Choosing when to talk about a disability can be a problem when attending interviews; if the disability is obvious then the only issue is when to bring it up and talk about it. If the disability is hidden then you have to decide at which point during the interview if any do you make it known. Points to think about before you attend the interview are:

If your disability is hidden

If your disability is hidden then this poses a different set of problems, most of us would probably be tempted not to disclose the disability before attending the interview or even during the interview itself. Interviewers are required by law not to ask if you have a disability but this doesn’t mean they can’t bypass this and find out in a round about way.

• Prepare yourself to talk about your disability if you are asked a direct question regarding it, also if you have a feeling at anytime during the interview that the disability won’t have a negative effect on the interview now would be an excellent time to broach the subject.
• Prepare yourself to answer Questions about the disability if it affected any previous positions you were in for example if you had to have time off because of the disability.
• Keep things short and simple when discussing your disability and acknowledge any problem areas that could occur. For example you could discuss how you would handle any problems in the job which could be affected by your disability. Remember to particularly highlight any skills you have to counteract problems your disability could cause.

If your disability is obvious

Only attend an interview if you are quite sure that you can handle the job as it is described and that you have the qualifications needed for the position.

Take into account if you have a disability that will require any special treatment or equipment at the place of the interview, for example if you are in a wheelchair does is the place where the interview is taking place accessible to you.

Do you need an interpreter or a hearing device? If you do need help then make sure the interviewer understands this and can provide for your needs?

Knowing you need help will probably be the time when the interviewer declines or accepts you with your disability as a candidate for interviewing.

Of course just because you have a disability doesn’t mean that problems will occur but it is handy to be prepared just in case. If you are the best candidate for the position and you present yourself well then the chances are that your disability will not cause a problem.

You chances of being hired are increased greatly if you come across as being confident, successful and competent at your interviews yet you are been placed at an unfair advantage for people to see you in your best light because the interviews are usually stressful and nerve racking.

There is not much that can be done about that other than try and remain calm and collected and don’t get flustered, for your interviews to be a success you have to learn how to manage them comfortably and remain in control. Here are five key strategies to help you achieve success:

Selling yourself

Your interview is your chance to sell yourself yet many people get confused about what this actually means and rather than show themselves in the brightest light possible by talking about the accomplishments they have achieved and the difference they made to the company and elaborating on this they simply answer with the bare minimum.

Turn negative into positive

Sometimes during your interview you may be asked something you have no knowledge of or have never used before, this could quickly turn into a negative aspect of the interview. For example the interviewer could ask you about working on spreadsheets within Excel, if you haven’t used the program the don’t simply say you don’t have any or have never used the program. You could easily turn it around back into a positive aspect by saying that you have worked extensively with spreadsheets in Lotus so you were sure you could pick up Excel in no time at all.

Go from big to small

If for example you are asked about your experience with mergers and acquisitions go from big to small to organise your thoughts, start big and give a very short description of the depth of your experience, then follow up with the smaller ones.

You got this far and passed the first test

Try to remain calm and collected and remember you have got this far and passed the first test which was probably the phone interview after reading your resume, this if nothing else tells you that at least they are interested in you and what you have to offer.

Take the bull by the horns

If you sense the interview is closing and there is something that you wanted to get out and haven’t yet had the chance then don’t hold back, you could say something like “before we end I would just like to mention one more point that I think would be valuable to the company” then proceed to tell the interviewer. It is important to voice your thoughts if you think they are an asset to the interview and it will show initiative.

Dressing for an interview just requires a bit of common sense and a little knowledge of fashion, when asked what to wear to an interview most people will say to dress a little on the conservative side.

What you wear however should relate to the person you are and shouldn’t really be the focus point of the interview, having said that there are a few unwise choices and clothing or accessories that should definitely be avoided.

What not to wear

• Wild or brightly coloured nail polish – With the fashion in the current trend these days on long manicured nails either your own or false ones, an important thing to remember here is to avoid any wild bright colours or glittery effects. Nails should be well manicured and neat if you have to wear polish then stick with French polish or natural.
• An excess of jewellery – Only wear the bare minimum of jewellery, no more than two rings on one hand and if you wear earrings then choose something small and never wear anything large and dangly. Never wear any face jewellery such as nose rings or lip rings and ankle bracelets are a big no.
• Backless or open toed shoes – Avoid wearing backless or shoes with open toes, shoes with excessively high heels should also be avoided if possible as should mules. Wear a sensible heel in a colour that matches your attire and which are not out dated.
• Bare legs – Even in the hottest weather always have your legs covered in stockings, just a plain neutral stocking avoiding seams or patterns.
• Out of date suits – Avoid jackets with lapels that are more than three inches wide or are less than one inch wide. Wear a loose full bodied jacket avoiding a tight fitting one.
• Skirts that are above knee length – Wearing a skirt that shows a lot of thigh is not going to impress, also avoid wearing tight fitting skirts or bold coloured ones.
• Capri pants or leggings – These should be avoided at all costs, if wearing pants wear a suit.
• Leather jackets – leather jackets are out including blazers they look too much like outer wear and will only make you sweat even more.
• Turtle neck sweaters – Always wear a shirt with a collar and preferably a tie, when wearing a tie make sure it is not outdated.
• Printed or fashion handbags – choose a traditional small handbag that is inconspicuous and conservative.
• Red briefcases – if using a briefcase then use a traditional one in a conservative colour and which is in a good condition.

