“Now, do you have any questions?” Every job interview, if the job seeker is lucky, gets to this stage. What you do now controls whether or not you get an offer. The résumé gets you in the door, but whether you leave as a job seeker or an employee depends on how you conduct yourself during the...

Certain interviewers like to think of themselves as pop psychologists. These people may have read an article once or know someone who knows someone who is a psychologist – and they now believe that certain questions can allow them to peel aside your defences and delve into your personality. Now,...

An interviewer may ask this question with a hint of a sneer in their tone of voice to see how you cope with disappointment. But you know better than to show any such negative emotion. So instead show your mettle by asking the interviewer: I’d be very surprised to hear that and I’m very interested...

Just as you need to emphasise the positive qualities of jobs that you moved to when answering Why did you leave each previous employer? (refer to this section earlier in the chapter for tackling that question), you need to avoid whingeing about the negative aspects of your current employment...

If the interviewers specifically ask you to criticise your boss, try to deflect the question by emphasising only their good qualities. To be honest, I don’t think my manager has any major failings. She has a lot of experience in the field so I’m always surprised by how much I keep learning from...

If you can truthfully say that you never lose your temper at work, then by all means say so. Explain to the interviewer exactly how or why you manage to keep your temper at bay when you’re at work. For example: I’m not the kind of person who ever gets angry at work. Anger just isn’t productive and...

An interviewer can ask you to rate yourself on a number of criteria – such as your skills as a leader, a team player, a teacher, or a researcher. Obviously, you need to begin by saying that you are a good leader, team player, or whatever. Don’t let modesty get in the way of selling yourself – you...

Do: dress appropriately · Check the “Career” section of the company’s website to see if they show pictures of staff and take note of how they are dressed; this section may even suggest a guideline for dressing · Try using your network to locate an insider and ask their advice · When all else fails,...

Do: try to get all pertinent data during phone call · Names and titles of those interviewing you and their relationship to the position you are applying for · Location, time, type and duration of interview · Phone number and name of person to contact if a problem arises and you must reschedule...