Job Interview Basics

Showing 139 articles

10 Strategies to Calm Your Job Interview Anxiety

Cold sweats. Racing heartbeat. Spiking blood pressure. No, we're not talking about that sinking feeling you get when you watch a horror movie or board a rollercoaster. We're talking about interview anxiety, that unique terror and dread that overtakes almost everyone before, and often during, a job interview. Let's face it: Whether you're a fi...

Interviewing

How to Mention Your Preplanned Vacation During a New Job Interview

By Vicky Salemi & Venus Gentile

You’re in a job interview, getting more and more excited about a particular opportunity, and the employer’s really into you, too. But there’s a knot in your stomach. You booked a vacation, and its quickly approaching. How should you break the news? Is it wrong to bring up a preplanned vacation to a new job? It might feel a bit awkward, but it do...

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How to Prepare for Your First Job Interview + Practice Questions and Answers

By Venus Gentile, Monster Contributor

Landing your first job interview is an exciting milestone. It's your golden chance to kick-start your career on a high note. Whether you're a bright-eyed new graduate or an eager first-time job seeker, we're here to help you answer those nerve-wracking first job interview questions with calm confidence. Preparation is your superpower here becaus...

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How to Write a Thank-You Letter After an Interview

By Venus Gentile and Kathleen Walder

Writing a thank-you letter after an interview is one of those things you absolutely must do during your job search. Even if you think an offer is in the bag, you can always improve your chances of getting the job by sending an interview thank-you letter. But did you know that most applicants don't take the time to send one? It's bizarre but true. ...

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21 Job Interview Tips for a Winning Performance

By Venus Gentile, Monster Contributor

Interviews are more than just a step in your career journey; they're exciting opportunities to showcase your unique talents and find your perfect job fit. And with the right strategies, you can turn these opportunities into incredible career victories. That's where our helpful interview tips can really give you an edge. Think of your upcoming in...

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How to Respond to an Interview Request Plus Examples

By Venus Gentile, Monster Contributor

Receiving an interview invitation email can be both an exhilarating and daunting experience. It's a testament to your skills and potential, a sign that your efforts and expertise have caught the eye of a prospective employer. Yet, knowing how to respond to an interview request professionally and enthusiastically can make all the difference to how y...

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What to Say When the Interviewer Asks, “Do You Have Any Questions for Me?” 

By Venus Gentile, Monster Contributor

You're at the end of a job interview, and you feel pretty good about it. Just when you think it's over, the interviewer throws the classic curveball: “Do you have any questions for me?” Now, if you think this is just their way of being polite or wrapping things up, think again! This is actually one of the most crucial parts of the interview. It'...

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Why Your Resume Doesn't Get You Job Interviews

By Braxton Wood

When it comes to your job hunt, relying on a single resume for all your applications can be a grave mistake. While it may initially appear convenient, using the same generic resume for every job opportunity can do more harm than good. The hiring process is a multifaceted journey where employers delve deeper into your qualifications beyond just w...

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What to Wear to an Interview: Everything You Need to Know

By Venus Gentile, Monster Contributor

You're floating on cloud nine because you finally landed the interview that could change the course of your entire career. It's an exciting moment indeed. And while your resume and cover letter obviously made a great impression, now you have to do the same. Easy, right? Yes, because you've already tirelessly researched the company - you could proba...

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Ghosted After an Interview? Here's What to Do

By Kathleen Walder, Monster Contributor

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: You just nailed your job interview, and the hiring manager promises to get back to you soon. But then two weeks go by, you haven’t heard anything, and the hiring manager is not returning your calls or emails. Have you been ghosted after an interview? What’s your next step? Consult a psychic? Pull out the Oui...

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Sample Healthcare Interview Questions and Answers

By Camilla Andersson, Monster Contributor

Working in the healthcare industry gives you an opportunity to make a direct difference in people’s lives. As a healthcare worker you can offer patients practical physical and mental support, whether they are going through a routine exam or a challenging medical procedure. Because of the crucial role these jobs serve, healthcare interview questions...

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5 Types of Job Interview Formats You Need to Know About

By Venus Gentile, Monster Contributor

The modern-day job interview has come a long way since its invention in 1921, when Thomas Edison designed a simple written test to evaluate a candidate's knowledge. As the employment landscape continues to evolve with innovative technologies and concepts, job seekers must also keep up with the changing times. In fact, it's more important than ever ...

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Signs That Your Interview Went Well

By Dawn Papandrea, Monster contributor

Going on a job interview can be an exciting but also stressful experience. You spend hours researching the company, preparing smart answers for the tough questions, choosing an outfit, and keeping your cool throughout the actual interview. And in the aftermath, wondering how you really did is perhaps even more nerve-wracking. Luckily, there are som...

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How to Ask for Feedback After an Interview

By Ian Christie, Monster contributor

You know the feeling: that moment in the interview when you realize the opportunity has passed you by. Or perhaps you think you're interviewing well, but you aren't getting any results. You need to figure out what you are doing wrong and fix it ASAP. But where do you start? We have some ideas for how to ask for feedback after an interview. Third-pa...

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How to Tackle Behavioral Interview Questions

By Carole Martin, Monster contributor

Behavioral interview questions aren't exactly like your traditional job interview questions. When you're asked a typical question like, "What would you do if you had a customer who wasn't interested in buying the product?" you can make up a story, invent a scenario, and go from there. Standard issue job interview questions—gotta love 'em! But behav...

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Job Interview Tips for Older Workers

By Dawn Papandrea, Monster contributor

Older workers, you have solid advantages when it comes time to find a job (years of amazing experience), but it can also be a challenge—especially if you haven’t had to interview for a job in a very long time. “It is a very different landscape than it was even 10 years ago, and for many in that demographic, it has been longer than 10 years,” say...