When in doubt stick with conservative colours, shades in grey and blue are good colours while wearing black can be too conservative and dull. If wearing black then offset it with a coloured blouse, shirt, scarf or tie, always remember that first impressions do count so make sure you always take care with your appearance.

What is a behavioural interview and how do you know if your interview is or will turn into a behavioural interview? The answer is simple and a clear guide to a behavioural interview is when the interviewer says to you “so tell me about a time when…”

The interviewer will use the behavioural interview technique as a guide to your future success based on your past experiences. Simply put this means that if you have done well in past experiences then the chances are that you will do so again in the future. An example would be if you told the interviewer you saved the company you’re working for now money by cutting back on certain aspects then he/she will think there’s a good chance you could do the same for them.

Elaborate on your past achievements

When asked behavioural Questions then speak out and elaborate on what you have achieved in the past by giving examples, for example if the interviewer should ask you to tell them how you have managed to meet deadlines in the past, give them detailed examples of deadlines and how you specifically met them.

Do your homework beforehand

Practice well before the interview giving yourself Questions and writing down how you would answer them in the best possible way to show off your achievements. You have to be ready for anything and always be ready to back up any claims you make of your achievements. If you say you’re good at something then be ready to give a full explanation of it when asked.

Example questions the interviewer could ask

• Tell me about a time when you were convinced you were right and others where wrong, what did you do about it?
• Tell me about a time when you had to carry someone who wasn’t pulling their weight, how did you handle it?
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake, what did you do to recover from it?
• Tell me about a specific time when you succeeded?
• Tell me about a time when you had to meet a deadline, how did you manage?

Of course these are only a few examples of the type of questions that can be asked when using behavioural techniques, the best way of dealing with them is to sit down and think of the achievements you have accomplished and make these a strong point during your interview.

With a bit of luck your future employer might later ask in the interview behavioural questions relating to topics that are your strong point. Write down two or three example answers that you could provide at the side if the questions and study them.

One of the most important things to remember when writing a resume or attending an interview is to sell yourself, think about what you have to offer the employer and why you are the best person for the job, what can you do to make yourself stand out and make sure the employer remembers you. Successful resumes and interviews are all about matching what you have to offer, your particular skills and achievements with what the company is looking for.

Concentrate on your five best skills or achievements

Before the interview takes place concentrate on your five best skills and how you can put them across to the interviewer in a way that will make you stand out from the crowd. Your objective is to match your best skills with the job on offer and get these points across to the interviewer ensuring when you leave the interview you will not be forgotten easily.

Think of ways that you can get your achievements across many times throughout the interview, for instance if you are having an interview for a position that requires great organisational skills and the interviewer starts off by saying “tell me a little about yourself”, now is the time to make a start on getting your point across and selling yourself of how well you are at organising. You could start off by saying “one of my key skills is organisation.” and continue with examples of skills in your previous jobs.

Later in the interview you could bring organisational skills up again in a different way, say for example as a story you tell.

When asked “what makes you the best person for the job” again reiterate how good your organisational skills are and how you could be a positive part of the working team.

By repeating your best skills over and over you are far more likely to remain on the interviewers mind than by just mentioning them once or twice during the interview.

Defining your strong points

You not only have to identify your five strongest points or skills but also make sure they relate to what the job has to offer, make sure you read through the job description several times and know what particular skills the company is looking for.

For example if the job description includes interacting with accounting and manufacturing departments think about what is needed to accomplish this and what kind of person the company are looking for.

This particular example would require excellent communication and interpersonal skills, if you are particularly skilled in these areas then make sure you keep letting the interviewer know this.

The point of the interview is to sell yourself as the best candidate for the position and by focusing on just a handful of skills and pointing these out, you will more than likely leave a good impression on the interviewer that won’t quickly be forgotten.

