International Employment - Job Interview Tips

Have you applied for a job overseas?

Did you send your resume and cover letter and now you have been called for a job interview?

Are you a little nervous? Are you wondering how to prepare for a job abroad interview?

Well in many ways an interview for overseas employment is not so different from an interview for local employment.

However, there are some special tips regarding how to prepare for expatriate jobs interview.

Here are some of the top tips for a successful international employment job interview:

1. Research and gather information about the international company - it is important that you have some knowledge about the company's history, goals and current activities. This indicates to the interviewer that you are not only prepared but also want to be a part of the organization.
2. When interviewing for a job abroad position you should research and know what topics of conversation are considered appropriate. Some cultures consider too much personal information to be rude, while in other cultures you are expected to share some personal information about yourself, and even inquire about the interviewer's family.
3. Dress appropriate for the overseas job interview - You are interviewing for international employment in a business environment and you should look for part. What might work well for your country will not be appropriate at the target country. Therefore, do a thorough online and offline research - check what are the local business customs and how are you expected to behave and dress in a work environment. Moreover, if you know someone at the overseas company you are interviewing with, then call him/her and find out whether there are any specific guidelines you should follow.
4. Learn the customs regarding names and nonverbal communications - Are you allowed to call the interviewer in his/her private name? Is handshake appropriate, or maybe you are expected to bow? Do you enter the room with your shoes, or should you take them off? Will it be an insult if you have an eye contact with the interviewer? etc'. All this must be researched before the international employment interview commences.
5. Make sure to get directions or a map and arrive early (5-10 minutes) before the interview. If something happens to tie you up and you can't make the interview on time call ahead and request or reschedule or ask if you can be 10 minutes late.
6. Make sure to check in what language the interview is conducted. Take into consideration that it might be in the local language and not English. This way the interviewer can test your knowledge and fluency in the foreign language.
7. Make sure to have extra copies of your C.V and/or Resume, so you can hand it over to the interviewer if requested. Other than that, have business cards printed in English on one side and the language of the country of your interview on the reverse side. Many countries exchange business cards in any professional meeting and it is considered rude if you don't have one ready.
8. Be prepared to articulate answers to theory common questions. The interviewer will most probably ask you what your strengths and weaknesses are. So, be able to specifically list your major strengths and turn your weaknesses into positive. For example you might say that one weakness is that you're a bit of a workaholic.

9. Be active during the overseas job interview - Do your research to develop a set of questions that will tell you whether or not this international employment and the overseas company is a good match. But, be cautious - do not monopolize the conversation with all your questions, and do not overpower the interviewer about details that don't count in the long run.
10. When the interviewer indicates that the job interview is finished be sure to convey your interest in the position and ask what the next step is. However, do this carefully as in some cultures it indicates to your interviewer that you are interested in pursuing the position and that you are a motivated and directed individual. Whereas in other cultures it can be seen as too forward or too rude to do so.