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10 ways to recover from a job interview stumble

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman, Monster contributor

Job interviews are nerve-racking for even the most polished candidates and it’s all too easy to succumb to foot-in-mouth disease. Among the worst job interview mistakes? When you can feel the wrong words leaving your lips while your inner voice is screaming, “No, no! Abort! Abort!” Fortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve totally wrecked y...

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Practice your answers in a mock job interview

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

As with every skill, talent, and expertise, the more you do it, the better you’ll be at it. Yes, the old saying is indeed true: Practice makes perfect—particularly with job interviews. For best results, don’t go into an interview cold. A mock interview can help you formulate smart answers and show you where your weak spots are. In Monster's Gra...

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How to assess company culture to find the best fit

By Kate Ashford, Monster contributor

Company culture plays an enormous part in determining whether or not you'll be happy at a new job. For example, imagine that you’ve found your dream job, got the offer, and you said yes. Now you’re there—and you're ready to quit after you just started. Maybe they expect you to work around the clock. Maybe they’re asking you to do unethical things. ...

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How to nail an interview--even if you're not qualified for the job

By Mack Gelber, Monster contributor

We’re all familiar with the feeling of reading a listing for your dream job. You can vividly picture yourself brilliantly answering the interview questions and cruising toward your new life, one where you’ll rise each day to the smell of fresh-baked donuts (in this fantasy you’re the manager of a popular donut shop), tackling new responsibilities y...

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How to decline an interview when you don't want the job

By Kate Ashford, Monster contributor

When you’re job searching, knowing how to decline an interview is likely not occupying much of your brain space. Who would do that? You hustled hard to get to the point where you actually landed a job interview—and the truth is, it would give you a chance to practice your interview skills. But sometimes, you will need to bow out. That can be due to...

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Video Interview Tips for Success

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

If you’re among the many people who are camera shy, it’s time to take steps to fix that. Your next job could depend on it, and not because we predict you’ll switch careers and get into movies or broadcasting anytime soon. It’s because video chat platforms—FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, etc.—have changed the way employers connect with job c...

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10 best interview tips to live by

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Sweeping a hiring manager off their feet is a great achievement, but pre-interview jitters can make even seasoned job seekers fumble during a big audition. The best interview tips may vary in their techniques, but they all exist to help you bring your best self to the table. The easiest way to calm your nerves and ace your next job interview is ...

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How to Give Examples During Job Interviews

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Impressing a hiring manager is no easy feat. In addition to getting a handle on your nerves, you have to figure out what to say in a job interview that will make you stand out from the other candidates. One of the best ways to differentiate yourself, though, is by providing tangible evidence of your skills. Telling stories makes for a good intervie...

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How to prepare for an interview with a CEO

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

So you have a job interview with a CEO. Welcome to the big leagues! At this point you’ve probably already made a great impression on the hiring manager and other key decision makers. Now all that’s left is to sell yourself to the company leader. Wondering how to wow the top brass? Here’s how to prepare for an interview with a company’s CEO. D...

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What to do if you miss your job interview

By Isabel Thottam, Monster contributor

Here’s the scenario: You’re on your way to an interview, and suddenly—despite all of your planning ahead—you find yourself stuck in gridlock traffic. No, staring at the clock long enough won’t actually slow down time (sorry!), and you quickly realize you’re going to be a lot more than a few minutes late. What do you do? Showing up late to an int...

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What color suit should you wear to a job interview?

By Elana Lyn Gross, Monster contributor

You’ve practiced answering the most common interview questions, perfected your elevator pitch, and printed extra copies of your carefully edited and typo-free resume. Now you just have to make sure you know what to wear to a job interview and look the part, which isn’t always as simple as it seems. “To find out if you even need to wear a suit an...

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How to prepare for an interview in under 24 hours

By Monster Staff

The moment has arrived, except much sooner than you anticipated. An awesome company wants to meet with you! And, as luck would have it, they have an opening in their schedule—tomorrow! Wondering how to prepare for an interview when you’ve been given next to no heads up? Deep breaths: It’s not terribly complicated. Even if you have fewer than 24 hou...

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How to nail your first executive job interview

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman, Monster contributor

After you’ve been toiling away in middle management for a number of years, but you've become invested in an executive job search. Finally, the opportunity presents itself: an executive job opening that’s got your name on it. But making the leap to executive requires more than business skills; it also requires a healthy dose of confidence. After all...

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A crash course for college seniors on how to nail a job interview

By Jon Simmons, Monster contributor

Class of 2020, graduation day is getting closer by the second. If you’re like most students, you’re balancing the stress of finals with the nail-biting, nerve-wracking task of sitting down with strangers and selling yourself—aka, interviewing for a job. You’ve probably been through the interview process before, either for internships or back whe...

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How to keep your cool and ace a panel interview

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Of all the steps involved in your quest to find a job, the job interview is likely the most stressful. What could be more unnerving than sitting in front of a stranger grilling you about your qualifications? Answer: a bunch of strangers grilling you. That’s more or less what happens during a panel interview (also called a board interview), when sev...

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How to address your criminal history in a job interview

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

For many job seekers with a criminal background, getting asked by a prospective employer to describe their record is their worst nightmare. But having a criminal past isn’t a deal-breaker for most employers, a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Charles Koch Institute (CKI) found. That’s great news for the one-...

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Don't leave a job interview without doing these five things

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Between practicing your handshake, crafting an elevator pitch, and planning what you’re going to wear, you have a lot to tackle when it comes to interview preparation. So once the big day arrives and you make it all the way to the end of the interview, it’s only natural to be so relieved when it’s wrapping up that you forget to ask a pivotal questi...

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How to Sell Yourself in a Job Interview

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Unless you’re actually in sales, the very concept of selling yourself during a job interview can be daunting. You don’t want to sound arrogant or corny, or worse, desperate. But learning how to self-promote in a convincing manner is what the job interview is all about. The good news is you can learn how to confidently talk about yourself—specifi...

