So I have a job interview lined up, and it is my first one ever. Need advice though, because I have poor social skills (Aspergers). This job is ideal in many ways and I really need to land this one. Is there anything I should do to prepare or respond? What kind of questions do they ask? I am a very hard worker and I think I could perform this job exceptionally, only the social aspects are more difficult for me. Any advice?
Job interviews are not like normal social situations, depending on the style of the interviewer, they may try and engage you in a chat but mostly they are asking questions and wanting you to respond to them so there is no difficulty in thinking of a topic. Have some basic answers lined up such as why you want the job, a brief couple of sentences about yourself, strengths and weaknesses. Also think of any other relevant experience you have. This could be from previous jobs, school, volunteering. A lot of skills can be applied to different situations, such as time keeping, organisation etc. You've done well to get an interview, they are clearly interested so think of the interview as the next step where all they want to do is find out a little bit more about you and see if you are the right fit. There are loads of good resources on the internet, try typing in 'interview questions for X job' Also try YouTube, there are lots of good hints and tips to be foundon there especially for interview confidence. Good luck!
Strengths and weaknesses are typically one of the most common questions, along with "tell me about yourself". Make some point form notes on what you could say, but keep it simple so you can remember what you'll be talking about. Chances are, you won't be the only one applying, so they could ask what makes you a better candidate than everyone else that's applying. Good luck
It will depend on the type of job, the size of the company and other things I can't guess, but I think you can relax. I went through a nice number of interviews myself and I was at the other side of the table quite a lot too. In general, at the point where you are invited for an interview, the interviewer is on your side; they want you to be perfect for the job (nobody wants to waste their time needlessly). Things like "tell me something about yourself" are basic decency and are just a way to find a "point of entry" into a topic they are interested in. You are not expected to be able to answer every question. You are not meant to know about your future job all the interviewer knows. It's normal that you see the job as an opportunity to grow (i.e. you need to be trained). I'd say "good luck", but I think it's better to say "have fun"
I'm a recruiter, so I speak from experience on this: A lot of interviewers will start with "tell me about yourself" or "what do you know about our company?" You should have this answer fairly well planned out, and your answer should include your relevant experience, reasons for applying, and the skills that make you a good fit. Be familiar with the company and the role. Show that you've done your homework on them. Try and be as conversational as possible. Some level of nervousness is completely understandable because job interviews are nerve wracking, but try and make it a conversation as much as you can. You want to get familiar with them just like they want to get familiar with you. On that note, remember you're interviewing them too. If there are things they say that make you concerned about the environment or the team, don't dismiss that. Ask questions. Have a couple prepared in advance. Get a sense for their hiring process the rest of the way. When can you expect to hear from them? If they do offer you the position, what would the process be in order for you to start? Don't worry too much. Like anything else, you get better at these with practice, so if you think you bombed you can only get better. Hope this helps!
I don't know when your interview is, so I hope I'm not too late with this advice. I hire dozens of people each year for my company and I've been doing it for 15 years, so I've hired hundreds of people. I agree with Dalmation in that by the time you get to a personal interview, the interviewer wants you to work out for this job. By this point, they are likely only trying to choose between a couple or a few candidates. We already know you have the experience/training/education necessary for the job, so now it's a matter of finding the right mix of personality, level-headedness, motivation, etc. for the job. What I want in a candidate after eliminating those who don't quality based upon experience/training is someone who will get along with the team - and work well within the team. I want to avoid drama and poison pills as much as possible in my hiring practices. If the position requires teamwork, that's where I would focus - on my ability to work within teams. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
