I recently wrote an article about How Not to Fail at a Job Fair. I guess that something went right for me at the job fair because today I interviewed with a company called Vocollect. Here are some things that I learned through the process of preparing myself for the interview, and the actual interview itself.

1. The Preparation

If you have secured an interview with a company, you should hopefully already know what the company does. If you don’t, the company probably expects for you to have at least a basic knowledge of what they do, so before going to an interview try to learn all you can about a company through their website or other sources. Your interest in the company is something that should be somewhat natural, or otherwise, why would you want to interview with them?

2. The Knowledge

Besides knowledge of the company, you should also prepare yourself to answer questions that are relevant to the position which you are pursuing. Since I’m a computer scientist, seeking a programming position, I looked for examples of programing-interview questions. If you can anticipate the types of questions that you expect to be asked, then doing a little research can really help when you are being interviewed.

Thankfully, for me, the types of questions I was asked were not extremely detailed, considering that I’m only a Sophomore in college, without any real-work-programming experience.

3. The Tangibles

Rather than “intangibles” of interviewing, which I can’t describe very well, here is a list of things that will help your overall interview go better (or at least not worse).

• Look like you want the job. (Dress nice, comb your hair, shave your face.)
• Arrive early.
• Smile.
• Listen to the people who are speaking to you.
• Converse well, converse enthusiastically.
• Be yourself.
• Be positive, be friendly.
• Send an e-mail or actual letter to the company (within a few days of the interview) to thank the person or people who took the time to interview you, even if the interview didn’t go so well.

4. The Interview

The actual interview can make or break your chances of a job offer, and that’s why it’s vital to be prepared. The way I look at it, if they liked you or your resume enough to ask you to come in for an interview, then they think that you are qualified enough to hire.

Like I said previously, remember basic conversation skills: eye contact, posture, and genuine interest/attentiveness are important. Definitely listen to what the interviewer is saying, and be prepared to respond to what he or she is saying, especially in the case that they ask you an open ended question dealing with what they were taking about.

You should prepare yourself to answer relevant questions, but in the case that you get stumped, don’t just blurt out the first thing that comes to your head. Try to understand the question (asking for clarification, if needed) before you rush out an answer. Talk out the answer, and explain your thought process if you are asked to solve a problem.

Good listening skills will also prepare you to ask quality questions, another important thing to do during an interview. Asking good questions shows that your are paying attention and interested in what he or she is saying. Sometimes, in the case that the person interviewing you doesn’t have much to ask you, asking good questions can really help to get the conversation flowing. It can be difficult to think of good questions on the fly, but do your best. You won’t be penalized for trying.

About Vocollect

After speaking in vague being-interviewed generalities, I thought that I would give you some specifics on Vocollect. Vocollect creates products and expertise for enabling Voice-Directed Work, specifically to be used in a warehouse setting. The system that they create relies on a mobile voice-activated product that interacts with employees. The “Vocollect Voice” instructs the user through tasks, and responds to the user’s verbal responses. The devices and the tasks that their users perform are updated and monitored through a central management device (a person and a computer, basically). If this sounds confusing, check out Vocollect’s website for a better description of their offerings.

Conclusion

So as not to draw this series out any longer (does anyone really want to read “How Not to Get Fired”?), I’ll just tell you now. I’m excited to say that Vocollect called me this afternoon (a few hours after my interview) to let me know that they are extending me an offer. At this point, I’ve made up my mind to accept their offer.

This position, and this company, are exactly what I looking for. Besides being interested in what Vocollect does (in the ways of work and programming), I like that the company is laid back and friendly. The fact that Vocollect is located only five minutes from my house is also very appealing from a commuting stand point.

I very excited to have a chance to work for Vocollect. I’m not exactly sure where I will be working within the company because there are a few different groups that work on different aspects of the product, but whatever I’m doing I know that it will be worthwhile and a good learning experience for me.

That’s all that I have to say about job interviews and Vocollect. Let me what you think of my suggestions and if you have any other interviewing tips to add to the list.