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The modern man's guide to dressing for a job interview

By Elana Lyn Gross, Monster contributor

You might think men have it easy when it comes to figuring out what to wear to a job interview. Business professional attire is always the failsafe: Just throw on a suit and tie and you're good to go, right? Not really. Interview attire for men isn't exactly black and white. If you’re applying to a job at a startup where everyone’s wearing jeans...

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What to Bring to an Interview: The Top 10

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Picture this nightmare: You walk into an interview for your dream job, shake hands with the hiring manager, sit down, and then realize you’ve arrived completely empty-handed. We’re talking no copies of your resume, no pen and paper for notes—heck, it’s a miracle you remembered to put on shoes! You need to know what to bring to an interview or your ...

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The best things you can say in a job interview

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Sweaty palms. Nervous laughter. Fidgeting. Welcome to the job interview! Unless you’re made of titanium, the question-and-answer process is likely to rattle your nerves no matter how many years you’ve been working a job. Thing is, the key to acing your next job interview is pretty simple: Say the things that hiring managers want to hear. That’s ...

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Sample Nursing School Interview Questions and Answers with Tips

By Jennifer Verta, Monster Contributor

Nervous at the idea of facing nursing school interview questions? Don’t worry! Nursing school interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience indeed, but you can crack them with the right preparation and mindset. As a nurse practitioner, you’ll be one of the most important professionals in a healthcare facility. You’ll provide personalized patient...

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Is it smart to bring up side hustle jobs during a job interview?

By Elana Lyn Gross, Monster contributor

You’re a nurse by day, and a blogger by night. You’re a lawyer at a big firm, but you also design and sell jewelry for a growing clientele. You’re a consultant, who sets your own schedule so you can go to auditions in hopes of one day seeing your name in lights on Broadway. It’s great to have multiple interests and sources of income, but should you...

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Ask Vicki: What are some smart questions to ask an interviewer about work-life balance and company culture?

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

Each week, Monster’s career expert Vicki Salemi—a former recruiter who utilizes 15-plus years of experience in recruiting and human resources to empower job seekers—answers user questions on Quora. We’ll be republishing the answers here. If you have a question for Vicki, send it to socialmedia@monster.com. Q. What are some smart questions to ask...

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5 phone interview tips to master

By Jon Simmons, Monster contributor

Think the interview is the first step to landing your next job? Think again. Most jobs start with a phone call; either with a recruiter, HR manager, or hiring manager—and sometimes, all three. So before you’ve chosen your interview outfit or practiced your handshake, you’ll need to practice a few phone interview tips to get you to the next step. ...

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What to expect at the second interview

By Dawn Papandrea, Monster contributor

Congratulations, you did it—you survived the screening interview and got a callback. While the first round of a job interview is all about going over your qualifications and resume, round two is often where the real vetting happens. “During a second interview, you will need to emphasize your added value to the organization, enthusiasm for the po...

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Should You Send a Thank-You Email After an Interview?

By Jamie Thork, Monster contributor

Showing your gratitude is always a good look, especially during a job search. This means promptly thanking your interviewers. A thank-you email after an interview is the most popular—and accepted—method of following up with your potential future employers. Too bad three out of four job seekers don’t even bother sending a thank-you—any thank-you!—ac...

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Ask Vicki: What do you do if an interview says, "You have 10 minutes to impress me"?

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

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How to overcome the scariest job interview mistakes

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman, Monster contributor

The thought hits you hard: "I think I messed up my interview." Oh no. You've been fielding interview questions from a hiring manager, and you suddenly realize you flubbed an answer. The interviewer knows that everyone is human—so you can just move on and pretend you didn't just accidentally bomb on one of the most common interview questions, right?...

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What to do if your interviewer is much younger than you

By Moira Lawler, Monster contributor

You found your dream job on Monster, and now you’ve got an interview. But while you were researching the company, you discovered that your interviewer graduated from college a decade or more after you did. If you weren’t nervous before, we’re guessing a little apprehension has set in. On one hand, you’re in a position to come off as seasoned ...

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50 best companies to interview with

By Lily Martis, Monster staff

You’ve been firing out job applications left and right, and now companies are asking you to come in and interview. Nervous? What if you and the recruiter don’t click? What if you flub the handshake? Or don’t know how to answer a question? Don’t worry, these kinds of things happen to the best of us—trust us, we’ve been there, too. While interv...

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What to do when you and an interviewer just don't click

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

Three cheers for your potential new job! You landed an interview, the employer seems great, and the salary range is higher than your current pay. But then something weird happens during your job interview: You and the interviewer just don’t click. Maybe they don’t seem impressed by your answers. Maybe they just seem put off by…something. Don’...

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How to nail the most awkward kind of interview: the lunch date

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Ah, the lunch interview—an audition that combines the stress of a job interview with the awkwardness of a first date. To ace it, you’ll need to make a professional impression in a casual environment. That’s no easy feat. “Hiring managers typically do lunch interviews because they want to see your personality come out and see how you behave in a cas...

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How to ace a job interview with no interviewer

By Nicole Yang, Monster staff

Imagine a job interview with no interviewer—it’s just you, a computer and a webcam, getting to know each other. Sound a little too futuristic to be true? Well, for some companies, the future is here. Take this as an example of what’s to come: Last summer, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. did away with their traditional on-campus recruiting methods ...

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This is the key to nailing your next tech job interview

By Kristen Felicetti, Monster writer

After weeks of sending applications and resumes, you’ve finally landed an interview at your dream tech company. But how do you make sure you wow the gauntlet of people that will be interviewing you and convince them you are the best candidate for the job? Good question: That’s why Monster asked Frank Reing, vice president of human resources at s...

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Your Guide to Professional Summer Interview Outfits

By Jennifer Winston, Monster Contributor

We all know that miserable feeling of stepping outside during summer into a muggy, sticky, stifling wall of hot and humid weather. What could be even worse? If you’re heading out for a job interview! During a job interview, you want to make the best possible first impression. That can be difficult if you show up with sweaty pits, with that morni...

