Interviewing

3 totally appropriate ways to find-and impress-the hiring manager You’ve just hit “send” on an online application. And now all you can do is wait. Or is it? What if you could increase the odds of being invited in for a job interview-potentially by a large margin-by adding just one step to your overall job search process? Hey, everyone! Good news. You can. And here’s that magical step: Find and endear yourself to the hiring manager at the company you just applied to work for. Sound super scary? It does for a lot of people—so much so that they never even try to get to a key decision maker when taking a run at a new job; they just apply online and hope for the best.

5 realistic ways to build up your confidence right before an interview Heading into a big interview can be terrifying, not unlike the feeling I’d imagine you’d have if you were about to jump out of a plane for the first time ever. Of course, there's little risk of actual death (unless, of course, you're improbably applying for head coach at lion-taming school), but it’s nonetheless an anxiety-producing scenario. Summon your self-confidence and conjure your courage in five easy ways.

4 moves you didn't realize make you look unprofessional in an interview By this point, you know not to apply to any jobs with an email address that screams, “I created this in the eighth grade!” So, you’re no longer Lovescats11@aol.com as far as your prospective employers are concerned. You also know not to show up late for the interview. And you have a firm grasp on the importance of making eye contact and delivering a solid handshake.

3 steps for answering “Why do you want this job?” Like the dreaded “Tell me about yourself,” the question, “Why are you interested in this position?” is sure to come up in an interview. And, even if it doesn’t, if you want the job you should get this sentiment across regardless. So, really, there’s no way around figuring out how to string together a coherent thought about why this being in this position makes sense for you (and for the company).

How to convince an employer to take a chance on you (and ignore the more qualified candidates) “Just take a chance on me.” It was a common line in my cover letters a few years ago, when I was desperate to make the switch out of management and into marketing—without a related degree or experience. Even so, I was so sure that if the employer just gave me a chance, he or she wouldn’t regret it. But when an employer has a pool of fully qualified candidates, why would he or she take a chance on someone who’s on the edge of meeting the job requirements?

3 times your Thank you note could make the difference in whether or not you get the job You know you need to write a thank you note after an interview. It’s just one of those things you’re supposed to do-like research the company in advance and come prepared with questions.

4 mistakes not to make when answering “Why are you interested in this position?” Hiring managers don’t always say what’s on their minds, and sometimes this results in a less effective interviewing experience for you, the job candidate. But, regardless of how good or bad your interviewer is, you’ll very likely still get this question: “Why are you interested in this position?”

30 behavioral interview questions you should be ready to answer Interview prep 101 dictates that you should have your elevator pitch ready, a few stories polished, and a good sense of what you have to offer. So, how do you get there? Lots of practice, ideally aloud. To help you better prepare for your next interview, here are 30 behavioral interview questions sorted by topic (in addition to 31 common interview questions here) that you can practice.

Showing up late-plus 4 more interview mistakes smart people make every day You’re reading this article, so I’ll go ahead and assume that you’re a proactive job seeker who knows all the interview basics by heart. For example, you would never show up without fresh copies of your resume, interesting questions to ask, and a working knowledge of what the company actually does.