When you walk into the room at your interview first impressions count so you will have to appear confident, in control and calm even though inside you might not feel like it. Here are some job interview techniques to help you:

Interview tips

• Walk into the room with your head up, with good posture and a brisk walk making eye contact with the interviewer.
• Shake hands with the interviewer with a firm handshake and don’t sit down until being offered to do so.
• The interviewers first impression of you can often affect the way the remainder of the interview goes.
• Listen intently to the interviewer, excellent listening skills are an important tool during the interview process. Always remain calm and collected and answer Questions promptly and decisively when asked.
• Prepare yourself well beforehand, by preparing for the interview beforehand you will be able to appear more calm and in control, arm yourself with as much knowledge of what the job entails and research the company this will enable you to interact better with the interviewer.
• Always project a relaxed image throughout the entire interview, a good way of doing this is to adjust your speed of speech to match that of the interviewer.
• Never make any negative comments during the interview, always be positive with your answers and project a positive upbeat attitude.
• Be prepared to follow the interview style, for example structured or unstructured and vary your answers to Questions accordingly.
• During the interview stress on one of your key skills as much as possible, while trying to show yourself as a well balanced choice for the position.
• Make sure you keep up to date with current trends by reading publications and talking with insiders.
• Make sure you have well researched the company and know there plans and goals for the future.
• Don’t be afraid to decline answers to illegal or inappropriate questions, but remain calm and composed and decline gracefully but strongly.

6 things you should avoid at all costs

• Arriving late for the interview
• Dressing inappropriately
• Showing a lack of confidence
• Being inconsistent
• Having a poor attitude during the interview
• Reacting to questions in a hostile manner

Even the strongest willed person can be overcome by nerves during an interview, after all this is your chance to make a big impression and secure the job. We want it to go smoothly and not make any mistakes and show the interviewer how capable we are.

A little careful planning however beforehand can go a long way to helping you succeed during the interview, people quite often forget about the little things so here are listed the most 6 common mistakes that people make during an interview:

1. The interview is not an interrogation

Many people think of the interview process like an interrogation, this is not true. An interrogation is when a person is grilled or questioned relentlessly to find out what they know.

The interview however is a two way process, the interviewer needs to find out if you are capable and are the best person for the job but also you need to find out if the job is what you want too.

Try to think of the interview as nothing more than a business conversation between two people, where both have question and answers. More often than not the interviewer will appreciate you asking Questions rather than just sitting there.

2. Turning a weakness into something positive

The interviewer will frequently ask you about your weaknesses, most people will usually turn this around and state that they are a perfectionist, trying to turn a negative into a positive.

However the interviewer will have heard this time and time again and will not be in the least bit impressed, you are far better off telling of an area of weakness and staying what you are doing to improve in this area.

The interviewer knows that no one is perfect and doesn’t expect you to be and will be happy that you have answered honestly.

3. Failing to ask Questions

At the end of the interview the interviewer will ask if you have any questions you would like to ask, the worst thing you can do here is to reply with a simple no.

This gives the impression that you are not in the least bit interested and you gave no thought about questions to ask before hand. Before the interview give yourself plenty of time to research the company and jot down at least five questions that you can ask when the time comes.

4. Research yourself

Most people when attending interviews will research the company but completely forget about themselves, Make notes about your self and include any particular skills and achievements that you have accomplished over the years.

Think about questions you may be asked during the interview and prepare your answers, you have to be ready to back up any claims of achievements that you make.

5. Forgetting to switch off your cell phone

Most of us will admit that we couldn’t live without our cell phone but there is a time and place for them and that place isn’t in the interview room. Before you go into the interview room double check to make sure you have turned it off or at the very least put it on silent.

6. Don’t sit and wait for the call back

After the interview write a thank you letter and then forget about the interview there is nothing worse than sitting by the phone waiting for the call back. If you have been successful then you will hear about it in good time if not then give yourself a pat on the back for giving it your best shot and try again.

Impressing the interviewer or potential employer is your number one goal, if you can do this the battle for getting the position is half won already. It is therefore in your best interest to have some understanding of what employers and interviewers actually look for, here are some tips on the top 10 things that employers want:

1. Communication skills – Excellent communication skills are the number one thing that employers and interviewers look for in a candidate. These can be either verbal or written communication skills but you must be able to prove that you can communicate and work alongside others in an excellent manner.

2. Honesty and integrity – This is the 2nd most important thing interviewers and employers look for in a person, so it is worthwhile to remember this during the interview process and make sure that any answers you give to Questions you answer honestly as you may be caught out later during the interview if asked the same question in a roundabout way.

3. Teamwork skills – These are another important asset you must have, preferably you will have backed up any claims you make regarding teamwork in your resume with a portfolio, you can then present the portfolio during the interview showing and confirming previous experiences you have had with teamwork skills.

4. Interpersonal skills – You must be able to prove your interpersonal skills to the interviewer or employer during the interview, skills such as working alongside others, being able to evaluate and accept responsibility, make team work more efficient and identifying methods used when dealing with conflicts.

