interviewers are often flustered people; they are considering 100s of people for one position. do you really think they remember your name? like all human beings, they do not remember dates, names of universities, grades, etc. What they do remember are stories.

We relate to one other because of the stories we tell. We define ourselves in this way.

At a job interview, try to find a common thread in all your jobs and present it to the interviewer. if you can't find one, make one up: "the defining feature in my personal and professional life is that i GO THE EXTRA MILE. when i worked at Company X, i always made a point of staying one hour later to tidy up and plan for the next day. one day, it just so happened that one evening... " etc etc.

the employer will remember your "story" rather than your name. "what about the guy 'who goes the extra mile'? what's his background anyway?"

if you don't present yourself with a story, yours will just be another anonymous application in the pile.

i have had job interviews in the Ukraine, Poland, Singapore and Indonesia, places where no one knows or cares about UWO or London, Ontario, but they do respond to a story you make of your employment history or of your personal/professional life.

adjectives won't cut it: "i'm a team player; i have initiative blah blah"; give a concrete example of a case in which you SHOWED initiative and made a difference.

and the most important thing in a canadian job interview, WEAR A POWER TIE. any canadian employer will expect this. if you don't wear one, they will mentally make a note that you are not familiar with canadian business culture.

i myself have two power ties in a special drawer at home in plastic, ready for use. A POWER TIE is traditionally bright red and is a powerful assertion of personal power and self-confidence. it is a must at a job interview.

don't underestimate its importance!

Good Info, Chris.

You're right, a story is something that stands out more than anything else. A story on how dedicated you are not only makes you more attractive to the employer, but always helps display your general conversation skills, a must in team-play.

Dunno about the power tie, I've never gone to invterviews with those. I do wear a tie and dress good though. I've noticed a lot of desis do wear suits with ties they bring from the home-countries, but often these are not very good and immediately give the employer a negative impression. It is very very important to either get an expensive suit from home or buy a nice suit here, something that fits you well. It should not look like you borowwed someone else's.

I look at this not as an expense but as an investment.

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Are you there?

Besides having good stories for every concievable situation one should always maintain eye contact with the interviewer. That way you not only show self-confidence but also have a good grip on interviewer's attention. As you know the average attention span is only 10 seconds. By holding eye-to-eye contact the probability of 'past' mistake ruining your success is pretty low.

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Man's Best Friend

The power tie - true, but only, repeat only, when you are going for a powerful position - say atleast a deputy manager kind of position, or usually something like a Controller position.

It works the other way when you have gone for an interview for a slightly lower position, say an accountant or a bookkeeper - believe me, it has happened with me, not only in Canada but in other places too. At one of the interviews in Singapore, the guy, at the end of interview, was bold enough to tell me that my appearance alone, and not the experience taken into account too, showed that I would soon take over his position, and he was not hiring anyone to do that since he did not see any remote chances of promotion for himself in the near future! Funny, but true.

In Canada, I have not had many interviews, but the few I have had, had resulted into this problem - the power tie and the relaxed manner in which I spoke to the interviewer, showing my confidence in myself and my experience! The only one that I got in last 2 years was where I just went in normal shirt and tie, without a suit!

Different situations, different strategies!

Chandresh

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Chandresh

Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!

Quote:

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Orginally posted by chandresh

Different situations, different strategies!

Chandresh

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What can be imagined, can be achieved.

you're right, chandresh, the power tie is a powerful weapon and should be used with care.

i myself have one that looks like a bolt of red lightning. it is made out some weird material (shark skin?!) and i only use it for power interviews. otherwise it stands out too much. some people put great store by them, esp. for important interviews.

it may influence the interviewer or it may not, mishtar india, as you say.
but it gives YOU a psychological edge, and this is what's most important, at least i think so.

phew!!!!

Finally after 400 odd posts someone agrees to what i wrote!! and has not been turned down as a negative post! I should celebrate this day!

Chandresh

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Chandresh

Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!