First Job Interview Ever - Help?

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   Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years ago

   I have a job interview this afternoon, and while I've been through the entirety of the job application and interview process in middle school, it's still a daunting task for me. For years I've simply been doing charity work as much as I can, volunteering left and right, but now that college is just around the corner, I need to find a job to help sustain me while I'm no longer in the house. The job I'm being looked at for is a Hostess at the Friendly's on Fairport Rd in Western NY. I know the group that runs it is big on religion and volunteer work (which I didn't know until after I'd applied and included volunteer work at a church in my application), and I know I'm a very charismatic person. A friend even told me I carry myself with poise last night; and I do have confidence. However, nerves are still nerves and the thoughts beg me to ask.
   
   Do you have any advice on interviewing for a job?

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      Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Two words: Tube Top

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         Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Ha ha ha - no. TT_TT Modesty 'tis befitting for me.

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      Ben Evansposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The bottom line when you are in an interview is to think what you might want to hear if you were going to hire a person.  We have rigid ideas on what a person is suppose to do in a job interview.
      
      I own a small business and I have interviewed many people and here is what I want.
      
      I want to know that the person will be able to do the job.  Ask yourself this question and that is:  How can I benefit the place that I am applying?  Why would I be good in this posiiton?
      
      The next thing I want to know is your commitment.  Are you going to be only there for the summer or are you going to work in this position for awhile?
      
      
      Now I am going to tell you to just lay this all aside.  If you have answered why you believe you can do that job, then you have to be relaxed and be yourself.  You will do your best at that point.
      
      Thats it and you will do well.

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 13 years ago

   be relaxed so you can show them who you truly are.  there are other jobs, so don't look at it as if they are the only employer.
   be well groomed - don't over do it.
   no perfume.
   i guess it's good to know their religious beliefs - but they are running a business.
   the first couple of minutes of first contact are pretty important - you kno the first impression.
   experience? and if you don't have it - think of other experiences that you can relate directly to the job (such as from your volunteer work)
   communicate well - brief and concise.
   And have practical questions ready for them - interview them too - you want to be happy in the job and want to know you are both a good fit.
   Smile!
   And finally, not all employers know how to conduct a job interview well.
   some thoughts on this not knowing the employer or you.

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Dress pants (black), a pure black t-shirt, and nice, new brown leather sandals work? Hair in a ponytail/bun usually.
      
      Rarely wear it, so I'm fine with that.
      
      Jewish! But yes, a business.
      
      Yep. I have to try to remember to be pleasant but not overly energetic. I have a tendency of scaring people with my friendliness...
      
      Alright. I can do that fairly easily. Especially since it's hostessing.
      
      Heh - that will take focus. I love writing and communication, so I'll have to remind myself that I shouldn't go into details and just be as concise as I can be... albeit, not too concise.
      
      I can do that! 
      
      Alright - thanks for the tips.

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   Daniel Carterposted 13 years ago

   If you visualize what the job interview might be like  in a variety of ways, it might help you be more comfortable with whatever situation you might find yourself. The interviewer may pick up on your being nervous. However, if you are charismatic, don't let that deter you. It's common for people to be a little nervous. Your charisma will no doubt be quite alive and active if you are a bit nervous. Don't get too alarmed about nerves. A little nervousness is quite normal, and it actually can be a rush in many ways. The more you focus on nervousness, the more nervous you'll be. Be sure to have a few moments to be still and relax every muscle in your body before you actually walk into the office. A few deep, slow breaths help with that, also.
   
   You should prepare yourself for a question or two you aren't expecting, like, "what is your biggest weakness? Why should you be hired even though you possess such a weakness?" Asking a few friends who have interviewed recently might give you a better insight. However, this little question appears a lot in interviews as does how to deal with extremely difficult clients, employees, bosses etc. They want to know if you're going to snap under stress.
   
   I think you should feel fine about the interview. It's not all about them. It's also about you. You have the right to ask questions to determine if you believe this company is a good fit for you, and you can ask questions about their employee turn over rate, annual salary increases, retirement packages, upward advancements and even ask them what they believe their greatest need for improvement is--and then slam dunk them by saying "Well, I'm very, very good at that. You need me."
   
   In other words, they don't want someone who is totally subservient. You keep your power, just as they intend to keep theirs.
   
   Hope this helps.

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks a ton for the in-depth response! It really does, it's a nice bit of information to chew over and think about. I'm not really certain what my greatest weakness is, so I might want to ask my friends/family about that beforehand, but I'm not sure how much they can help. It'd probably be my Health, in which case I would have to respond by saying that I'm willful and strong and follow all hygienic protocol. XD
      
      I'll try to keep this in mind!

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         Daniel Carterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         A very good response to what's your greatest weakness is simply, "Gosh, you got me on that one. Let me think on it a bit." That shows your confidence in yourself and that you can handle things. Then your response might be something very innocuous like, "my desk gets dirty often."
         
         Anyway, I'm sure you'll do great!

