Sometimes all we have is a few moments to make an impression on a hiring manager for a company we’re interested in. Whether you bump into them in public, are attending a job fair, or happen to see them while waiting for an interview, you will always want to create a dialogue. This is the perfect time to break out your elevator pitch. These are quick and concise explanations of who you are as a professional, and they get their name by being delivered in the time it takes for an average elevator ride: about 30-45 seconds. Think of it as the cliff-notes version of your resume where speed and clarity is the name of the game. Follow these tips to make sure you make the most of those few precious moments and make the best impression you can.

Attention Grabbing Hook

First things first, you want to make sure that when you start your elevator pitch you grab the person’s attention. Have an interesting stat or piece of information at the ready, or maybe a funny quote, something to break the ice. This gives you something to be remembered by. You also want to make sure you introduce yourself as well during this step. The last thing you want is to absolutely nail your pitch and then realize you forgot to tell them your name.

Define Who You Are

This step is fairly simple. You want to create a one or two sentence explanation of who you are as a professional. This can be as easy as stating your current profession or any work you have done in the past. A good way to get a few ideas for this portion is to create a list of the ten most important pieces of information you want to share about yourself, and then hone that list down to three or four options to include in your pitch.

Describe What You Do

When giving your elevator pitch, one of the most crucial things to include is what you do. You can have all kinds of unique skills, have a great attention grabber, and be incredibly sociable, but none of that matters if you don’t also explain the type of work you use these skills for! It also leaves the person you’re talking to wondering if you would even be a good fit for their organization, and it can lead to some confusion if they want to schedule an interview. Say you list off skills that lead to you scheduling an interview! You’re excited and ready to absolutely knock it out of the park. You walk in the door, and after a few moments you realize your’re being interviewed for an accounting position… but you do advertising. While this is an extreme example, its still important to be upfront and direct when it comes to the type of work you do.

Explain What Makes You Unique

This is arguably the most important part of your elevator pitch: the part where you make yourself stand out from everyone else. You want to work in any unique experiences, skills, or qualifications that sets you apart from every other candidate that does what you do. Keep in mind that your elevator pitch is about speed; you’re giving the person a cliff-notes version of your skills. While you may want to try to list all the experience that separates you from the crowd, its better to spend your time explaining one or two things. That way you can give a more in-depth, detailed explanation with the time you have.

Describe Your Plans For The Future

This is a two part section. You not only want to express your career aspirations, but also a plan to meet with the person in the future for a formal interview. For your career aspirations, you want to be realistic and communicate the positions you are most interested in attaining. If all goes well and you end up setting up an interview with them, be considerate of their time and accommodate their schedule. This would also be the best time to present them with your business card if you have any with you.

We always want our interviews to go over smoothly, but sometimes things go wrong. The most important thing to do in these situations is remembering not to panic. Its not going to be the end of the world. Good preparation and keeping a clear head can help you get through most roadblocks that might pop up between you and your interview. Take a look at the tips below to get a few ideas about adapting to the most common mistakes people make when heading in to an interview.

Submitting Wrong Resume

This is a problem few may come across, as not many people have more than one resume (even though you should have different resumes for different positions). However, if you do ever submit the wrong resume in an application, look at the situation and respond accordingly. In some cases, the differences between the resume you wanted to submit and the one you actually submitted are so small you won’t need to take any action. However, for example, if you’re applying for a clerical position and submit a resume that only includes your general labor/industrial skills, then you will definitely want to get the correct resume in front of the recruiter. Send an email explaining the mistake and make sure the correct email is attached as a PDF.

Being Late

Being late to an interview isn’t always your fault, but it almost always makes a bad impression. Your car might not start, traffic might be bad, or maybe you forgot to set your alarm. Life can get in the way sometimes, but no matter your situation, if you find yourself running late to an interview you need to call your interviewer to let them know. Don’t waste time with excuses; instead, acknowledge the mistake and apologize. In some cases, especially if your interviewer has a busy schedule, they may ask that you reschedule. While this can be frustrating, its important to keep a positive demeanor over the phone to make a good impression. Rescheduling an interview is better than not getting an interview at all.

