How was your First Job Interview?

United States
December 28, 2009 4:59pm CST
We all experiences having job interviews. How did you prepare for the interview? What I did was to search for the company's profile online. Read some interview tips and advices. I also asked some friends or acquintances who worked or working in the field. I also visited the place prior to my interview appointment. I was also over concern on the dress to wear. During the interview, I tried to be myself and answers questions as best as I could. But the most important is my qualifications and skills that made me successful.
2 people like this
10 responses
@ckyera (17331)
• Philippines
29 Dec 09
hello there! actually, the very first time that i have a job interview is not as serious coz its just for a part time job in a videoshop and everything seems to be so informal...hehe and its just like a friendly talk with the one who interviewed me... but on my first real job interview, i really prepare for it, from the clothes to wear and everything! i make sure that i have a good night sleep & a good breakfast...and during the interview, although i am a bit nervous, i still do my best to be as natural as i can...and always stay confident no matter what...the firt interview is better than the final interview...coz the final interview that i have is really really makes me nervous...coz its a panel interview, and everybody's throwing a question with their so serious & scary faces...haha but as long as we are being honest with our answers and being confident and natural...everything will turn good! and i never forget to pray before going to any interviews!
@ckyera (17331)
• Philippines
29 Dec 09
huh! i never experienced having a telephone interview...but i think it is more difficult and kinda scary! hehe because we were not able to see the reactions in the face of the interviewers! ell, that's really the case, during interviews, we tend to give some silly answers...haha maybe due to too much nervousness...just like me...in one of my interview...i was so stupid to mispronounce a simple word! huh! and that makes me fail the interview!
• United States
29 Dec 09
It reminds me of the panel interview that I had experience. It was a phone interview to teach overseas. I think there are four of them taking turns and the told me that the session was being recorded. I really felt nervous even if I did not see them in person. There was a silly answer that I've said and I realise on the later part and the main reason why I was not accepted. But I felt really lucky being to be included in their shortlists.
@px_yeap (269)
• Malaysia
29 Dec 09
My was horrible because of my lack of verbal communication skill, but luckily I met a manager who could draw out what is in my thought and allow me to express myself ver effectively! So the interview went great with her and I got the job! Thanks to her!
• United States
29 Dec 09
The job is really for you. I guess most interviewers knows exactly if we are tense or nervous and will try to us speak out. I really of the few minutes, the principal asked to tell something about myself. I really did not speak right out and when I started to talked I even forgot what to say about myself. Then one of my interviewer mentioned if I have a resume and it distructs my nrevousness and gain back my confidence.
@drakesuyat (1063)
• Philippines
29 Dec 09
honestly, i was shaking!although the company that i first worked with is a small one, it really made me shook during the first interview coz, im not even an expert on the position that im applying for(computer technician). actually, i havent finished my college during that time yet and i just thought of looking for a job that is related to my course(computer engineer) to better understand it. good thing they hired me even as an OJT coz that became my stepping stone. happy new year alohagems100
• United States
29 Dec 09
That was a very good try. Trying to get a job just for a stepping stone or to gain experience was my goal in preparation for the real job in our field of specialization.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Dec 09
I went to my first job interview while I was a nursing student. I wanted to find a summerjob in June and July, and I had asked at a couple of different places, but they had already found the people they needed, and I started getting less optimistic. One day I met one of my classmates, and she told me about the nursing home where she was going to work. I didn't really expect to get a job, but I decided to try anyway, and I was lucky. When I called them, they told me that one of the people who was supposed to work there during the summer had found another job, so they needed one more person. They invited me for an interview a few days later. I talked to the leader of the nursing home, and he only asked me a few questions. We talked for about 10 minutes, and then he asked me if I could start a few days later. I said yes, and that was how I got my first job.
@simonelee (2715)
• China
29 Dec 09
Gee! my first job interview was when i was still studying, I work and at the same time studying. That fist job interview was informal, why? Because the person who interviewed me is my brother in law and i already got the job before he interview me. I was hired/asked by the Officer In charged if i can fill in the slots of other disk jockeys. I accepted the job because the company is loosing, that was the time that the company needs to retrench employees in able to survive. So it was totally informal.
• United States
29 Dec 09
You response made me smile. The was a tough experience and impossible to succeed. LoL.
