<section><h2>Can you ace this job interview?</h2><p><p>Let's face it - almost nobody likes job interviews. They're stressful - with tricky questions, awkward social chit chat, and sartorial dilemmas (Suit or no suit Dress up or dress down?).</p><p><br></p><p>You've put in loads of hours... scouring the job ads online, researching the companies, then sending in dozens of personalized resumes.</p><p><br></p><p>Now, you just have to pass one more hurdle before you've got the job of your dreams. Put your skills to the test in this interactive job interview simulator!</p></p></section><section><h2>What do you wear? (To 'suit or no suit' - that is the question...)</h2><p><div>Great news! You have an interview tomorrow at 11am with a new company that's just starting up. They're looking for someone with your skills to help them grow... are you ready for the challenge?</div></p></section><section><h3>What time should you arrive?</h3><p><div>Okay - next hurdle... what time do you plan to head down for your interview?</div></p></section><section><h3>What do you do?</h3><p><div>Ouch. Bad luck - a traffic accident left you stuck on the highway... you're going to be 30 minutes late.</div></p></section><section><h3>No job for you...</h3><p><div>You walk into the office, and realize that you are vastly, considerably under-dressed. You can tell your interviewers aren't impressed - and while they give you a 15 minute chat out of politeness, there's no call back or offer for a second interview.</div><div><br></div><div>Remember - you only get one chance to make a first impression... when in doubt, it's better to dress a little too formal than the opposite.</div></p></section><section><h3>"Would you like something to drink?"</h3><p><div>Great move - your safety margin came in handy!</div><div><br></div><div>You left home with a nice buffer... and even with an overturned bus on the highway and several attempts to find a parking space, you wander in with 15 minutes early.</div><div><br></div><div>Plenty of time to get composed, take a deep breath, and get ready.</div><div><br></div><div>The interview's starting...</div></p></section><section><p><div>A call is a good idea and they graciously allow you to interview the following week.</div><div><br></div><div>You don't get the job though - it turns out they loved a person who interviewed immediately after your original slot.</div><div><br></div><div>Remember - better to be an hour early, than even five minutes late.</div></p></section><section><h3>No job for you!</h3><p><div>Let's just say - that wasn't the best idea... </div><div><br></div><div>Your interviewers have a full day lined up - and can't make time for you. They ask you to wait for them to contact you with an alternate day.</div><div><br></div><div>(Needless to say, no call comes and the job goes to someone else.)</div><div><br></div><div>Lesson: Better to be an hour early than five minutes late. And if you're late, at least show you value their time - and call as soon as you'll know you won't make it as planned.</div></p></section><section><h3>What are your salary expectations?</h3><p><div>Classic choice - but a bit risky...</div><div><br></div><div>The potential downsides:</div><div>Coffee breath - no one likes that</div><div>Caffeine - instead of calm, reasonable answers, you sound like a hyperactive 12 year old</div><div><br></div><div>Better to play it safe and go with water.</div></p></section><section><h3>What are your salary expectations?</h3><p><div>Yup - perfect choice. </div><div><br></div><div>It gives your hands something to do, plus keeps you calm. </div><div><br></div><div>Bonus points - you can use it if you get a dry throat due to nerves.</div></p></section><section><h3>No job for you!</h3><p><div>Seriously? Beer - at an interview at 11am? </div><div><br></div><div>The only bright side is that you get to see a look of sheer disbelief on your interviewer's face.</div><div><br></div><div>The downsides? You don't get a beer, and worst of all - you don't get the job.</div></p></section><section><h3>You got the job (but not the big raise you were hoping for!)</h3><p><div>Congratulations!</div><div><br></div><div>The interviewers all liked how you handled yourself - and offered you the job.</div><div><br></div><div>Slight downside - you hurt your negotiating position for your salary by telling them too early. Always better to hold off talking specific salary requirements as long as you can - so they get more and committed to you as a candidate.</div></p></section><section><h3>You got the job (AND the big raise!)</h3><p><div>Great answer. </div><div><br></div><div>It's confident and a little cagey - you don't want to either under-value or price yourself out of the running.</div><div><br></div><div>Your objective at this stage is sell yourself and get them excited about what you can offer so they bring you back for subsequent interviews.</div><div><br></div><div>The longer you wait, the more time they invest and the better negotiating position you'll be in.</div></p></section>