graduation.” Although this answer may be sincere, but it will not impress the interviewer favourably because it is shallow, and other interviewees will give a similar answer where you are not to be shown as unique and special. Instead, students should give a more thorough answer by indicating they have the skills necessary to excel in the job, and the work they would perform is meaningful to them. Students who detailed on their unique job-related skills and explain how their values would be fulfilled through the job are likely to impress the interviewer as excellent candidates.

Before concluding the case study, one more thing should be highlighted is usually when the interview session ended, many of the interviewee neglect to request for a business card from the interviewer. Even it seems like not a big deal, but it is a good opportunity for the students to get the business card from the interviewer to access the sources such as the correct spelling of name, contact number and email address of the interviewer where can be used for thanking notes and potential future correspondence. In addition, those details also can be filed as sources of information for possible future contacts.

In conclusion, students should always show a well preparation towards the interview session. What student should do during interview session are always remembering to be confident, truly show out their interest and enthusiasm, answer question with thinking out the boxes and distinctive in order to catch the interviewer mind and impression, and last by not least ask for a business card from the interviewer. Conversely, what student shouldn’t do during interview session are giving bad impression to the interviewer like playing phone, eating, yawning in the room, show out the feelings of nervous and fear, being silent and don’t ask question while there are opportunities to ask. “Skills can be taught, but attitudes are difficult to change”, for a good and success interviewee not only require with excellent interview skills but also require for a good attitude in order to impress the interviewer. With managing a good skill and showing good attitude in employment interview session, there will be a high possibility that you are outstanding among the interviewees and get hired by the company.