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Getting called for an interview doesn’t guarantee you get the job. Don’t take anything for granted. The following should help improve your advantage.

1. Dress the part. Consider the kind of group you’re joining and dress accordingly. Advertising, communications and media are more casual, while banks and marketing companies require strict business attire.
2. Ask questions. As a job applicant, you should also be curious about the company you might be joining. Prepare intelligent questions that demonstrate not only your interest in the job, but also that you have much to contribute to the company’s growth.
3. Don’t bring up salary. It’s not your place to bring this up. Wait for the interviewing manager to make that move and then discuss it. A tip: don’t ever give an exact figure; if you have to, give a range. (For example: “In my last job, I was making from P10,000-P15,000 a month.”)
4. Emphasize what you can do from the company, not what the company can do for you. Instead of saying, “I want to work here because of the great benefits this company provides,” say something like, “I really feel that this job will put my planning and organizational skills to good use.”
5. Prepare to answer questions about your strengths and weaknesses and where you envision yourself five years from now. It’s useful to consider weaknesses that imply hidden strengths. Also, be quick to qualify your weaknesses. For example: “I used to be aggressive when presenting my ideas, but now I’ve learned to be diplomatic.”

Sticky Situation
Q: “I’m newly pregnant and job hunting. Should I tell interviewers?”

A: Not until you’ve received an offer. Odds are, if you reveal the pregnancy up front, you will not get the job. A potential boss will envision worst-case scenarios—that your productivity will plummet and you won’t return after the baby is born—warns Robin Ryan, author of 24 Hours To Your Next Job, Raise or Promotion (John Wiley & Sons, 1997). Though it’s illegal, a potential employer could offer any vague reason to explain why you weren’t hired. Once you’ve received and accepted an offer, however, Ryan recommends full disclosure. “Employers are most concerned about how the work will get done,” says Ryan. Assure the boss that you plan to return to work after maternity leave and offer to train a temp to handle your duties while you’re gone.

Tips from the Top
Cheche Lazaro, President, Probe Productions, Inc.

As a hiring manager during a job interview, what do you look for in a prospective employee? I look at the educational background, interest areas, and training that the person has had to see whether they are matched to the position available.

I look at the personality of the applicant to see whether she will be effective (and happy!) working with the people within our corporate culture. I believe that each company has a different corporate culture and there has to be a match. I look at whether the person has the right amount of ambition balanced with the right amount of humility.