Job Interview Preparation

Summary: There are many important tips on job interview preparation. However these three tips are probably some of the easiest to get right but are often overlooked when preparing for your job search and job interviews. Not paying attention to these personal details can ruin your chances of getting the job offer.

Your Email Address

Review your email address. Does it sound professional and give the right image? Email addresses like hotgirl@... or potatohead@... are likely to make a negative impression on any prospective employer. Details like this need to be looked at before you begin your job search and job interview process.

Although these sort of casual and fun addresses are acceptable in a social context they are sending the wrong message in a formal work context. One way of avoiding mixing business with pleasure is to create an email address that you use only for resumes, job applications and job interviews. You can set up a new business-like email address with one of the numerous sites that offer free email accounts. Appropriate suggestions for such an address include simply using your name johnsmith@.. or your initials and an indication of your area of expertise such as jkdMA@....


Your Voicemail Message

Here is one of those critical tips on job interview and job search preparation. Check your current voicemail message and be sure it is what you would like a potential employer to hear. Does it sound sufficiently mature and professional? Wacky and funny are inappropriate and should be changed before you begin your job search! Begin with "hello" and then clearly state your first and last name and your number. Highlight that the call is important and that a message will be returned as soon as possible. End with a thank you.

Impress with a clear, concise message that portrays a professional image. Follow this up by checking your messages frequently and getting back to callers as soon as possible.

Your Social Networking Profile

Employers often consider a social networking profile as a valuable background check on a job candidate. You may consider this an invasion of your privacy but that will not prevent it from happening - the fact is that our social media information is not only accessible to people who know us and understand its context. Fair or not, employers are using social networks to research job candidates and one of the most important tips on job interview and your job search preparation is to be aware of this and presume that anyone is able to read what you post online.

People can be very casual about their social network profiles - spelling and grammar are not given much attention and photos are often uploaded for their amusement value! Stories about drinking and inappropriate behavior, bad mouthing previous employers, discriminatory remarks about religion, race or gender and inappropriate photographs are major areas of concern for potential employers.

Check how professional your social network image is and remove anything that will impact negatively on your employment chances.

The same applies to your blog if you have one. Review what you are writing online and check that there isn't anything you wouldn't want a prospective employer to read. An employer can "Google" you and find anything you have written or has been written about you. Check your Google profile.

These tips on job interview preparation show that every detail needs to be considered when you are in the hiring process. All personal aspects that you present to a possible employer should reflect a professional image.

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