How to search > Interviews
Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes
- March 12th, 2010
- 26 Comments
It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in the Talk to the Work Buzz! Contest.
This week’s topic was interviewing, and we had several readers submit excellent questions. (Thanks!) Alas, we could only pick one, and it came from Janet Jansen. Here’s what she asked:
“Is it appropriate to read from notes in an interview? For example, questions I would like to askthe prospective employer about the job and company.”
This question is excellent for a few reasons, and upon reading it, we realized we should’ve address it before. So here’s our chance.
We and other experts advise job seekers to be prepared. Do your research, ask questions about the company, make eye contact, look interested, don’t fidget. In other words, be as perfect as you can be. Sounds easy, right?
A few problems naturally arise from this expectation. Everyone is a little (or very) nervous on a job interview. Therefore you’re likely to forget some of the questions you wanted to ask or some of the factoids about the company that you wanted to bring up. Plus, taking notes during an interview is recommended because it shows you’re interested and paying attention, as long as you jot a few things down and don’t attempt to transcribe ever word. There you sit with pen in hand and some paper in front of you, taking some notes and trying to show the interviewer that you’re engaged and excited. It’s your turn to ask questions, if you haven’t been sprinkling some in throughout the interview, that is.
“Uh….uhm…I was wondering…” and then you forget what you wanted to ask. That question you thought of last night before bed has slipped from your mind. If only you’d written it down. Well, you should have written it and other questions down and brought them with you. Here’s why:
1. Writing down questions as they come to you keeps you from forgetting them. You might later decide it’s not a great question or you already know the answer to it, but better to edit your questions down later than to have none to reference.
2. Having questions ready to ask proves you’ve thought about this interview and the job. Interviewers like to know you are interested and that neither of you is wasting time. Questions that reference the company in some way are nice ways of showing that you’re not using stock questions for every job interview. Use your research and the information you learned so far in the interview to form such a question. For example, “Could you talk a little more about some of the people you introduced me to today? Would I be collaborating with the director or the area vice president on a regular basis or only on certain projects?” The question doesn’t have to be brilliant or complex, just inquisitive enough to get you the information you want and to show you’ve been paying attention.
3. Pausing to check your notes gives both of you a chance to breathe.A quick glance down to look at your questions, which could be full sentences or just random phrases to remind you of a topic, allows you to relax for a moment. A few seconds of silence allows you to gather your thoughts, and the interview is probably relieved for the same reasons. Don’t stare at the page for five minutes and then robotically read off the question, of course. That’s just boring…and creepy.
4. Questions that came to you during the interview are better answered now than later.When the interviewer is talking, you’re likely going to think of something related that you want to ask. If you have an opportunity to ask the question at that moment, do it. However, if the conversation is flowing so that asking the question isn’t appropriate, scribble a note down so you can ask later. During the Q&A portion, you can say, “Following up on something you mentioned earlier, I was wondering…” You show that you’re interested and you get an answer right then as opposed to thinking about it later that night when you can’t get it answered. (Interviewers don’t like you calling them at 9 p.m. to ask follow-up questions, FYI.) Also, you can steer the conversation to issues you care about. The interviewer might have glossed over some of your management duties, for example, and this allows you to dig deeper and signal to the interviewer that you’d like to hear more about this part of the job. You learn more about the job and the interviewer learns more about you. It’s a win/win.
Congratulations, Janet, and thanks for asking such a great question. We’ll be sending you a copy of Career Building!
Check back on Monday for a new topic so you can submit your question and have a chance to win your own copy of Career Building.
Related Articles
About Anthony Balderrama
Anthony Balderrama writes about hiring trends, workplace issues and job search tactics for CareerBuilder.com and its blog The Work Buzz. He was born and raised in Dallas (115° degrees isn’t hot!) before moving to Chicago (-23° isn’t cold!). He studied creative writing, therefore everything he writes is usually cut in half once he realizes he spent 400 words just on the intro. He knows that looking for a job and dealing with co-workers are not always fun activities, and reading about them is even less thrilling. That’s why he’ll take any opportunity he can to mention his favorite TV show or band in an article. Basically Anthony’s doing whatever he can to avoid hate mail.
Question about interviewing: There is a lot of advice out there to perfect the resume & I think I got it. What I still need help with is perfecting the interview. Are there any video conferencing resources available for practice interviews? More specifically, I can be quite articulate when writing, but certainly not when verbalizing my words. Help.