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21 ridiculous ways people avoid preparing for job interviews

By Sarah Haberman and Brooke Zambroski

For some people, prepping for a job interview falls into the “Oh, I’ll get to it later” category. While it’s not the best strategy, it’s certainly an understandable one—but only up to a point. “You’re postponing the inevitable, which in this case is a shot at a potentially better-paying job in a role that’s upgraded from your current one,” says Vic...

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Ask Vicki: What does it mean when I don't hear back after a final-round job interview?

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

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Ask Vicki: Why do I keep getting rejected from jobs I interview for?

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

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9 surprisingly effective job interview exercises from improv coaches

By Dominique Rodgers, Monster contributor

A successful job interview requires confidence, thinking on your feet and quickly finding the right words to impress your audience—the same qualities that improv comedy performers need to demonstrate on stage. And the very exercises they use to prepare can also help you make a great impression. Improv exercises can “allow the interviewee to real...

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The 8 things recruiters say should be in a thank-you note

By Dominique Rodgers, Monster contributor

If you’ve reached the stage of your job search where you’re sending thank-you notes, you’re almost at the finish line—but don’t get complacent. A thank-you note is a critical opportunity to seal the deal, so you need to get it right. That means no generic "thanks" will do; you need to make the reader feel special. Monster asked experts to weigh in ...

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Why you should accept a glass of water at every job interview

By Dave Kerpen, Monster contributor

“Oh, no thanks,” I said to Sue, the marketing director for a major bank in Boston that I was visiting on a sales call, in response to her offer of coffee or water. I didn't want to be a bother. Plus, I was running a couple of minutes late, and I wanted to make the most of our time. So I passed on the cold drink of water that I actually craved...

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Ask Vicki: What are the most common reasons why people don't get the job after the interview?

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

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The job interview has changed dramatically--are you ready?

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman, Monster contributor

If you’ve been going on job interviews lately, you might have noticed they’re becoming longer and more involved than they used to be. Businesses have learned the hard way that hiring the wrong people is extremely costly. An oft-cited 2012 study by the Center for American Progress found that it costs businesses about one-fifth of a worker's salar...

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Every thank you note should include this sentence

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman, Monster contributor

There are many occasions for sending a professional thank-you note: after a job interview, if someone does you a favor, if someone hosts you in their office—the list goes on. Regardless of the reason, though, there are certain elements you should always include. This one sentence (or some version of it) should be in every thank-you note you send: “...

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What to do if you're sick when you have a job interview

By Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert

You know the feeling. Body aches, headache, fatigue. There’s no denying it: You’ve caught the flu. Typically, when you’re sick, you’d simply let your boss know you’re taking the day off, and stay within the comfy confines of your bed watching bad movies. But it may feel like a different story when you’ve got a job interview scheduled. The rea...

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7 of the worst job interview clichés we've ever heard

By Daniel Bortz

The ultimate goal of a job interview is to make a lasting impression on the hiring manager—a positive one, of course. (Avoid these blunders at all costs.) A surefire way to blend in: answering questions with clichéd statements. Instead of relying on the banal, “provide concrete evidence when responding to each question,” advises Chery Sutjahjo, ...

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Your worst job interview fears--solved!

By Robert Fucci, Monster contributor

The clammy palms. The thundering heartbeat. The spiking blood pressure. No, we’re not talking about how you feel when you watch Halloween II; we’re talking about how what happens when you go to a job interview. Whether you are a first-time job seeker or a workforce veteran, walking into an interview can scare the daylights out of you. It doesn’t...

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How to handle these 4 interview curveballs

By Isabel Thottam

You’ve successfully made it past the first challenge of landing the job: your application got the hiring manager’s attention. Now, it’s time to do your first interview. It’s okay to feel nervous, but you don’t want to let that show. So what happens if the hiring manager throws you a curveball? From the interview being cut short to a surprise on-...

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7 rookie job interview mistakes you need to avoid

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Many recent college graduates flunk their first job interview. In fact, that’s an understatement, according to an OfficeTeam survey that asked senior managers to recount the most embarrassing job interview mistakes they’ve witnessed. Some of the more cringe-worthy stories: an interviewee was so nervous she almost fainted; one dude fell asleep; o...

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12 recruiters reveal their biggest job interview pet peeves

By Mary Ellen Slayter, Monster career expert

Everyone has a pet peeve. A small, seemingly-innocuous thing that causes high amounts of aggravation for the offended party. Now, if you commit a pet peeve of your spouse’s—maybe you let the dirty dishes stay dirty just a little too long—you might get a snippy remark or a cold shoulder. Commit a recruiter’s pet peeve on a job interview, and you’...

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Recruiters reveal the craziest job interview mistakes they've ever seen

By Mary Ellen Slayter, Monster career expert

We’ve all made a job interview mistake we’d rather forget. Whether you goofed the interviewer’s name, arrived late, or spilled coffee all over yourself minutes before meeting the CEO, you probably feel simply awful about it. Whenever you replay it in your mind—and you certainly try not to!—you feel your cheeks getting warm with shame. But those ...

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Should you cover up tattoos for a job interview?

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

To nail a job interview, you’ve got to look professional. For many millennials, that means concealing their beloved body art. An estimated four in 10 have a tattoo, and 70% say they hide their ink at work, according to a Pew Research Center survey. “Undergraduates know how the corporate world works,” says University of Tampa professor Kristen Fo...

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6 things you could do to really wow a recruiter

By Mary Ellen Slayter, Monster career expert

It takes a lot to impress a recruiter. You're just one more candidate in the cattle call of hundreds they'll see this year, thousands over the course of their career. How can you make sure they think of you as more than just a number? Good luck. We asked a bunch of people in HR to recall one thing a candidate did to really wow them. What we learned...

