Interview Tips for Immigrants

Winning that Interview Today!

Sadly, in most interview situations there are no prizes for coming second. None.

As the old saying goes, the more you sweat the less you bleed, right? Well that is one of the wisest things you can keep repeating in your mind as you gear up to prepare for a fight.

This might well be the most important fight of your life!

Preparatory Stage:
 

There is an old saying in India and that runs as follows "What you see is what you become".

If you can spend some quiet time sitting silently or lying down with your eyes closed and you mind calm. See yourself traveling ahead of time to your intended destination. You are smartly dressed. You are calm and you smile a lot. You know you are going to win. You begin by thanking the person for inviting you to the interview. Your name is called and you are showed in. The interviewer is in a great mood. Visualize the end result as if it were already achieved. See your interviewer very pleased at the end of the interview. See yourself calm, relaxed and confident as you leave. A thank you from the bottom of your heart as you leave would be a fitting closure to the event. Now look at  that job offer letter with your name and designation on it. Feel the paper, notice your excitement build and imagine your friends and loved ones congratulating you. Feel  the subsequent jubilation and joy on your face spread to the rest of your body,  as you read those very positive and welcoming lines. Then see yourself working in that firm, being rewarded for your service and receiving the admiration of your peers. Create your exit date.

Invest just twenty minutes doing this wonderful exercise and I assure you in no time at all, success will be your's in great measure.

What you invest in consciousness will show up a hundredfold in your every day life. In truth there is no difference between what is on the inside of you, in your mind and what is reflected on the outside of you in your life.

Most importantly what you focus on will be that which you attract into your life. Look around you. Select five of your close friends. Multiply their annual incomes and divide them by five and you are likely to be looking at what you earn on an annual basis. Why? Because you attract people who are on the same wavelength as you are. In fact if you make a deeper study of their lives you will find many similarities and beliefs that you share in common with them.

This technique of mental visualization  is used by many job applicants to help them maintain a competitive edge, so why shouldn’t you take advantage of it?

Research has shown that such a technique actually conditions the subconscious mind, which is responsible for, amongst other things, muscle control and speech.

By repeating an imaginary process the unconscious mind is trained how to react when a similar real-life situation arises.

Often the difference between winning and losing is immeasurably small. For example in the last Olympics the difference between the Gold medal winning time and the eighth place finishing time was just 1.8%.

Sadly, in most interview situations there are no prizes for coming second. None.
 

Preparing yourself for an interview is of prime importance. Study this list and plan your answers ahead of time so you'll be ready to deliver them with confidence. 

Can I see some of the original Certificates and Documents that you alluded to in your CV please?

Most employers complain that what puts them off greatly is the sight of an applicant's paper work in total disarray. Carry a binder. Neatly attach coloured stubs or markers that label and separate different documents so they are easy to retrieve and present to the interviewer.

The first 70% are really what matters most. If you are dressed appropriately, feel positive and show that you have an air of competence when it comes to managing your own portfolio of paperwork its very likely that you would have managed to have won a sizeable portion of the battle.

According to modern research most communication is non-verbal. The conscious mind is unable to grasp no more than 40 bits of information per second whereas the subconscious mind is able to pick up over 4 Billion Bits of information per section! 

Guess what your interviewer is probably unaware of what his subconscious mind picks up from you but he may go back and say to himself " I have met twenty candidates so far but that individual has something unique and feels like just the perfect we need to hire". Case closed. You get the letter of job confirmation. You are smiling. You know now you can duplicate this with any event in your life. Yes, your mental preparation paid off handsomely.

What do you know about our Company?

Use the internet for starters. Google the company. Check to see what the stock is trading at and what future growth prospects there are for the products that the company offers over the next ten years or so.

Do a thorough search on the Company, its Vision and Philosophy.. You are going to work here for sometime to come hopefully. Its like a marriage of sorts. In fact you are likely to spend more time traveling to and fro and at work than you are likely to spend with your spouse and children.

The average commute in most major cities is an hour one way and and hour back.

When you show the interviewer that you have gone the extra mile and have taken the time to learn about the firm you are to join, you can be sure the reaction will be one of great appreciation!
 

What Are Your Weaknesses?

If you are not prepared for this vital question it may throw you off your horse completely.  Handle it always by minimizing your weakness and emphasizing your strengths.

If you have a weakness you may say "I am always working on improving my IT skills to be a more effective programmer. I recently completed a course in Java Programming, which I am sure will be valued by your firm"

Why Should We give you the job?

Everyone of us has a USP. A Unique Selling Proposition!

Search deep down in your soul and look for that special talent you may have that may enhance the job you seek. Be modest and realistic.

Summarize your work experience: "With ten years' experience working in the automotive  industry and my proven record of being one of the top salesmen, I could make a positive difference in your company. I'm sure I would be a great addition to your team."

When I applied for my first job in Canada as Corporate Sales Manger I stressed the fact that I had worked in International Markets before and since the firm had no one with such experience/expertise, I said my input by be of considerable value.

 It turned out that it was easy to pick that up from the interviewer in the first five minutes of my interview with the CEO. The company was in the freight forwarding and household goods removal business and I thought that might be an added advantage. I also felt at a very instinctual level that very few Canadians might venture overseas and take up jobs in the same field .