On accepting a job offer, should I negotiate for more money or other stuff (i.e. more vacation time, flex hours, quarterly bonus) upfront, especially if it is below my minimum acceptable salary requirements?
Trackbacks
Stay Connected
- How to conduct a job search with a criminal record (120)
- College majors with the highest starting salaries (113)
- ‘The Intouchables’ contest: Tell us about your interview experience (7)
- America’s in-demand jobs: .NET developer (5)
- Research becomes crucial in career relocation decisions (3)
- What ‘The Avengers’ can teach you about the workplace (3)
- ‘If I knew then what I know now’: Advice for college graduates (2)
- Companies hiring in May (2)
- Survey: Working moms continue to struggle with work-life balance, pay disparity (2)
- America’s in-demand jobs: Financial analyst (1)
- What the executive office looks like (1)
- Companies hiring this week (1)
- America’s in-demand jobs: CNC machinist (0)
- Companies hiring this week (0)
- Positive hiring outlook for the class of 2012 (0)
- Summer job forecast: Partly cloudy, with improving hiring conditions (0)
- America’s in-demand jobs: Health care case manager (0)
- Companies hiring this week (0)
- Companies hiring this week (0)
- Are businesses prepared for a disaster? (0)
- 10 unusual interview mistakes, and 6 that are all too common
- Hello, stranger: How to use cold introductions to advance your job search
- 22 companies hiring in large volume
- 6 things you should probably remove from your résumé
- 50 jobs that pay $50,000
- The best careers for your zodiac sign
- The future’s 15 most wanted workers
- Companies hiring this week
- 8 jobs for fashionistas
- The ongoing debate over unpaid internships
- Survey finds more mature workers plan to work post-retirement
- 9 tax-time tips for consultants and contract employees
- 25 best-paying jobs for women
- Companies hiring this week
- Do you know how to deal with a ‘work spouse’?
- Survey reveals 61 percent of US workers satisfied with current job
- 7 behind-the-scenes jobs at the Academy Awards
- America at age 24: An education and employment snapshot
- Could your cube mate be your soul mate too?
- Companies hiring this week
- May 2012 (15)
- April 2012 (24)
- March 2012 (23)
- February 2012 (23)
- January 2012 (22)
- December 2011 (20)
- November 2011 (22)
- October 2011 (26)
- September 2011 (27)
- August 2011 (22)
- July 2011 (21)
- June 2011 (22)
- May 2011 (20)
- April 2011 (21)
- March 2011 (25)
- February 2011 (20)
- January 2011 (19)
- December 2010 (20)
- November 2010 (20)
- October 2010 (20)
- September 2010 (19)
- August 2010 (20)
- July 2010 (21)
- June 2010 (18)
- May 2010 (20)
- April 2010 (14)
- March 2010 (22)
- February 2010 (15)
- January 2010 (16)
- December 2009 (15)
- November 2009 (12)
- October 2009 (22)
- September 2009 (19)
- August 2009 (34)
- July 2009 (40)
- June 2009 (35)
- May 2009 (18)
- April 2009 (20)
- March 2009 (27)
- February 2009 (16)
- January 2009 (18)
- December 2008 (16)
- November 2008 (32)
- October 2008 (33)
- September 2008 (28)
- August 2008 (15)
- July 2008 (27)
- June 2008 (7)
- May 2008 (2)
- April 2008 (6)
- March 2008 (6)
- February 2008 (8)
- January 2008 (6)
- December 2007 (3)
- November 2007 (3)
- October 2007 (8)
- September 2007 (7)
- August 2007 (8)
- July 2007 (8)
- June 2007 (9)
- May 2007 (6)
- February 2007 (2)
- January 2007 (4)
Subscribe
- How to conduct a job search with a criminal record (120)
- College majors with the highest starting salaries (113)
- ‘The Intouchables’ contest: Tell us about your interview experience (7)
- America’s in-demand jobs: .NET developer (5)
- Research becomes crucial in career relocation decisions (3)
- What ‘The Avengers’ can teach you about the workplace (3)
- ‘If I knew then what I know now’: Advice for college graduates (2)
- Companies hiring in May (2)
- Survey: Working moms continue to struggle with work-life balance, pay disparity (2)
- America’s in-demand jobs: Financial analyst (1)
- What the executive office looks like (1)
- Companies hiring this week (1)
- America’s in-demand jobs: CNC machinist (0)
- Companies hiring this week (0)
- Positive hiring outlook for the class of 2012 (0)
- Summer job forecast: Partly cloudy, with improving hiring conditions (0)
- America’s in-demand jobs: Health care case manager (0)
- Companies hiring this week (0)
- Companies hiring this week (0)
- Are businesses prepared for a disaster? (0)
- 10 unusual interview mistakes, and 6 that are all too common
- Hello, stranger: How to use cold introductions to advance your job search
- 22 companies hiring in large volume
- 6 things you should probably remove from your résumé
- 50 jobs that pay $50,000
- The best careers for your zodiac sign
- The future’s 15 most wanted workers
- Companies hiring this week
- 8 jobs for fashionistas
- The ongoing debate over unpaid internships
- Survey finds more mature workers plan to work post-retirement
- 9 tax-time tips for consultants and contract employees
- 25 best-paying jobs for women
- Companies hiring this week
- Do you know how to deal with a ‘work spouse’?