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The right--and wrong--ways to sneak out for a job interview

By Caroline Zaayer Kaufman

You’re on a top-secret mission: Get to a job interview without your current employer finding out. Whether you’re just seeing what else is out there, or actively working to leave your current role ASAP, you definitely don’t want your boss to know. “This is a great concern for virtually all of my clients who are employed and fearful that their ...

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How to avoid clichés that put interviewers to sleep

By David Eisenberg

My biggest hang-up with the job interview process has never been the act of interviewing itself. Rather, I’ve always spent an inordinate (and frankly, counterproductive) amount of time worrying about the other candidates, nameless and faceless to me, with whom I was competing for a job. Assuming we were all equally qualified, I’ve always worried: W...

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These are 3 of the worst things you could say in an interview

By Jon Simmons

As a young recruiter named Eminem once wisely advised me, “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This job opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo.” It sounded amazing! I eagerly awaited the interview, dressing in my nicest wares, smelling of musk and determination. Unfortunately, I said all the wrong things. Needless to say...

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Asking these 4 questions will help you sell yourself in any job interview

By By Catherine Conlan

Lynda Spiegel, founder of New York City-based Rising Star Resumes, once was asked by a job candidate to prioritize the projects that would be assigned to the role in question. The candidate, who was interviewing for a junior marketing position, then offered insights into how she'd address each project in stages to avoid lag times. “Her discussion s...

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5 questions you should never ask during a job interview

By Catherine Conlan

So you’ve nailed every question the hiring manager asks you in your face to face. Good for you. Now it’s your turn. The person interviewing you will likely ask if you have any questions. And don’t think he or she is done evaluating you. “The questions applicants ask during the interview often reveal their priorities in a way that nothing else durin...

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5 ways job interviews are like first dates

By Julia Gaynor, Monster staff

Since we spend the majority of our lives at work, we’d better like the people we work with. No wonder then, that job interviews often feel like they’re less about what you’ve done and more about who you are. Both of you are hoping that you’ll you click, that there will be chemistry, that you’ll be that magical “right fit” you’re each looking...

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When Is It Too Late to Send a Thank-You Note?

By Catherine Conlan, Monster contributor

You may have been told it’s never too late to send a thank-you note for a gift, but the advice is a little different when it comes to thanking a prospective employer for an interview. You need to know when to send a thank-you note after an interview or you risk looking unprofessional. And that would be, well, bad. Send a thank-you note too soon...

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How strong storytelling can help you nail a job interview

By Catherine Conlan, Monster contributor

When Angelina Darrisaw applied for a job as manager of digital business development at Viacom, the job description was for someone with a banking or consulting background who had more years experience than she did at the time. On paper, she was not the ideal candidate, but she had performed similar job duties in a past position. “After initially be...

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Interview process taking forever? Don't panic.

By Catherine Conlan, Monster Contributing Writer

It’s a sad fact that sometimes the job interview process goes on a long time — a really long time. Some employers need multiple levels of review or approval before they can make an offer to a job candidate. If you’re going through several rounds, you’re probably feeling a little frustrated. Here are some tips on how to stay calm during a long inter...

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The evolution (and future) of the job interview

By Heather R. Huhman

Job interviews have undergone a major transformation since the days of inherited careers and apprenticeships turned full-time jobs. As the work world continues to grow and change with the latest technologies and innovations, so must the job interview. Long gone are the days of relying on references and questions to evaluate job candidates. Today...

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How to ace an interview without any work experience

By Martin Yate, Monster contributor

If you pay attention to managing your career, just a few years down the road you could be climbing into management yourself and starting to hire a team of your own. When you do, none of those hiring decisions will be easy, but the hardest will always be hiring young professionals right out of school because there is usually little or no real-world ...

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Interview like a narcissist, without turning into one

By Dominique Rodgers, Monster Contributing Writer

Vanity, arrogance and entitlement aren’t usually considered attractive personality traits, but it turns out they often help people who exhibit them in job interviews, according to a study by the University of British Columbia. "A job interview is one of the few social situations where narcissistic behaviours such as boasting actually create a po...

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A Full Heart, An Empty Inbox: How to Handle No Response Post Interview

By Jon Simmons

All you have to do is Google “No response after interview” and you’ll get about seven million hits of articles and top 10 lists explaining, reasoning and ranting about not receiving a response after submitting job applications and having interviews. Some take the side of busy HR departments, some sympathize with hungry candidates. There is so much ...

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6 terrifying true stories of job interviews gone wrong

By Catherine Conlan, Monster Contributing Writer

Scary stories aren’t just for campfires. Nightmare interviews can put a shiver down your spine no matter which side of the desk you’re on. Here are six stories of job interviews that went horribly wrong. From the hirers’ perspective The bad temper “We asked a candidate to complete the sentence, ‘People who know you well would say, “Suzie is ...

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Interview Etiquette: Before Meeting the Boss, Befriend the Secretary

By Liz Torres

If everything goes to plan, you've arrived at the recommended 15 minutes before your job interview. You've checked in with the secretary or receptionist, and now, the dreadful wait for the interview – the interview you practiced for rigorously, even talking to yourself in the car on the way there. What you don't know is, this waiting period is actu...

Interviewing

10 chairs you might encounter during a job interview

By Monster Staff

There's a lot of content out there about advice for your resume, cover letter, personal brand, what to wear to an interview and how strong to go on the handshake, but no one ever prepares you for perhaps the most important aspect of the interview: the chair. The chair you are offered (or not offered) can tell you a lot about company culture. Nex...

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How to ace your second job interview

By Rochelle Kaplan, Monster contributor

You’re feeling great after your first interview for a job with a prospective employer and you’re told to expect a call back from human resources about setting up a second interview. When you do get that call, your initial feelings are excitement and triumph! Then, just as quickly, those feelings are replaced by anxiety and fear when you realize tha...

