I know for most people they would rather go to the dentist than go to a job interview. Just thinking of sitting in a small room and getting asked what seems like a million questions can cause most people to start sweating.

The secret to having a good and I know it might sound shocking but even enjoyable interview all comes down to the recruiter. Prior to any job interview you should make sure you have received all the help you could possibly need.

The Recruiter

A Recruiter is a trained and qualified person who can give you advice and help relating to all possible aspects of a job interview. A recruiter can even help you consider what job positions you are best suited to.

If you think you need some one on one help regarding certain aspects of making it through a job interview successfully, help is only a click away. You now can go online and contact recruiters like me who can help you answer any questions you have about the interview process. The more information you know the more comfortable you will be during job interviews.

Before The Interview

When a recruiter calls you and invites you to an interview this is your chance to get as much information from them as you can. Some common questions are:

• Is this a panel interview or will the interview be with the recruiter or manager only? This will at least provide you with some idea of how many copies of your resume you should bring.
• How long do you expect the interview to be? It’s always good to know how long the manager has allocated for the interview. If it’s short than you will have to sell yourself quickly. If it’s going to be a long interview than you cam prepare to sneer a lot of questions and maybe complete a test.
• What type of questions will you be asking? Will the interview be more informational or will I be answering scenario/behavioral questions? This answer will tell you if a test will be presented and sometime a recruiter will run over some sample questions with you over the phone.

Don’t be embarrassed to ask any question at this point. You’re not infront of the manager yet and don’t need to impress anyone. Be polite and try to get as much information as you can.

After The Interview

Unfortunately, there usually can only be one successfully candidate. So when you get the call that you did not get the job make sure you are ready to ask for feedback. The most important thing to remember is to keep calm and don’t let your emotions about not getting the job get in the way.

Most recruiters will give you a generic reason why you didn’t get the job such as:

• The manager was looking for someone with more experience
• The manager found someone they felt would be a better fit.

What would really help you is knowing what you can improve on for the next time. Everyone has interview weaknesses. The key is to know what they are and try to turn the weakness into a strength.

Everyone is busy so not every recruiter wants to or is prepared to give you a rundown of your interview. You should ask them to call you in a few days with feedback or let them know that you will call them. Feedback is the only way you can improve.

Don’t Be a Douchebag

If you build a repour without being pushy with the recruiter they will absolutely think of you for future roles. Their job is to fill many roles in a company and just because you were not the perfect fit for one role does not mean you are not a good fit for another.

I try to be very honest with candidates. If I think a candidate has great skills, experience, and a good attitude I will let them know that another role will be coming up that I think would better suit them and that they should apply.

If a candidate is a douchbag during the interview and very pushy afterwards then I will not even waist my time with feedback. I would probably highlight the resume so the next time I run into it I will remember the interview and bin the application. Nobody wants to work with a douchebag.

Befriend a Recruiter

Networking is an amazing tool. You never know when opportunity knocks and especially who is doing the knocking. You also never know how people can help you so work on your networking skills. Befriending a recruiter is a great idea. They probably know other recruiters who are working in other fields and companies and can possibly hook you up. Stay positive, be professional and friendly to everyone you meet.

Photo by: emdot