To work on building my career I decided to talk to various people within the organization and pick-up some ideas on how to get the job. I find that many people will give you the common sense pointers to things like interviews. Be on time, be prepared, try not to say stupid things, take a shower before the interview, yadda yadda. The advice is plentiful, but typically not helpful.
So, what have I learned? Well I'm no expert but here are somethings you might not know that might help. First, if the organization you're applying is of any size or sophistication then the HR department will be the first people to look over your app/resume. These people may, or may not have a good idea about how qualified you are for any position. They are there to screen out the obvious knuckleheads. Make sure your stuff is in good shape to get past this initial review. This means tying your cover letter and resume to job descriptions is important. If the job has minimum requirements if you're close don't be afraid to show how you meet the requirements. Good advice I've received is to let a person tell you that you're not qualified, but don't be shut out by a machine... meaning most HR people will run your stuff through a program to sort "the keepers" from the rest.
Next, practice interviewing with someone who can be honest with you and has some knowledge/practice as a manager. This is the key to preparing. Having another person can help you think through, and critique your answers. After all screwing up with someone you trust is better than screwing up with your interviewer. As you practice anticipate questions and plan responses based on experiences you've had. I like to speak to and organize my thoughts in "bullet points" and stick to about three so you make things clear without overkill.
Also, I think of my answers as being "like a carousel. You put the quarter in, you get on the horse, it goes up and down, and around. Circular, circle. Feel it. Go with the flow." (can you name the movie) But in seriousness circular answers are usual the best for me. What this means is to address a question with what you think, follow this up with an example from your past that applies, talk about how this experience helped you/what you learned/etc..., and finally tie that back to how you started your answer. This is why having experiences prepared in your mind is essential, and practicing these answers with others can be really helpful because frankly this is not always easy to do in a nervous situation (like an interview).
Finally be yourself. This is the part I have to work on most. I often tend to error on the side of formality in a situation and this is not always a good idea. Use the interview to show your true self, and you can really find out if you'd fit the organization by whether or not you get the job. Sounds simple, and has taken me a long time to learn... but a job is too big a part of your life to always be worrying about things you do and say, so act natural and have fun.
Hope something in there helps someone. Good luck job seekers everywhere.
Interviewing can be a harrowing experience. I suggest you have a little more faith in HR departments. Of course, like you stated, they are there to screen out the knuckleheads. Increasingly, however, these days the HR department seems to have a better grasp on the pulse of organizations and know very well what the organization needs and who or what personality type would fit well into position and the organization overall.
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