I had the opportunity to interview several people during the past few weeks, and two things stand out in my mind.

  1. Unlike the Boy Scouts, some of the candidates were not prepared.
  2. Only one, the person I thought best fit the job, took the time to respond after the interview.

During another big hiring phase here at TechRepublic, Jeff Davis, our own SupportRepublic community editor, had the opportunity to interview a number of people to fill the slots. He too was amazed at how unprepared most of the candidates were. As a result, he wrote two articles in July 1999 on interviewing skills.

So, if you’re looking for a new job or the infamous second job that many of us need these days, read these tips before you waltz into the interviewer’s office.

Before you go
Jeff’s first article, “If you’re going to an interview, do your homework on the company first ,” lays the groundwork for what you need to know in order to impress the britches off your interviewer.

After the interview
The second article, “The right way to follow up after a job interview ,” tells you what you need to find out during that initial interview to properly follow up with the company afterwards.

Just remember that the people who put their best foot forward and show genuine professionalism are the ones that have a better chance of getting the job.
If you have some interview tips or pet peeves you’d like to share with us, please post your comments below for your fellow trainers to read. If you have any topic suggestions for future articles, please send us a note .