Mixing up Appointments

Chances are, if you’re looking for work, you’re applying to a lot of different places and scheduling interviews all over the place and that can lead to some appointment mix-ups. Mixing up where you need to be and when can lead to some pretty stressful situations. You don’t want your interviewer thinking you stood them up. If you ever find yourself in this situation, call as soon as you are aware of your mistake. Don’t give too lengthy of an apology, but let them know you had a scheduling mishap and would like to reschedule; and be sure to accommodate the hiring manager’s schedule. Being proactive and admitting your mistake are actually traits recruiters look for in candidates, so this very well might get you a second chance.

Your Phone Goes Off

As a general rule, its a good idea to make sure your phone is on silent and put away when you go into any kind of meeting; but especially for an interview. You want to give the interviewer your full attention and the interruption of your cell phone going off can bring the interview to a halt and is usually seen as unprofessional. If you ever find yourself in this position, DO NOT answer your phone. Instead, immediately silence it, apologize for the interruption, and continue with the interview. The less amount of time you spend on the issue, the better.

You Accidentally Swear

This one is more common than you might think. It can be easy to have a little slip up when you’re talking about something you’re passionate about, or when the interview has a very conversational tone. While some might think this is the end of the world, relax, it isn’t. If you do find yourself in this position, address it but don’t spend too much of your time apologizing about it. Instead, try to spin your slip up as a positive. Explain that you get so excited talking about (insert subject) that you can get a little carried away. This option acknowledges your mistake but also lets the recruiter know that you have passion for the work you do.

You’re Asked a Question You Don’t Know the Answer To

This is a road block that many people dread in an interview for fear of looking like they don’t know what they are talking about. In reality, your interviewer is not going to expect you to know EVERYTHING. If you are asked a question that you aren’t sure of, take your time in answering as it shows that you are thinking through the question to work out the best answer. This is typically why recruiters ask hard questions, they want to see your critical thinking and problem solving skills in action. If you genuinely don’t know the answer, don’t be afraid to admit it; but be sure to give a well educated guess because again, they’re not necessarily looking for the right answer so much as they are looking to see how you approach difficult problems.

You Suffer a Wardrobe Malfunction

You’re all set to go for your interview, got your most up to date resume, you’re on time, and right before you walk into the interviewer’s office you notice a stain on your shirt or hole in your pants. This can really bring your confidence, but its important to remember that your interviewer is judging you based on your skills, not entirely on your wardrobe. When you head in, try to make a quick little joke about the spot or hole and quickly move on; don’t make it into a bigger deal than it is. In the future, make sure to pack a stain stick and/or a small sewing kit with you so you can adapt to any wardrobe issue you may face before your interview.

The advent of social media has been the single greatest communication invention in our history. It makes it possible to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time. It has connected our world in ways that once seemed impossible. Though it may seem like all these sites are only good for looking at pictures of friends and family, they can also be used as effective job hunting tools. Below we have a few tips to get you started on putting your social media to work for you!

Don’t Sign Up For Every Platform

The first thing you might be thinking is “I need to sign-up for as many accounts as possible!” in order to maximize your exposure… but not so fast. While it might seem like a good idea to have a profile on many different sites, if you can’t keep up on posting and staying active on the site then there’s no point in creating the account. Its better to devote your effort into one or two accounts that you remain active and consistent on. By spreading yourself across many different platforms you risk appearing disorganized and struggling to keep up with frequent posts for each one. If you focus on only a couple, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of each platform. Try to stick to the Big Three: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Stay Consistent

Once you’ve decided on the platforms you want to utilize, its important to keep up with posting on each one. Staying active on social media increases your chances of making connections and being noticed by hiring managers, especially if you’re keeping up with LinkedIn. You also want to make sure that the tone and presentation of your profiles remain constant across all of the different platforms you choose to use. This uniformity will give your entire online presence a polished and organized feel and make it easier to identify you across different sites.

