How to Approach an Interview
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You have been invited by a prospective employer to an interview. Congratulations! The vast majority of the people applying for the same job opening were not invited, as the typical interviewer selects only a few of the top prospects, based upon a resume, application, or both.

From a competitive point of view, your odds of getting the job for which you applied have improved tremendously. Depending upon the particular position and company, there may have been several hundred, or even more than one thousand, resumes submitted. The fact that you were invited for an interview means that you are now one of probably no more than ten people selected, and possibly even one of five. Your selection means that out of the hundreds of applicants, your cover letter, resume or application showed you are qualified for the job. Therefore, you must walk into the interview knowing that you already have the job.

There are only two reasons for you to be at the interview. The first is to meet your new manager, supervisor, or co-worker, depending upon who is interviewing you. The second is to find out the date of your first day on the new job. Similarly, everybody involved in the company side of the hiring process is interested in only two basic things and has to answer two questions. First, are you technically qualified to perform your duties at work? That is, can you do the job? The second question has to do with chemistry. Basically, will you fit in with your co-workers?

All the questions asked during the interview are meant to answer those two questions. The reality is that you would not have been invited to the interview if you had not already answered the first question with your resume or application, so you can disregard that question completely. You are qualified for the job, or they would not have invited you. However, there may be a few questions to determine if you can do exactly what is necessary to be successful on the job. These questions may clarify a few minor points that the resume might have not answered. Keep in mind that there is no perfect resume because there is no way to read the mind of the hiring manager.

Those "picky" questions just fill in the few remaining small blanks, and do not count for any more than five percent of the interview. Any remaining interview questions are meant to find out more about your personality and to be sure that you will fit in with your co-workers. Of course you can! All you have to do is show them that you can. That is the real reason for the remaining 95 percent of the interview.

Here are a few more tips to keep in the mind during the interview:

    Your solid but not finger-breaking first handshake shows the interviewer something about you.

    Using steady eye contact is important, as well as using the interviewer’s name.

    Your tone of voice, the way you sit in the chair, and your facial expressions all mean as much as the actual answers to their questions. In addition, asking the interviewers several good questions will show them that you are interested in the company, the position, and your co-workers.

    Completely answering the questions that are asked shows that you are paying attention.

    Do not turn the interview into a comedy session, but a small amount of appropriate humor can be beneficial.
In general, your demeanor during the interview shows how you will handle yourself on the job. However, the important thing to consider is that your demeanor is determined by your outlook before you even get into the interview room. The entire session is meant to do no more than introduce you to your new co-workers and find out the date of your first day on the new job. If you walk in really believing that, the job is yours.