1) Research the company - see if you can find out about their company culture as well as their "vital stats" - come up with ideas and opinions on how you would fit in to the culture, and be knowledgeable about their history and strengths/weaknesses

2) Evaluate your own skill set, is there anything unique you can bring to the position?

3) the points above about the "tell me about yourself" and "what are your weaknesses" questions are very good - I always get asked these

4) Be prepared to answer off-the-wall questions (I got asked about pet peeves and what books I was currently reading, as well as music) - ie: don't hide your personality and don't get caught with a "uh, duh, um" look when asked

5) Stay calm - think about your answers before you say them - there's nothing wrong with taking a few seconds to mentally prepare yourself for a question - just don't take TOO TOO long

6) come with plenty of questions about them - this is HUGE (imho) - you're interested in them and they're interested in you, you both have to be a good fit for each other - otherwise it's not going to work!

I always make a point to ask about the work/life balance (and in panel interviews, I specify that I'd like to have each person answer, usually some are married, some are single, some have kids, some don't - so forth and so on).

Hope it helps - good luck

 

...it looks like a diffult to read sentence and might cause 1 to lose their place, so let's break it down.

"What woud you say to a question like "tell me a little about yourself?" that will actually get the ball rolling instead of just an ordinary satisfactory check mark next to that question? "

Broken down version
What would you say to a question like "tell me a little about yourself?" What type of answer would get the ball rolling? What kind of answers would get the interview rolling (since it's usually in the first tier of questions to be asked)? I don't want just an ordinary satisfactory check next to that question on the interviewer's note sheet. Would having a 12" pen1s help?

 

What do you think they want to hear?

I'd briefly go over my employment history, my accomplishments, then go into a little personal stuff, since legally they can't ask about my personal life, I'll go into how i'm creative and competitive outside of work as well.

And I already have several questions lined up for them.

 

I agree with the above posters... researching the company and asking the interviewer(s) a lot of questions is HUGE. Showing a genuine interest in the job and the company can really tip the scales in your favor and it has ALWAYS worked for me in the past.

 

Be able to show exactly how you feel you can help that company (preferrably with specific examples). If you make them want you (instead of you wanting them), it puts you in the driver's seat and gives you a strong edge. If you speak well, appear to be at ease and confident, and show a strong background with decent knowledge of their company, you'll have it sewn up. A lot of people can probably do the job - most just can't prove it in 30 minutes, since they're so busy being nervous.

 

I don't think the job interview will be too difficult for you, especially since they called you and offered you the job.

Basically they'll most likely ask you questions such as, "Why do you want to work for this company?" and, "What can you possibly do (or to improve) this company?"

Most importantly, I think the toughest question is, "What do you think you have to improve in general?"

 

That's why I put this interview question out there. THey don't care about your personal life. You typically don't want to get into that unless specifically asked to. Keep it job related.

 

As someone who interview for a sales staff, it's nice to that i'm hiring someone that is competitve...that means they have drive... I want to get that across as well.

 

I'm not sure what your post meant...but I am a Manager of ExecDev and am tasked with assisting in the hiring of Asst. Buyers, Buyers, and Ops Managers. I can ascertain a prospective employee's drive without knowing personal tidbits. It's actually a major turn off for a prospect and know my colleagues feel the same.

 

I don't think the issue was that your post was hard to understand. It was that you left it unanswered. What, indeed, would you think would be an answer that "would get the ball rolling," as you say?

Unless you are capable of answering that question, why post it? Might as well ask someone to give only answers that will guarantee they get the job :/

Everyone can list questions they have heard, but when someone can post a framework for an answer, it is actually helpful.

For instance, I've found that going into the interview with some background info on the company, and using that time to learn as much about the company and the job is far more profitable than looking at a first interview as their time. Don't be rude, but don't be shy about interviewing them - it is your livelihood and future in their hands, so they better be capable hands.

Basically, you want to discover if they are a company you want to work with. Are they someone that will be asking you to leave in the next few years? Is this job just a stop-gap measure for you and them, or is it a career milestone? How long has the company been around? How long have the interviewer(s) been with the company? Is the company in a frenzy of hiring, or is this a stable time for them? What changes in the industry has the company weathered, and what is their position today? Are they expanding, maintaining, or struggling to keep their head above water? Are the next 12 to 18 months critical to the company's future, or are they in a good place and building on a solid market foundation? Are the employees getting paid with investment money or sales revenue?

IMHO, they are looking to fill a position, and you are looking for a company to put food on the table, keep a roof over your head, and allow you to plan for the future. You don't want to work for people in perpetual start-up mode ten years on.