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The 5 Biggest Job Interview Mistakes You Could Possibly Make

By Monster Contributor

By Hannah Hamilton Monster Contributing Writer Congratulations! You’ve gotten an interview for that job you want. The next step is to ace it and get closer to getting hired. To do that, you’ll want to avoid making one -- or more -- of these five big job interview mistakes. Criticizing a Previous Employer Putting down the company you’re tryi...

Interviewing

The 5 Dumbest Things to Say in a Job Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Dominique Rodgers Monster Contributing Writer Job interviews can be stressful for everyone involved. The interviewer feels pressure to make the best hire, and the candidate can feel like they are being put under a microscope. It’s not hard to see why so many of us have horror stories of answers we botched, questions we forgot to ask, or a h...

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Job candidates: Take control of the interview

By Chris Ruisi, Monster Contributing Writer

This guest post is by Chris Ruisi, a human resources and executive coach, leadership expert, professional speaker, and author who’s challenging business leaders to "Step Up and Play Big: in his book. To learn more, visit ChrisRuisi.com. An employment interview is a classic “buy/sell” transaction. The employer starts out as the buyer, with goals of ...

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What to say at a job interview

By By Catherine Conlan

As you go search for a new job, you may at some point wonder what to say in an interview. Say these five things as you go through the interviewing process to give yourself the best chance at landing any new job. “What goals are you trying to meet next quarter?” According to Howard Pines, founder and CEO of BeamPines, “the best thing a candidate can...

Interviewing

How to thank your interviewers

By Elyse Lopez, Monster contributor

Similar to a first date that went well, you need to follow up an interview with some sort of correspondence. But what do you say and how do you say it? Assuming that you did your research about the position and the company before your interview, the thank-you note is easier than you think. Here are a few sample thank-you letters for different inter...

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5 Questions You Should Never Ask in a Job Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Catherine Conlan, Monster Contributing Writer Hiring managers and HR pros will often close out a job interview by asking an applicant if he or she has any questions themselves. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the job and the company's expectations, but you can't forget that the interviewer hasn't stopped judging YOU. Here a...

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Signs You're Failing Your Interview: Interviewer Body Language Secrets

By Larry Buhl, Monster Contributing Writer

You may already know that interviewers pick up on your body language and may even base their hiring decisions on it to some extent. But nonverbal communication goes both ways. Hiring managers also give subtle, unconscious signals that they’re interested in you -- or, in many cases, are losing interest. More Resources from Monster: Nine...

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Five Tips to Ace Your IT Interview

By Monster Contributor

By Joe Issid, Monster Canada Tech Jobs Expert IT recruiting has evolved tremendously over the last decade. As organizations have become more IT-friendly, clients are expecting the same in return. Because IT providers now rely heavily on providing quality service, they need a staff who can accommodate these evolving -- and demanding -- needs. To pre...

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Interview Tips for Stay-at-Home Moms Reentering Today's Job Market

By Monster Contributor

By Sharon Reed Abboud, adapted from All Moms Work: Short-Term Career Strategies for Long-Range Success In today’s economy, many of America’s 5 million stay-at-home moms may find they need to go back to work. While crafting resumes and landing job interviews may be challenging, projecting confidence in a job interview you’ve secured may be your ...

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Nine Things Never to Say in a Job Interview

By Charles Purdy, Monster Senior Editor

When you're searching for a job, landing an interview can feel like a huge success -- and it is, but for most open positions, the interview is only one step in a long hiring process. For some jobs, dozens of people may be interviewed, and the competition will be fierce. Don't take yourself out of the competition by saying one of these job-interview...

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Do your research before a job interview

By Charles Purdy, Monster Senior Editor

You hear it all the time from career experts: "Research the company before you go into a job interview." But what does that mean, exactly? Here are some tips on using the Internet and tapping your network to gain information and insight that'll improve your interview answers -- and help you ask the right questions. The Company's Mission Your prosp...

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Six Ways to Ensure You Don't Get the Job

By Monster Contributor

By Larry Buhl, Monster Contributing Writer Different jobs require different qualities in an employee -- so what a hiring manager is looking for will vary from interview to interview. But there are some behaviors that decision-makers agree are especially annoying. We asked several hiring managers for their interviewee pet peeves -- and for their ...

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The truth about people who lie during a job interview

By Robert DiGiacomo, Monster contributor

Telling the whole truth about yourself in a job interview may mean losing a position to a better-qualified candidate. But the alternative—lying about your degree, qualifications, or experience for short-term gain—inevitably will come back to haunt you. People who lie during job interviews are risking a lot. In Monster's Grads to Candidates virtu...

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Using Tact with a Rude Interviewer

By Monster Contributor

By Carla-Krystin Andrade, for Yahoo! HotJobs "Be courteous" is a fundamental rule of interviewing. But what do you do when the interviewer's behavior is offensive? You want to ace the interview and leave with your self-respect intact. Here are some strategies for responding tactfully to a discourteous interviewer. Do a Reality Check Somet...

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Tailor Your Job Interview for Specific Audiences

By Monster Contributor

By Gladys Stone & Fred Whelan, Monster Contributing Writers When you travel overseas, ever notice how native speakers welcome your efforts to communicate in their language? While no one may take you for a local, people appreciate when you show respect for their culture and point of view. Similarly, if you’re interviewing for a job these days, ch...

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How to Tame the Hostile Interviewer

By Gladys Stone & Fred Whelan, Monster Contributing Writers

We’ve all been in interviews when it seems like all the interviewer wants to do is trip you up. It’s like everything you say is somehow misinterpreted to mean something completely different. How can you diffuse such an uncomfortable situation? First, understand that the interviewer’s hostility is probably not about you. Most likely, the intervi...

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10 Ways to Make the Most of an Interview's First 10 Minutes

By Monster Contributor

By Caroline M.L. Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs You have only one chance to make a good first impression -- and only a few minutes to do just that in a job interview. According to a Robert Half International (RHI) survey of 150 senior executives at the nation's 1,000 largest companies, hiring managers form either a positive or negative opinion of job...