I also affirmed that I could increase the sales volume considerably in comparison to the last Sales Manager who vacated that position.

Lastly, I asked for the job in an indirect way. Its so fundamental. "Ask and you shall receive" is the law of the Universe. Ask confidently. As a Sales Manager wasn't it my duty to learn to ask for the sale? :)

Why Do You Want to Work Here?

Here is where your preparation comes into play.

List what you know about the company. Speak about the competition. Speak about the product. Talk about the Industry if you have some basic facts and show the interviewer that while there are other firms out there this one has really grabbed your interest right from the start. This is where you want to be.

Tell the interviewer that you would love to work here. Show genuine appreciation and excitement. Enthusiasm works wonders!

Indicate you are eager to learn and are a team player. Lean slightly forward in your seat. Only so very slightly. Leaning slightly forward is always a non-verbal communication signal  where you are indicating a special interest in the subject. Dont be surprised if you may notice a reciprocal movement though unconscious by the interviewer. :)

"Actions always speak louder than words"

What Are Your Goals?
 

Have you written your goals?

Then begin now. Writing your goals enlivens them. They attract the very conditions conducive to the manifestation of those goals.

Ask yourself what excites me about such a goal?

Write your goals in the present tense.

Keep them realistic and exciting.

Sometimes it's best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future.

For example, "My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My intermediate goal will depend on where the company goes. I aim to eventually grow into a position of responsibility."

"My long term goals would be to help assist in the unfolding of the visionary goals of the founder"

Why Did You Leave (Or Why Are You Leaving) Your Job?

If you're unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a positive context: "I managed to survive a round or two of corporate downsizing, but the third round was a 25 percent reduction in the workforce, which included me."

If you are employed, its a good thing to focus on what you want in your next job: "After three years, I made the decision to look for a company that is team-oriented, where I can add my experience."

"I wanted an environment that gave me the opportunity to grow".

My favourite philosopher that I would like to quote on the subject of Change is the ancient Greek Philosopher Heraclitus who said to his followers "Change is the only constant in the Universe".

When Were You Most Satisfied in Your Job?

 If you can relate an example of a job or project when you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of your preferences. "I love people. I am a people person" " I am excited about research". " I love working under pressure" and  "I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the Vice President of Sales and that is an important part of the job for me."

What Are Three Positive Things Your Last Boss Would Say About You?

It's time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss's quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else's words: "My boss has told me that I am the best chef he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my creativity." There you have it. Create your own list.

What do you expect as a salary?

One possible answer would be: "I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. ( Slight Pause.... then continue...) In what range do you typically pay someone with my skill sets or background ?"

Its always best to allow the employer to make the offer. You could loose out by offering the interviewer an idea of what you expect as a salary and it could be much lower than what they are gladly willing to pay you.

It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first.

Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and your bottom line or walk-away point.

Employers will not generally hire you if they perceive any of these attributes during an interview:

In a recent research study undertaken by Extra Sensory Perception Limited, commissioned by on-line recruitment company Ifoundwork, over 50 recruiter's from key industry sectors in the UK were questioned about the traits that they most like and dislike in an applicant.

When asked about the things that made a negative impression on them during the interview process certain trends emerged. The eight traits below are the trends that most annoyed prospective employers.
 

1. A lack of real interest or enthusiasm.

2. Unkempt unsuitable or untidy personal appearance.

3. Little or no ability to communicate clearly.

4. A lack of rapport, especially little or no eye contact.

5. Poor, incomplete or sloppy application form.

6. Being late for the interview.

7. An unwillingness to start low and work up the corporate ladder.

8. Negative attitude, specifically about past employers.

Notes on the Subconscious Mind

By Dr. Bruce Lipton

"The problem with trying to reprogram the subconscious is that we fail to realize it is playing behavioral ‘tapes.’

To understand why conscious awareness does not readily change subconscious programs, consider this instructive analogy:

I provide you with a cassette tape and you put it into your player and push the play button.

As the tape plays the program, you realize that you do not like it.

 So, you yell at the tape player to change the program, you ask it to play something different.

After awhile of not getting a response, you yell louder and get angrier at the tape player because of the lack of a response to your request.

Then when it seems hopeless, you beseech God to help you change the program.

The point is simple, no matter how much you yell at the tape player it will not change the program. To change a tape, you have to push the record button and then rerecord the program incorporating the desired changes."

PS: I had the extremely good fortune to be invited to speak and share the platform with Dr. Bruce Lipton at the end of his workshop on "The Biology of Beliefs" at the HR Macmillan Space Center, Vancouver BC , May 2000.

 
http://www.brucelipton.com/about

"If you believe you can or if you believe you can't...you're right!"

Henry Ford

Sample Affirmations

1.I trust the decisions I make.
2. I trust the Divine guidance I am receiving.
3. I acknowledge my ability and responsibility to make a positive difference in the world.
4. I actively embrace the opportunities that come with change.
5. I am true to my personal vision.
6. I am willing to take the risks necessary to live my life openly and honestly.
7. I give myself permission to do what I love

When you rewrite the "software" of your mind, you change the "printout" of your life.

Robin Williams ~