5. Strong work ethic – you must be able to prove that you are willing to go beyond the call of duty for your employer and that you are willing to give them 100% commitment to the company and the job.

6. Motivation and initiative – You should give examples during your interview to get across that you are willing to show imitative and can show motivation when left to your own devices.

7. Flexibility and adaptable – Give examples from previous positions that show your adaptability to situations that can arise and that show you are able to be flexible and not stuck in a rut.

8. Analytical skills – try to give examples showing off your analytical skills backing up claims with your portfolio during the interview, employers and recruiters look for ways that you have been able to analyse and clearly identify problems.

9. Computer skills – With today’s modern technology focusing on the use of computers excellent computer skills and understanding of various types of software are essential, try to prove you are literate in the use of computers and software in your resume or portfolio.

10. Organisational skills – You will have to prove that you are able to organise in a quick and clear manner and show that you are not afraid to take charge of a situation and find a solution. This again can be shown in your resume or portfolio with examples from previous jobs.

Interviews like any kind of test can be hard particularly if you don’t know the answers to the Questions asked, tests however are some what easier because you will have a general idea what is going to be on the test paper and if you have been wise you will have studied beforehand.

Luckily research has shown that there are certain questions that are asked at interviews more than others, while it’s not possible to know all the Questions you will be asked at least you will be prepared for the most common and regularly asked ones.

Questions regarding personality

• Are you generally the first person to initiate a conversation?
• What was the last book you read or movie you went to see or sporting event that you attended?
• What is the toughest part of a job for you?
• Are you creative?
• How would you describe your own personality?
• Are you a leader?
• What are your goals for the future?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Tell me about yourself

Your career goals

• If you could start over again what changes would you make?
• What options career wise do you have right now?
• How would you describe being successful and how successful would you say you have been so far?
• If given the position with us how long would you stay with us?

Your working habits and styles

• If I were to ask your boss what would he say were your greatest and weakest strengths?
• Why should our company hire you?
• How are you at handling pressure and deadlines?
• How long would it take you to start making a noticeable contribution to the company?
• How have you changed the nature of your job?
• Would you prefer working staff or line work and why?
• In your present line of work what problems have you noticed that others have missed?
• How do you resolve conflicts when working as part of a team?
• What was the most difficult decision you have ever had to make at work?
• What can you do for our company that another applicant couldn’t offer
• What is the most attractive part of the job offered to you and the least attractive?

Your experiences and accomplishments

• How have you contributed to increasing sales or profits in the company your with now?
• Have you helped in reducing costs in the company and how?
• How many people were under your supervision in your last job?
• Do you enjoy working with figures more than words?
• What did you enjoy the most in your current position and what did you like the least?
• Can you name your five most significant accomplishments in your last position?

Experience and management

• Don’t you think you might be over qualified for the position we’re offering?
• What is your style of management?
• What qualities do you look for when hiring people?
• Have you ever had to fire someone and if so how did you handle it?
• What do you think is the most difficult task in management?
• What is your biggest weakness in a managerial position?

Salary questions

• What salary are you looking for?
• How much do you expect if we give this position to you?
• What salary do you think you are worth?.

There are several different types of interview so make sure you ask which type of interview you will be having before attending, you can find out by asking about the interview procedure, who will be conducting the interview and the purpose of it, when scheduling a time for the interview.

The objective of the interview is to:

• Assess the overall abilities of the candidate
• To review and classify the information on the resume

Telling the interviewer about yourself

Be prepared well before the interview to show yourself in the best possible light, prepare how you are going to respond to Questions such as “so tell me a little about yourself.” practise in front of a mirror speaking in a relaxed and confident manner. This is your chance to get across your experience, skills and achievements.

The preliminary or screening interview

This is an initial interview that helps the employer to find the right applicants for the job, many companies will choose to make this type of interview over the phone. This type of interview will provide the applicants with an opportunity to highlight skills, achievements and show enthusiasm.

The informal interview

This type of interview will usually be very relaxed and sometimes it will take place away from the work environment, if the interview is to be held over a meal then never drink alcohol even if asked.

The formal interview

This is the most common of interview types and will take place usually in the place of work and will be a one on one interview. The interview will usually be held by one of the key personal responsible for hiring.

The panel interview

During this type of interview several people may interview you at the same time; an important point to remember during this type of interview is to keep establishing eye contact with every panel member not just the person asking you Questions.

The group interview

This type of interview involves several applicants being interviewed together; the main reason for this type of interview is to see how well applicants interact with one another.

The stress interview

During this type of interview you will be purposely put in a stressful environment to see how you react to stressful situations, it is important to keep good eye contact and answer in a confident manner.

The advertising interview

Sometimes the interviewer may appear to be trying to sell you the job instead of the other way around, try to find out why the job is being sold to you and be on your guard.