- Survey reveals 61 percent of US workers satisfied with current job
- 7 behind-the-scenes jobs at the Academy Awards
- America at age 24: An education and employment snapshot
- Could your cube mate be your soul mate too?
- Companies hiring this week
- May 2012 (15)
- April 2012 (24)
- March 2012 (23)
- February 2012 (23)
- January 2012 (22)
- December 2011 (20)
- November 2011 (22)
- October 2011 (26)
- September 2011 (27)
- August 2011 (22)
- July 2011 (21)
- June 2011 (22)
- May 2011 (20)
- April 2011 (21)
- March 2011 (25)
- February 2011 (20)
- January 2011 (19)
- December 2010 (20)
- November 2010 (20)
- October 2010 (20)
- September 2010 (19)
- August 2010 (20)
- July 2010 (21)
- June 2010 (18)
- May 2010 (20)
- April 2010 (14)
- March 2010 (22)
- February 2010 (15)
- January 2010 (16)
- December 2009 (15)
- November 2009 (12)
- October 2009 (22)
- September 2009 (19)
- August 2009 (34)
- July 2009 (40)
- June 2009 (35)
- May 2009 (18)
- April 2009 (20)
- March 2009 (27)
- February 2009 (16)
- January 2009 (18)
- December 2008 (16)
- November 2008 (32)
- October 2008 (33)
- September 2008 (28)
- August 2008 (15)
- July 2008 (27)
- June 2008 (7)
- May 2008 (2)
- April 2008 (6)
- March 2008 (6)
- February 2008 (8)
- January 2008 (6)
- December 2007 (3)
- November 2007 (3)
- October 2007 (8)
- September 2007 (7)
- August 2007 (8)
- July 2007 (8)
- June 2007 (9)
- May 2007 (6)
- February 2007 (2)
- January 2007 (4)
[...] off our contest, Talk to The Work Buzz! You submitted your great questions about interviews and we picked one to answer. Our winner is getting a copy of the book Career [...]
[...] off our contest, Talk to The Work Buzz! You submitted your great questions about interviews and we picked one to answer. Our winner is getting a copy of the book Career [...]
[...] off our contest, Talk to The Work Buzz! You submitted your great questions about interviews and we picked one to answer. Our winner is getting a copy of the book Career [...]
[...] off our contest, Talk to The Work Buzz! You submitted your great questions about interviews and we picked one to answer. Our winner is getting a copy of the book Career [...]
[...] you to send us questions as part of the Talk to the Work Buzz! Contest. The first week you asked us questions about interviews. Last week you asked us about accepting an offer. We answered the questions and each of those [...]
[...] you to send us questions as part of the Talk to the Work Buzz! Contest. The first week you asked us questions about interviews. Last week you asked us about accepting an offer. We answered the questions and each of those [...]
[...] you to send us questions as part of the Talk to the Work Buzz! Contest. The first week you asked us questions about interviews. Last week you asked us about accepting an offer. We answered the questions and each of those [...]
[...] you to send us questions as part of the Talk to the Work Buzz! Contest. The first week you asked us questions about interviews. Last week you asked us about accepting an offer. We answered the questions and each of those [...]
[...] you to send us questions as part of the Talk to the Work Buzz! Contest. The first week you asked us questions about interviews. Last week you asked us about accepting an offer. We answered the questions and each of those [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]
[...] Talk to The Work Buzz Contest winning question: Interview notes It’s Friday, and that means we have a winner in… [...]