Send Personalized Messages

Once you make a few connections online, send personalized messages to them in order to start building a dialogue. Its one thing to be friends with someone on one of these sites, and its another to actively engage with them. Sending a personalized message shows your interest in actively building a relationship with that individual. This is especially useful on LinkedIn, as everyone on this site uses it to network and build their contact base. Build a report with these individuals; its a great way to not only establish new contacts, but also to learn more about your industry and get advice from others in your position.

Join Groups

One of the best assets that social media has to offer are groups. These are typically organized by like-minded individuals to openly discuss and learn about specific topics. You can find a group for almost anything under the sun. Join groups that have to do with your industry and local goings on to stay informed about current events. Don’t be afraid to network in these groups either. One of the key reasons you should be on social media is to make new connections, and joining groups will put you in touch with people who share your interests.

Play It Cool

When you’re building up a dialogue within the online communities and groups you join, don’t come out of the gate too strong. You want to be responsive, but you do not want to the be the person who is spamming their contacts with 10-15 messages a day. Staying in regular contact is good, but too much over a short period of time can become annoying. We know… you’re eager to make a new connections, but make sure you aren’t SO eager that you begin messaging people too often. Keep your exchanges short, professional, and to the point. In this case, less really is more.

Follow The Companies You Love

One of the easiest ways to get up-to-the-minute updates from companies you’re interested in is to follow them on your social media platforms. Companies post everything from job listings, local events, or even outreach posts where they are looking for input from the community. Take advantage of these posts by attending events if you can and interact with them, either commenting on or liking them. Its a great way to start making connections and get name recognition in the companies you’re interested in. Little things like this, if kept up with, can pay off in the long run. Once you’ve built a good report with them online and in person, ask about any available positions within the company that align with your career aspirations.

Your resume is the greatest tool you have at your disposal when looking for a new job. It’s a reflection of your abilities, past experiences, and aspirations for the future. With it being such an an important factor in your job search, it’s important to make sure it is the best it can be. In today’s digital-centric world, it can be hard to figure out how to most effectively structure your resume. The following tips should help you build a resume that not only wows your interviewer, but will maximize your exposure in online applications.

Include Relevant Experience

Whether you’re putting your resume together for the first time, or you’re looking to spruce yours up for an upcoming interview, one of the most crucial things to make sure you do is include relevant experience for the position you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a position that requires good people skills or experience with certain machines or applications, make sure your resume highlights your experience and qualifications in these different job requirements. Your resume is the best tool you have for showing a recruiter why you are the best fit for a position, so it needs to clearly list your qualifications for the position.

Use Keywords

We live in a digital age, and as a result, its more than likely that your resume will pass through a companies candidate screening system; especially if you are applying online. These systems are designed to scan resumes for keywords relevant to the position and to separate resumes from the sea of applications and put them in front of the right recruiters. Recruiters themselves also review your resume for these keywords in order to find the candidates with the most relevant experience to bring in for interviews. Make sure, before you send in your resume with your application, that you read over the job description for the position and edit your resume to include any keywords that you see as requirements for the position, or any phrases or terms that are repeated throughout the job description.

Quality Over Quantity

Many people start creating a resume and often find it difficult to stop listing skills and experience, and as a result they end up writing out their entire professional lives over the span of several pages. While this may be a good starting point, you will want to whittle this down and hone in on those positions that really exemplify your skills or that are relevant to the position you are applying for. As a general rule, you only want to go back about 15 years at the most when it comes to listing previous positions, and you want to try to keep your resume as close to one page as you can. Across all industries, recruiters only spend about 6 seconds on average reviewing any one resume so you want to make sure they can see as much of your skills during that time.

Spell Check

Nothing can ruin a resume faster than spelling and grammatical errors! Your resume is a reflection of yourself, and is often the first interaction a recruiter will have with you. As such, you want to make sure that all the language within is professional, flows naturally, and is correctly spelled and grammatically sound. While some people may struggle with this aspect of resume building, there are programs and software that can scan through documents to check for multiple types of errors. Its a good idea to double and triple check your resume, and either have someone else look it over or run it through a spell check program, before submitting it for your interview.