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            Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            No, no, no. You need to actually answer a question like that. It's one of the questions managers will analyze most carefully. It's in all of their "How to Conduct an Interview" texts.
            
            
            And, "my desk gets dirty" = "I'm disorganized"
            
            Bad answer

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   Greek Oneposted 13 years ago

   act over confident on the verge of cockiness, yet also give the impression that you are a team player.
   
   everything else being OK, those two traits will get you the job (and lots of other things in life)
   
   (I also agree that the tub top idea is a good one too!)

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No, no, sorry. I'll be wearing a dressy, plain-black t-shirt.
      
      But thanks for the advice!

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   BDazzlerposted 13 years ago

   Simply be you... Like who you are, and they will like you.  If, after being yourself, you still don't get the job, then you'll know that ultimately, it's better. Being someone you're not is hard work and you will ultimately fail.
   
   However, if you do get the job, because you got it being yourself, it will be better for everybody, especially as a hostess.

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Alright. Thanks. I know it's difficult to just be myself in high-stress situations, but if I do some breathing beforehand and just remind myself, that should be easy enough.

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         Home Girlposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Why a black t-shirt? Why not a white somehing? It's always look nice. And I would never wear sandals on an interview. Some kind of light  preferably black shoes. If you are a Hostess, you have to stand up, I think. Lood luck!

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            Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Because its the nicest semi-formal shirt I have.
            
            Also, the shoes I have are new brown leather sandals, really dressy sandals (wearing them to Ball this weekend), and then my PE sneakers, which are currently caked in mud. -_-" I only had a night of notice, otherwise I would have asked my parents if I could perhaps purchase new shoes.
            
            Also, the black on black looks clean cut and because I have bright eyes it works well.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 13 years ago

   wear a smile but dont overdo it like smiling and smiling,
   I agree wear something like light color it is good to the eye not revealing clothes will do
   
   be positive and just be yourself, respectful at all times
   Good luck dear!

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Alright. Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I won't have time to go home and change my shirt before heading to the interview, I don't think, but I'll keep that in mind. If my ride decides to take my sister home first, then I'll definitely change into something a little more cheerful. This shirt was mauled by my longhair cat this morning anyways. >.< I used duct-tape earlier to try and remove as much of it as possible, but it clings.
      
      Being positive, myself, and respectful are three of the things I do best!

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   LeanManposted 13 years ago

   Just relax.... No gum, talk not nod and go yeah..
   
   Answer every question as best as you can, use examples from your school and voluntery work as examples for the questions if you do not have relevant work experience... but, RELAX...
   
   The worst that can happen is that you don't get the job...
   
   Plenty more out there, don't get sad...
   
   Good luck....

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Mmkay - thank you!
      
      I can attempt relaxing, but I have no idea if that's actually possible for me or not under the circumstances. TT_TT
      
      On the bright side, I used to act in the school plays and am fairly decent at keeping myself together, so perhaps I can fool them into thinking I'm not nervous... hopefully?

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   M Selvey, MScposted 13 years ago

   Hi Zenith of Emotion,
   
   You have had some good replies here but I thought I would add a few more suggestions that may help.
   
   Think about what the purpose of the role is: Hostess. You are the gatekeeper, the one to represent the company to the customers as they walk through the door. But, this role also serves an integral part of keeping the restaurant organized and keeping track of what is happening in the restaurant at all times for table clearing and seating purposes, ensuring that customers are seated in order, etc.
   
   What they are likely going to want to know is how conscientious you will be in your role as you represent them. Are you going to make a good impression on the customers? Do you have customer service skills? What about customers who are not happy for whatever reason, can you remain objective in the face of an angry, or even a drunk customer? How would you manage that? How do you react to pressure when things are busy and feel chaotic? Are you able to prioritize?
   
   What you might think about doing is outlining the experience you have (whether paid jobs or volunteer) that will enable you to manage these aspects of the job.
   
   Customer service, friendly, approachable, professional and organized
   Cash handling
   Problem solving
   Working in a team environment
   Supporting others
   Managing stress
   Being able to prioritize tasks - especially when busy and under pressure
   
   Think about all of the times in your previous work (again, it doesn't matter if it was paid not not) when you have had to use these skills and write these down as to what you did so that you have real life examples of your skills in action.  If you do not have the skills, think about a situation where you had to learn and master new skills quickly and how you did that.
   
   Take this list with you so you can refer to it during the interview. They will see this as very professional and being prepared.
   
   Hope this helps!
   
   Best wishes,
   
   Margit

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      Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks a ton! That was more helpful than you can know. In-depth responses always make me happy no matter what, but receiving information like that should bolster the effectiveness of my interactions at the interview anyways.
      
      I'm hoping it'll be performed by one of the managers I'm a friend of. >.<

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   Zenith of Emotionposted 13 years ago

   So everyone knows - I had the interview yesterday and posted a hub on how it went. So if you'd like to know, it is there.
   
   Thanks again!

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