First Job Interview

I got my very first job interview in about 3 and half hours.
Strangely enough, while I'm not very nervous (I have a quite calm demeanour), I'm more nervous than I have ever been for my exams (Which I suppose isn't very hard). I suppose what aggravates my nervousness is the fact that my situation here in Lisbon (And particularly of my entire family overall) is very bad. This has forced me to try and get a part-time job I was already planning on, since last year.

From what I've heard, job interviews are tricky business, and having experience being interviewed really helps.
I was wondering what helpful tips can anyone give me so I won't do or say anything I'm not supposed to do.

In any case, the job interview is to work in my College's Student Council where we do college-related tasks (Photocopies, scanning, etc, etc.) the students need. I shall be working in the post-labour period, which would go from 5 PM to 8 PM.

Tips? Advice? Death threats? Marriage proposals?

Watch Spud's interview scene from Trainspotting, and do the exact opposite.

Be confident. Ask a few questions. Demonstrate knowledge of the skills you would need. You need to show initiative.

If you handed in a resume (CV), prepare to either explain it or to have it quickly glanced at and then thrown away.

Sales Manager is a Brit, used to work for British Telecom, something high up, he recruited people. Best way to tell if someone can handle it is to only check their CV for their name and then leave it.

Stay calm, answer clearly and without uming or ahing. If needed, take a few seconds to prepare your answer instead of saying um or ah.

Some people are naturally good or bad, you'll find out. Apparently I'm good, so I'm not going to be much help. :shame:

Eye contact and fixed blades.

If it's of any help, the person I'm thinking is going to interview me looks a lot like Ingrid Betancourt. :P

EDIT: Yeah, I handed a resume, and I suppose I'm ready to explain myself.

Cut your hair, get a good suit. Yes that's silly but do it anyway. Never ask what they are looking for, you already know what the job is about, you should, you must. That's all really

Also be a gentleman and be a MAN. They don't want a pushover loser they want someone who will work for them and take initiative.

Here ya go. Good luck & go get'em, Jolt.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Cut your hair, get a good suit.

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:yes:

Don't smoke right before you enter the interview, make sure you look clean and shaved.

Did it yesterday, the last post I read before the interview was Hosakawa, whose site gave me a few helpful hints (For instance, I did ask at the end of the interview if I had got the job :P)

As for the looking formal, bear in mind that this is the student's council, it is a relaxed and informal place. And I'm not getting a full-time job in a private company whose sole purpose is profit and adequate employees. They wanted students for a part time job. As such, I went in with a red sweater, "worn out" (It's fashion around here, these days) jeans and some black all-star kicks (The awesome and extremely well known brand of "Live's" - Yes, that is the name), not exactly long hair but not a short hair either, something of this sort.

Overall, the interview went relatively fine. I forgot some things I could have said during the interview, and the interviewer as also rushing a bit as she was behind on schedule and was already tired.
But other than that, it went well enough, I suppose. Since this is my first interview, I got nothing to compare it to (Except Spud's interview. If I compare mine to that, I'd say I got the job. :P)

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Originally Posted by Jolt

Did it yesterday, the last post I read before the interview was Hosakawa, whose site gave me a few helpful hints (For instance, I did ask at the end of the interview if I had got the job :P)

As for the looking formal, bear in mind that this is the student's council, it is a relaxed and informal place. And I'm not getting a full-time job in a private company whose sole purpose is profit and adequate employees. They wanted students for a part time job. As such, I went in with a red sweater, "worn out" (It's fashion around here, these days) jeans and some black all-star kicks (The awesome and extremely well known brand of "Live's" - Yes, that is the name), not exactly long hair but not a short hair either, something of this sort.

Overall, the interview went relatively fine. I forgot some things I could have said during the interview, and the interviewer as also rushing a bit as she was behind on schedule and was already tired.
But other than that, it went well enough, I suppose. Since this is my first interview, I got nothing to compare it to (Except Spud's interview. If I compare mine to that, I'd say I got the job. :P)

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Send a thank you letter.

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Originally Posted by Ice

Send a thank you letter.

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What for?

(Never had one Interview yet)

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Originally Posted by Caius

What for?

(Never had one Interview yet)

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It's a reminder to them, that you want to the job. And its just the courteous thing to do.

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Originally Posted by Wakizashi

It's a reminder to them, that you want to the job. And its just the courteous thing to do.

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Yup. I found this out the hard way as some people consider it rude not to.

I've learnt something new today.

Yet I would never see that happening down here.

It would just be rude. I wouldn't ask if I got the job. I havent been to an interview where they decided on the spot, its always been interview people then decide then inform.