Clearly Labeled

As stated earlier, recruiters only spend about 6 seconds on average reviewing a resume, so you want to make sure they can find all the information they need quickly and easily. The best way to do this is to clearly label and organize your resume. Include headings and bullet points that define and separate the different sections of your resume so that it the most of its 6 seconds. Make sure your headings are distinct and easily identifiable; the easiest way to ensure this is to either write them in bold text or larger font then the content of their section. Make sure you also have good line spacing to ensure that your resume is evenly and cleanly distributed throughout.

Spring is here and that means its time for Spring Cleaning; a couple of stressful days of nothing but dusting, vacuuming, and organizing everything you need and throwing out everything you don’t. But why stop there? If you’re already getting down and dirty to clean-up your house, you might as well pay as much attention to your interview essentials. Its the perfect time to dust off that old suit, make sure it still fits, update your resume, and reach out to your references. And don’t worry, we’ve got the perfect tool kit here to help you get started!

Suit/Dress

Making sure you have proper interview attire is crucial to making the best first impression. As such, its important to give your suit or dress some TLC. Take it out of the closet and make sure it still fits well and isn’t collecting dust or wrinkling. If your old go-to interview suit or dress isn’t fitting like it used to, visit a tailor to have it fitted or consider buying a new one. Once you have any necessary corrections made, or once you buy a new one, be sure to have it covered with a garment bag or protective plastic to keep it looking fresh for your next interview.

Bonus Tip:  If you do end up buying a new suit or dress, be sure to explore your color options to make your new interview attire uniquely yours. While dresses have a more widely accepted color pallet to choose from, business suits are typically found in shades of black or grey. If you’re in the market for a new suit consider picking up a nice Navy Blue one to add a splash of color and customize the look with more personal accessories like tie bars, cuff-links, or lapel pins. Remember though: less is more.

References

Everyone should have professional references before going into an interview, its a must. But just as important as having your references is making sure that their information is correct. People get married, move, change phone numbers, update their email addresses; life happens. Before you head in to your interview, get in contact with your references and make any necessary changes to their information. This may mean updating your resume as well if you have them listed there.

Resume

Speaking of resumes, another thing to consider in your interview Spring Cleaning is polishing your resume. Make sure all your recent and relevant experience is present along with a list of your skills. Even if your resume is picture perfect, update-to-date, and fresher than a bouquet of spring lilies, it would benefit you to try a new resume format or layout. Experiment with some different templates online and pick one that fits with your style and sets you apart from the crowd while also cleanly organizing your information.

Social Media

Many people may not even consider their social media before going into an interview, but in today’s digital era, interviewers are turning to sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to learn a bit more about their candidates. As such, you want to make sure your social media presence is a good reflection of yourself. Update your privacy settings and make sure any pictures of you having a bit too much fun on a night out aren’t the first thing an interviewer will see if they visit your page.

Bonus Tip:  If you haven’t yet set one up yet, get yourself a LinkedIn account ASAP! Get on it yesterday! LinkedIn, for those unfamiliar with it, is like Facebook for professionals. Its a way for people to network and connect with others in their industry and to explore new employment opportunities. Its a reflection of your professional life and anyone looking for a new job NEEDS to be on it; its the new norm. And the best part about it? Its completely free to use!

Work Samples/Portfolio

For some interviews, usually of the professional or Clerical variety, it is beneficial to provide samples or a portfolio of projects which you have completed in previous positions that exemplify your experience. These can also be helpful in more industrial interviews as providing a tangible example of your experience and successes can show your interviewer that you are a good fit for the position. When Spring Cleaning your interview approach, be sure to update any work samples you have so that they are the most recent examples of your professional expertise. You don’t want to show work you did ten years ago to try to convince your interviewer to hire you for a position that starts in one week. Make sure anything you decide to bring with you to your interview in your professional portfolio is up-to-date.

Industry Knowledge

Going into your interview with some knowledge of your industry is a good way to wow your interviewer and set you apart, but its important to also make sure that knowledge is up-to-date. You don’t want to be walking into your interview with industry info you picked up for your last interview. Do your homework and study up on current goings-on and trends for the future. This will set you apart from the crowd and make small talk with your interviewer a bit easier as well.

