Peter Parsons / Herald Photo Basem Sobeih, survivor of many a job interview, looks over his notes at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Do your homework before job interview Employers are seeking prepared, enthusiastic people

By Fiona Isaacson

Basem Sobeih may be only 21 but after more than 15 job interviews he's learned at least one thing: "If you miss a joke, you better laugh at it."

The third-year electrical engineering student at Dalhousie University also found out it's wise to do your homework.

"You have to know exactly what the company is about," he says.

"You have to know exactly what your position is and you have to know why you are qualified to work for them."

Mr. Sobeih doesn't have a job right now because he's busy with school but he is applying for co-op jobs in his field.

Before each interview Mr. Sobeih has a list of questions he might be asked and practises answering them. But he also makes a list of questions to ask the interviewer.

"I just do these things to be comfortable," he says. "So I'm not going to hesitate."

Janette Burke has conducted thousands of interviews over the past 20 years and really knows what she wants in a candidate.

A human resources consultant at Burke and Associates in Halifax, Ms. Burke looks for "skills and competency" but really she just wants to get to know you.

"I'm looking for the real person, not a facade," she says. "And that's why I don't go too much by body language."

Ms. Burke knows that interviews can be stressful and people are nervous at the beginning.

"I look more for what people say and the confidence that they can share their examples with me."

Ms. Burke says people should be prepared to talk about their past work experiences. If you're a new university graduate, without a lot of work experience, talk about your experience working on team projects at school.

Some advice is pretty basic - be on time and know why you're there.

"What I'm most interested in, is if they know what they are actually being interviewed for," Ms. Burke says.

She also offers another important tip: "Don't come with your references written on a scrap of paper," or ask to look them up in the telephone book.

"Because to me it isn't so much about asking for the telephone book, it's about not being prepared," she says. "So that tells me a lot about a person, that they didn't think ahead very well."

Tanya Ricker sees first-hand the type of mistakes people make at job interviews because it's her job to help them prepare for them.

Ms. Ricker, a workshop facilitator at People Plus Consulting Ltd., a metro Halifax company that helps job seekers, says lack of research and preparation are the most common mistakes people make.

"A lot of people are not prepared to talk about what they have to offer the employer," she says. "They kind of go in and wing it."

She says you should think about the interview from the employer's point of view, and show how your skills and experience meet the company's needs.

"One of the things you don't want to do in the interview is focus on your own needs or wants initially in the interview," says Ms. Ricker.

Another way to impress a potential employer is by the way you present yourself in the first few minutes. A firm handshake and a smile are a few things that she thinks are important.

"I think your appearance and your care with your appearance and the way you present yourself implies the care that you're probably going to take with the job. People infer a lot from the way you present yourself."

Mr. Sobeih thinks first impressions begin when you hand in a resume to the secretary.

But he wasn't always so prepared. About three or four years ago, he applied for a security guard position at a company near his house in Dartmouth. But when he handed in his resume, he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

He didn't get an interview, and isn't positive that his appearance was a factor, but he says appearances definitely matter.

His No. 1 appearance rule: Don't ever wear a hat - and always wear a shirt and tie.

Ms. Ricker says to pay attention to the interviewer's body language. If they stop writing, check their watch or push away their papers, that could be a sign you have been talking too long.

And that means watching your own body language as well. "A lot of people twitch and swivel in their chairs."

But overall, it's what you say that counts, she says.

KEYS TO INTERVIEW SUCCESS WHAT TO DO Research a job before you go to the interview. Think about your specific skills and qualifications. Think of examples to back up your attributes or positive things you have done. Bring a package containing your resume, letters of recommendation, examples of your work and your references. Be on time. Smile. Dress appropriately. Be honest and be yourself. Bring a notebook and pen. Be interested and show enthusiasm. Send a thank-you note. If doing an interview over the phone, get ready like you would for a regular interview. WHAT NOT TO DO Focus on your own needs. (The interview is about what you can do for the company.) Dwell on problems in past jobs or job interviews. Give irrelevant personal information. Go in unprepared. Wear any perfume, cologne or have a Walkman on. Oversell yourself - don't talk about things you haven't really done.