@cincai (6)
• China
29 Dec 09
My first job interview. I can never forget it. It was a cold winter day a few months before my graduation from university. In thoese days, most of us were confusing about where to go and what to do after we graduate. By thinking it over and over again, some decided to take further study and get a master degree; some decided to take a job. These people had firm determination and belief in their mind. However, there were other many including me still hesitating between job and further study. As time went as close as to the graduation day, we could do nothing but to take a final compromise. We prepared for the master degree exam and search for jobs at the same time. I got the interview notification from our shcool office saying an state-owned export company was offering a position to male students in our major. This was a great chance to me for there were only five of the male students had the idea to find a job, and only four wanted to go to the interview. Among the four i was the best in major study. There would never be an another better chance than it in the world. So, with great confidence i went to the interview. At the begining of the interview, i did a good job in the paper test. And i move directly to the second round of interview with the other two. The second round interview was held in a meeting office. As i just sat down at a round table where the other two were also satting at, the intervewing officer asked us to tell him how much we know about their company and what we have and what will do would benefit the company. My mind suddenly went blank. What should i supposed to say? What did the company do? I only knew it from our school office it was a state owned export company. What did i have? I only knew how to get a well study in my major, and i only had 30 yuan in my pocket. But did these have any business with their company. Without knowing these aboved how could even know what would i do. To my surprise, my two school mates did quite well. I could saw the intervew officer's eyes were full of satisfaction. But this satisfaciton vanish when it came to my turn. I took more than 30 minutes to speak out four sentence: "you are an honorable state-own company. I have knowlede which can be power to help the comany. I will do my best in the future to make the company more successful." As i finished the speech i knew i failed. And it did turn out the same result. I can never forget this interview, my interview. It was a great failure and it taught great lessons. In my later interviews even in my life, i know it in my heart that you shall have a clear a mind and get well prepared for what you gonnar do.
• United States
29 Dec 09
Hi cincai After college graduation, my next goal was to pass the professional board exam for teachers, so I had review sessions and took the test, luckily I passed. After that my next target was to apply for a job. I took a year before I landed a job but the job was not my field of specialization but since I was so excited to work I signed the contract. Then I moved to my major field. After settling, I took my Masters of Science in Teaching Math. I like your line, "it was a great failure and it taught great lessons". Experience really is the best teacher. I also experienced those great failures and I was grateful for it.
@vipulchawla (2220)
• India
29 Dec 09
No doubt, your qualification and skills have a very good impact on the interviewer but the way you represent it is very much important. I have attended 3 interviews in my life, oh 4 to be precise. The first one was for a part time job of an executive at a shoppers stop where i failed because they did not prefer taking an engineer for that job. I was only looking for an extra pocket money. Anyways, moving onto my second one, Iwent in for a walk-in for customer support executives at Airtel Call Center and luckily I got selected. This was too a part time job for me during the last year of my college. The intereview was very cool. It was the first time, I had cleared a GD. Interview was good. The only question they asked me was Y do i want to join a call center? I didnt had to show any skills there and they were impressed by my communication skills and perhaps that was the reason I got selected. Oh wait.. this was not the second interview. It was the 3rd one. The second interview was for my job for which I am into at present. It was an interview for an IT company. I did not had any reahersals for the interview. I just prepared myself for general questions like Why do i want to join the company and all.. I just tried to be myself during the interview. I just need to show my confidence. he gave me 2 puzzles to solve. The second one he said, was wrong. I just took it .. Okay. it would be.. but i knew it wasn't. Anyway, luckily i got selected and I am working in taht company today. The fourth interview was for my MBA college admission. I didnt have any seriosu plans of going for MBA but i gave the exams and got calls from certain colleges. Attended only one interview and passed the interview too. But I didn't join the college. thats a different story. All of the interviews were fine. I don't hesitate in fiving a personal interview. However, I do hesitate in attending a Group Discussion.
@maezee (41988)
• United States
29 Dec 09
Mine was surprisingly good. I "prepared" by pretty much doing some yoga, calming down, and going over all the reasons in my head why I deserved the job. I went over with friends and we discussed what they possibly could ask me and what I would answer. It was nerve-wracking though, but I managed to get through it. Good job with your interview! I hope you get the job.
• Malaysia
29 Dec 09
If I could recall correctly, my first job interview was at a legal firm. They were looking for a general clerk, so, I thought I should try. At that time, I wasn't sure if I have the interest in this field, but I just wrote a cover letter along with my resume. I didn't really expect for them to call me back and when I have almost forgotten about it, I received a call for an interview. Anyway, I did ask around about the legal firm, but since it was just a small firm, I didn't get as much information as I needed. The interview wasn't a successful one. Most probably due to I have no previous working experience and I didn't look confident. Well, that was the first and I had more successful interviews after.
@px_yeap (269)
• Malaysia
29 Dec 09
My first jo interview was terrible, I tried my best to answer the questions asked, but my verbal communication is so terrible that I didn't even know what I'm talking about! Luckily I came across a manager who really good at bringing out what I wanted to say and I could in fact managed to talk very effectively and answer the questions in the way I've been been able to answer if it wasn't of how the manager asked me...it's hard to explain how she did it...but it was my best interview, and I got the job! hahahah....!