You just got the call: They want to bring you in for an interview! After celebrating for a moment it hits you, that nervous feeling that many people get when they’re getting ready for an interview. What will I need to bring? What should I wear? How early is too early to get there? Should I eat something beforehand? All these questions and more flood your mind, and it can get to be a little overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your interview like a pro!

Get Some Rest

No one is at their best when they are tired, and that goes double when you have an interview. It can be hard to answer questions and explain your experience when you’re struggling to stay awake. Make sure you get to bed at a reasonable time, and try to have your interview scheduled for a time that’s late enough in the day for you to be awake, alert, and ready to go; and don’t spend your night before your interview out partying (save that for after you get the job!).

Dress the Part

“Dress for the job you want, not the job you have” as the saying goes; but that may not always be the best course of action for an interview. You definitely want to be dressed well for your interview, but you also want to make sure that what you’re wearing meshes well and makes sense for the position you’re applying for. You wouldn’t want to wear jeans and a t-shirt to an interview for a clerical or office administrative position; just like you probably wouldn’t wear a suit to an interview for general labor work. Company culture is also a factor in determining what to wear. Some companies have a more relaxed dress code, and that can be reflected in what you wear to your interview. Do your homework on the company and come dressed appropriately. If you’re still not sure what to wear, business casual is often the safest bet (i.e. dress pants with belt, tucked in dress shirt, dress shoes, etc.)

Fuel Up

Just like its hard to function when you’re tired, its hard to function when you’re hungry. Before you head into your interview make sure you eat something so that you give the interview your full attention and you’re not distracted thinking about how you should’ve stopped at that McDonald’s you saw on your way in. Speaking of, you want to make sure when you do eat something, its not messy or something heavy that will leave you feeling lethargic. You don’t want to ruin your interview outfit right before you head in to speak to a recruiter, and you definitely don’t want to be left feeling worse than before you ate. Instead, try to eat something light about an hour before your interview time to make sure you’re feeling energized and focused.

Prepare For The Worst

Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and its important that you prepare for anything that might come up between waking up in the morning and sitting down for your interview. Keep extra copies of your resume on hand, lay out your interview clothes the night before, check traffic reports so you know if you need to leave early, etc. You want to make sure that in the event that something goes wrong, you’re prepared to adapt and still make it on time for your interview. Make sure you know the contact information of the recruiter you will be meeting with in the event the worst case scenario happens and you need to cancel or reschedule your interview. If this happens, try to call in well in advance of your interview time; and if it is something that comes up last minute, make sure you briefly explain your reasoning and communicate you apologize for the inconvenience and would still very much like to meet with them.

Arrive On Time

Punctuality is important when you’re attending an interview. The recruiter has taken time out of their day to meet with you, and you want to repay that by being on time. The best bet is to arrive early, but not TOO early. You don’t want to be sitting in the lobby waiting for 20-30 minutes; and in some cases, there won’t be a lobby to wait in. The best course of action is to arrive 5-10 minutes early to allow time to be checked in. In the event you are running late, make sure you either contact the recruiter directly or their office to let them know you will be running late. In some cases, you may need to reschedule the interview; be sure to ask what the best date/time would be for another interview, and adjust your schedule accordingly.

Come Prepared

Making it on time and dressed well for your interview doesn’t count for much if you haven’t brought everything you need along with you. The must haves include your resume and at least two forms of identification, but there are several other items you should consider bringing as well to maximize your interview time. These include a notepad and paper for taking notes, directions to your interview location as well as contact information for the person you are meeting with, a list of professional references if they aren’t already listed on your resume, and a list of questions to ask the interviewer about the position or company. It may also benefit you to bring a portfolio of relevant work you have done in the past if the position you applied for requires previous experience.

 Heading into an interview can be nerve-racking, especially if you don’t feel prepared to answer any of the questions. Feeling nervous is normal, but it can definitely make the interview process more stressful. Never fear because Staff Source is here to not only fill you in on 10 common interview questions you can expect to be asked, but also how to answer them like a pro!