Interviewing

Food for Thought on Lunch Interviews

By Monster Contributor

By Caroline M.L. Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs Dining out is usually associated with pleasure and relaxation -- except when you're being interviewed for a job while you're eating. There are many reasons why an employer will choose to conduct an interview over lunch. "A hiring manager may not want office staff to know the company is hiring for a part...

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The Interview Game Plan

By Monster Contributor

Think of the big interview as game day. What's your strategy? How will you practice, suit up and meet the opposing team? Follow our advice so you’re prepared to play your best. Who knows? You may find yourself the hiring company’s No. 1 draft pick. Pre-Game Warm-Up: Prepare for the Interview Do Your Homework Before the Big Interview In...

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Job Interview Information

By Monster Contributor

Do you have an interview coming up? Get all the advice you'll need to ace it by checking out our complete library of job interview information. Learn how to prepare, answer common (and not-so-common) interview questions, dress to impress and follow up for the win. Interview Preparation | Interview Questions | Interview Appearance Intervi...

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All-Time Deal-Killing Questions to Ask on Your Interview

By Monster Contributor

By John Kador, Monster Contributing Writer Whenever I meet people who routinely interview job candidates, I always ask them to tell me the worst question they were ever asked by an applicant. I’m constantly startled by what some applicants apparently believe is in their interests to ask. Here are 10 of the worst, most self-limiting questions that ...

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Handle the Stress Interview

By Doug Hardy, Monster Staff Writer

Ah, the stress interview -- the job candidate’s worst nightmare. It comes in many forms, from mildly provocative to sadistic. Its purpose: To put candidates on the defensive. The logic behind it: Stressful situations show the true person under the polished preparation, and candidates who perform well under pressure in the interview will handle work...

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Tap Your Network to Ace the Interview

By Margot Carmichael Lester, Monster Contributing Writer

Much has been said about using your network to research companies and find out about available positions. But what about employing your connections to ace the interview? Capitalizing on personal and professional contacts can make the difference between being an also-ran and landing the gig. Here’s how to do it. Get Started “Before reaching out to y...

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Ace Quantitative Interview Questions

By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers Expert

In quantitative interviews, the questions are designed to measure your brainpower. That’s why the most important thing you can do during a quantitative interview -- beyond having great analytical skills -- is to think out loud. Companies use quantitative interview questions to test the limits of your knowledge, as well as the techniques, applica...

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Visualize Interview Success

By Marky Stein, Monster Interview Expert

Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Michael Phelps employed visualization and relaxation techniques before his races. Golf superstar Tiger Woods incorporates visualization into his pre-swing routine. And Phil Jackson, the legendary former head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, implored his players to visualize victory before games. So if your career go...

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Interview Dining Etiquette

By Adam C. Mayer, Monster Contributing Writer

No matter where an interview takes place, it is still an interview. If a potential employer decides to interview you over a meal at a restaurant, your table manners must be up to par. The following etiquette guidelines will help get you through your next dinner interview. Before the Meal Long before you enter the restaurant, make sure you turn off ...

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7 tips to get the interview

By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert

You find a promising job listing online. Excited, you send a customized resume and tailored cover letter and wait for a response. Six weeks later, you're still waiting, your enthusiasm has waned, and you've concluded your resume has fallen into a black hole. Don't despair. A proactive approach to your job search can improve your chances of landi...

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10 Tech Interview Errors

By Allan Hoffman, Monster Tech Jobs Expert

You're there on time, the job description is a perfect match and one look at the office tells you this is the job for you. So what could go wrong? Plenty. Everyone makes mistakes. But according to those who do the interviewing, job seekers for tech positions are prone to a number of common interview blunders. To avoid them, it helps to know what th...

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Think of Your Big Interview as a Simple Conversation

By Thad Peterson, Monster Staff Writer

A lot of job seekers go into interviews expecting to be grilled. They prep for the typical interrogation techniques and practice their answers to all the usual interview questions. They have their talking points tucked away in the back of their minds. But many job seekers fail to recognize that often the best interviews don't feel as much like int...

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10 interview fashion blunders

By Carole Martin, Monster contributor

Any article about what to wear to an interview might well begin with a qualifying statement covering the extremes in various states (New York and California, for example) and industries (technology, manufacturing), which are possible exceptions to the normal rules of fashion. But it might surprise you to learn that those extremes have, over the las...

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Seven Tips for Successful Federal Interviews

By Kathryn Troutman, Monster Federal Career Coach

You’ve submitted your application to work with the government and made the list of best qualified candidates -- now you’ve landed an interview for a federal job. Think the most important part of the application process is over? Think again. Federal hiring managers do not merely conduct employment interviews; they rely heavily on them to identify th...

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How to Make a Follow-Up Call After an Interview

By Dillon Price, Monster Contributor

Waiting to hear back from a hiring manager can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re really excited about the position or just need a new job. While the hiring process is not known for its speed, you can open the lines of communication by following up with the hiring manager with a thank you note, an email, a LinkedIn message, or phone call. S...

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Steer Clear of Interviewers' Pet Peeves

By Carole Martin, Monster Contributing Writer

You sit facing the interviewer, feeling like things are moving along nicely when all of a sudden the interview takes a drastic turn for the worse. What just happened? You may have hit one of the interviewer's pet peeves, one of those things that automatically triggers a negative response. More Resources from Monster: 10 Tips to Boost Your ...

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The 2-Minute Drill

By Carole Martin, Monster Contributing Writer

According to one UCLA study, people evaluate one another using the "Three Vs": visual (appearance), vocal (voice) and verbal (what you say). About 93 percent of whether or not communication is effective is determined by nonverbal signals. Another study, conducted by a University of Toledo psychology professor, concluded that the first 30 seconds...

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Tips for Interviewing for a Temporary Job

By Carole Martin, Monster Contributing Writer

If you think, "it's just an interview for a temp job -- no big deal," that's where you're mistaken. Some wonderful opportunities, networking connections and careers have resulted from temporary positions. Temporary assignments today run the gamut from receptionist to CEO and beyond. And since a temp agency is usually the first contact with the ...

