This is a good first step, but remember you still have to prepare for that interview. Once you have been contacted, respond immediately to the e-mail or phone call, and arrange a convenient time to discuss the position in further detail. Your first interview will most likely be conducted with HR, this interview will be an assessment of your personality and behavioral type questions will be asked, so prepare yourself. Remember this is just the first interview, if you pass this step you will be invited to the second round of interviews, which we will discuss later. I have gathered some tips from Forbes.com that will be helpful for those of you who are preparing for your upcoming first interviews. 

• Explain why you are a fit for the position and what experience you can bring to the table, and refer to the qualifications from the job description.
• Ask yourself why you want to work for that particular company, and try and relate it to your education.
• Also research the company, be familiar with its products or services, mission statement and know the names of the President and CEO.
• Think of scenarios in your office where you were involved in a conflict, and how did you deal with the situation. Remember; don’t use scenarios that would hinder your chances to be invited to the next round.
• Other questions they might refer to are situations where you were recognized for your work, and what was it that you were acknowledged for?
• It’s very important after you have met or spoken with someone to immediately send a thank you letter. Mention that you appreciate them taking the time to speak with you, and also reiterate your interest for the position and your eagerness.

This is just the first step but always make a good impression, be polite, and just be you. In most cases there is never just one interview, if HR likes you and feels you are a great fit for the organization, they will recommend you to the hiring manager. From there you may be invited to the second round of interviews, where you will meet some senior managers, which may be intimidating for you. For this step you really need to prepare yourself because this stage will be much more detailed and specific to the job. Here are a few suggestion Forbes.com recommends to help you as a candidate prepare for the real deal, this could either make or break your chance.

• It’s important for you to know their functions within this particular department. Ask yourself what ideas you can bring to the table, use examples to show how you can relate from your past job experiences.
• When the hiring managers do decide to meet with you, another important key factor is to remember that they will use your past behavioral experience to judge your future success.
• Another important point is to make sure to learn as much about the company as you can. Forbes.com recommends: “Read Company Press Releases, related news stories and other general industry news to find out about the whole sector. Learn about any competitors and their strengths and weaknesses. Also use what you have learned about the company in the first interview as you describe how your past experiences will help the business.”
• When answering questions you need to organize your thoughts, don’t ramble and try and keep your answer to a minimum of two minutes each.
• When interviewing with people don’t forget to take down their names and their business card. It’s important to keep track of whom you met, and the same rule applies to them.

If you are feeling unsure about how well you interview, practice! One suggestion; do a mock interview with someone and be sure to video tape yourself so you can see what you look like after. You can also check out the government of Ontario’s website, look to see where you can get some assistance to improve on your interview skills. Lastly, if you are an alumni from an institution, see if you can arrange a meeting at their career center. Institutions have a lot of career resources and they might be able to help connect you with people within the alumni network. Good luck to everyone. Please feel free to comment or keep me posted on your job search.

Thank you Sari Maritzer for contributing to this blog.