      1. Tell me about yourself.

Yes, its cliché, but it is a question that many interviewers use to assess not only your skill set and personality, but as a way to gauge your confidence as well. If you seem unsure or hesitant in your response, it sends out the signal that you may not be sure about the position. To help, spend time making a short list of your skills and expand on them. This will not only help in the event the interviewer probes a little deeper into your skill set, but will do wonders for your confidence in your abilities going into your interview.

2. How did you hear about this job?

This is an easy one, but important nonetheless. Many companies ask this question to better conduct their marketing efforts or to see if you have any connections with the company; and presenting this information shows your interest in the position. Already having a connection within the company can help in the interviewing process as it gives the interviewer an internal employee that can provide a reference for you, and it gives your application more credibility. So while you may be hesitant to name drop, if you know someone in the company, let your interviewer know!

3. Tell me about something on your resume.

Interviewers want to hear about your past experiences and positions. It helps them create a more complete profile of you as a candidate, and gives insight into what you will bring to their company. Everyone has something on their resume that they’re really proud of, and it’s these pieces of information you should be the most eager to share. Don’t just say something relevant to your most recent position; instead, think back to one of the older positions listed on your resume and talk about how that job helped you develop your skills and grow into the person you are today.

4. What do you know about the company?

Nothing screams “I want this job!” more than showing you did your homework and looked into the company before going into your interview. You don’t need to go overboard, but knowing information like when the company was founded, what it is exactly that they do, and some history behind the company sets you apart and really showcases your interest in working for the company.

(Bonus Points if you can bring up how the company’s values mirror your own)

5. What are you looking for in a position?

While many people approach an interview with the mindset of trying to sell themselves, it is also important to note that you are also a buyer in this transaction as well. You are looking for a position that’s the best fit for you, and as such, you should go into an interview with a clear idea of what you are looking to gain from the position; and you need to communicate this to the interviewer during your meeting. Don’t be afraid to express your concerns or requirements for any benefits that may be provided or about the company culture as a whole. It’s important that you have as much information as possible before deciding to work anywhere to ensure you’ve made the best decision for the company AND yourself.

6. Why are you looking for a job?

This question may seem obvious, and subsequently unnecessary, but it is important for an interviewer to understand why you are with meeting them. Whether you left your last job willingly, were terminated or let go, or if it has been some time since you last worked, it is important to be upfront and honest with your interviewer. Briefly explain any situations or circumstances that have led to you looking for a new position; and only share information that you are comfortable sharing.

7. How do you deal with stress?

Asking this question is how hiring managers identify any potential red flags you might have. You want to show that you can handle stress in a professional and positive manner that helps you continue working or won’t stop you from accomplishing your goals. Nobody’s perfect and we all get overwhelmed sometimes, and it’s important to communicate your limits. Be specific and explain what you actually do to deal with stress; such as taking a 15-minute break to take a walk away from your desk.

8. What are your salary requirements?

Ah yes, the question many people hate answering for fear of asking too high or too low when it comes to pay. The reality is that you shouldn’t be afraid to answer as long as you have a realistic figure in mind for the position. While hourly pay-rates are often fixed, many companies have some wiggle room when it comes to salaried positions; and factors like experience are often considered. Do your homework and come prepared with a figure in mind, especially if the job ad doesn’t include a fixed pay-rate.

9. Why do you want to work for this company?

Companies want to hire people who are passionate about their jobs, so you should have a well thought out answer about why you want the position. First, identify a couple of key factors that make the role a great fit for you, then share why you love the company. Point to specific examples such as charitable events the company has participated in the past for causes you are passionate about, or values the company encourages that you find admirable.

10. Do you have any questions?

The best answer to this question is never “No”! Asking questions shows that you were actively listening during your interview, and it is another way to show recruiters that you are interested in this position for the right reasons. Try to have a list of questions prepared going into your interview, but also form some new ones as the interview goes along. Your interview is not just about the company getting to know you, but you getting to know the company.

By Debby Carreau

Debby Carreau is an entrepreneur, author and founder of Inspired HR. She has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 HR Professionals and is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, among many others. She is a board member for FinDev Canada, Young Presidents Organization and Elevation Group.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/01/31/6-common-body-language-mistakes-to-avoid-in-your-next-job-interview.html