Interviewing

Promote Yourself During an Interview

By Therese Droste, Monster Contributing Writer

Congratulations on landing an interview with a company you think would be a great fit. Now it's time to show and tell the interviewer all you have to offer. While you may find tooting your own horn awkward, there are plenty of tactful ways to promote yourself during an interview. Here are a few ideas: Fill in the Pauses Remember, interviewer...

Interviewing

Follow-Up Letter Sample

By Jamie Thork, Monster contributor

An introductory phone call or video/phone interview is extremely common in today's job market. But just because the process may seem less formal than a face-to-face meeting, the protocol is just as formal. So you should treat the follow up the same way you would with a traditional in-person meeting and send a well-written personal letter. Below is ...

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Handle a Disaster Job Interview

By Doug Hardy, Monster Staff Writer

Disastrous job interviews happen to even the best candidates. You can often sense the interview is slipping rapidly downhill: The interviewer loses interest, becomes openly hostile or tries to shut down the interview after 10 minutes. If you've got a gut feeling an interview is going terribly, trust your intuition. It probably is. For most, the nat...

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The Experienced Accountant's Guide to the Big Four Interview

By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers Expert

Big Four accounting firms hire thousands of experienced accountants every year to work in advisory, risk management, mergers and acquisitions, and other specialty practice areas. Unlike recent graduates, experienced hires are brought on for their specific industry knowledge and qualifications. The interview process for experienced hires starts w...

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Be Sure to Prepare Before Interviewing Candidates

By Louise Kursmark, Monster Contributing Writer

Interviewing has been called an art, and there's no doubt that it calls for insight and creativity. But it's also a science, requiring process, methods, and consistency to produce truly accurate and effective results. Look at it this way: Your art will flourish within the sound framework of a systematic, scientific approach. Having a preplanned ...

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5 smart interview strategies for executives

By Wendy S. Enelow, Monster Contributing Writer

Companies want to hire competent, successful, articulate executives, yet the very first encounter between the candidate and company often places the candidate in a particularly stressful and uncomfortable situation: the interview. The reality is you must deal with the hiring process as it exists. To accomplish that, you must learn how to comfort...

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Six Interview Mistakes

By Michael Neece, Monster Contributing Writer

It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure what they are. Here are six to watch out for. 1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation More Resources from Monster: Tips to Boost Your Interview Skills Interview Coaching Service All Interview Preparation articles Most candidates expect to be interrogated. ...

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Don't Talk Too Much

By Michael Neece, Monster Contributing Writer

The gift of gab can be something of a curse during an interview. You could end up talking your way right out of the job. It's important to remember that interviewers are only human, and their attention tends to wane as you speak. Fully understanding this is critical to effectively communicating during any interview. Your response should be less tha...

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Interview cheat sheet and prep tips

By Carole Martin, Monster contributor

Relax—a cheat sheet is not really cheating. It's a checklist to make sure you stay focused before, during, and after the interview. Creating a cheat sheet will help you feel more prepared and confident. You shouldn't memorize what's on the sheet or check it off during the interview. You should use your cheat sheet to remind you of key facts. Here a...

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How Older Workers Can Sell Themselves in Retail Careers

By Valerie Lipow, Monster Contributing Writer

By 2014, the median age of American workers will be 41.6, and more than 43 percent of the workforce will be at least 45 years old, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In addition, workers 55 and older are projected to account for 21.2 percent of the labor force by 2014, up from just 15.6 percent in 2004, according to the BLS. If y...

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Possible reasons you're not getting called for job interviews

By Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor

Snagging a job interview is every job seeker’s goal, but job auditions don’t come easily. Sometimes, it's painfully obvious why you didn't land an interview—for instance, that resume you put together last minute was chock full of typos, or you lacked the basic job credentials to qualify for the position, or you accidentally mentioned a competitor’s...

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Keep Your Guard Up at the Interview

By Allan Hoffman, Monster Tech Jobs Expert

All the signals indicate the job is yours: You've endured hours of interviews, and now you're standing in front of the receptionist's desk with a potential colleague, engaging in harmless banter. The topic turns to your current job, and you tell her you can't wait to bail on your psycho manager and out-of-touch CEO. You've just shot your chance...

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Interviewing for a Step Down

By Therese Droste, Monster Contributing Writer

Many things can happen to make you look for a lower-level job. Maybe there are few upwardly mobile opportunities in your company or geographical area. Maybe you're sick and tired of managing an office, overseeing a staff and reporting to two managers. Maybe it's just not in your nature to hold a position of power. Whatever the issue, you may eve...

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Beat Interview Brainteasers

By Thad Peterson, Monster Staff Writer

How many quarters -- placed one on top of the other -- would it take to reach the top of the Empire State Building? When Jeremy Solomon was asked this interview question, he didn't have a clue as to what would be the correct answer. Nonetheless, he remained calm. First, he asked the interviewer exactly what she meant by "placed on top of the...

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The Six Species of Interviewers

By Doug Hardy, Monster Staff Writer

Over the years, I've noticed that people who interview job candidates tend to develop a distinct personal style. If you can quickly read an interviewer's style and establish rapport, you will appear more confident and knowledgeable. Here are six common types to know: The Absentee His Style: Sometimes an interviewer isn't mentally in the room. Maybe...

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Nonverbal communications: Escape the pitfalls

By Carole Martin, Monster contributor

It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to interview questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile, or your nervous look. Look back at spea...

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What If Employers Want You to Take a Personality Test?

By Peter Vogt, Monster Senior Contributing Writer

If you're asked to take a personality test as part of the hiring process, you have some choices to make -- theoretically, at least. For example, you could respectfully decline to take the test. You could ask the many questions you have concerning how the test was developed, what it purportedly measures, who will be administering it and interpreting...