I need help with job interview. I work as a contractor in IT field.

I went through the routine of answering technical & behaviroral quesitons.

what should I say to the interviewer at the end that will convince him that I am interested in the job.

I just not good at selling my self. I am currently suffering depression now thus my voice might not sound enthusiastic to the interviewer. I tried to speak more enthusiastically but no avail.

one of the question interview ask for 1 of your strongest strength.
Should I just say that I am well trained to deal with customer service since I have extensive hands on dealing with irate users.

for weakness question: Should I say that I don't have weakness that might hinder my performance on the job? Is this a good answer?

I feel nervous on interview thus sometimes my eyes avert around the interviewer although my mind is focus on the question.

Do guys tend to avert their eyes in direct conversation with ppl than women?

Relax and smile, Picard. Just remembering that will put you in a much better position.

Most of the interview questions are really meaningless as questions and are really just meant to test your reactions to them.

Unfortunately, most employers rely heavily on the interview rather than a hands on assessment of the skill required for the job. Yes, they are looking for reactions, but this is usually the only time your potential future boss will get to make an assessment of your job skills. Technical knowledge may be what they are looking for, or it could be the Human Resources department conducting the interviews, in which case they may no know any of the technical aspects of the job. Every company seems to do it differently.

If you technical knowledge is good, but you have trouble with the interview process, I would suggest some practice with friends. There are numerous web sites which are designed to help job seekers with interviewing and contain typical questions. Have your friends interview you, and get them to be tough on you. This is good rehearsal and will build confidence.

Next, go to more job interviews. You may not get the job, but the experience with the various processes used by different companies will also aid in confidence building. The education you will gain from this is priceless.

When answering questions, be direct and answer confidently. Do not "stare" into their eyes. Be polite and professional and do not come across as antagonistic, regardless of the questions asked. The interviewers have only a short interview to find out if you can do the job, will fit in with the company, didn't lie on your resume and that you will not be a liability to the company. While it may seem like a game, hiring good people is critical to any company. It is a shame that they rely so heavily on a short interview.

He knows you're interested in the job, the question in his mind is whether or not he's interested in you. The only time I ever walked into a job cold was 1971, things have changed. I was asked questions across a variety of topics and all I did was answer and carry my side of the conversation. I made eye contact and answered the questions honestly -- this is my opinion and I don't care if you don't like it.

I get the impression from your posts here that you lack self confidence/self esteem and it's probably apparent in interviews. If you don't like you, why should they hire you?

A lot of this depends more on the interviewer than on you. If they are using behavioral questions they are probably looking for specific natural strengths or tendencies - not "you are good at things" but more like the you are passionate or energized about things. They know how these strengths map to job performance (hopefully) and want hire people who fit the preferred profile. Good interviewers understand the process and that there are different routes to the same destination - bad ones are checking off the boxes on the form.

You need to be able to explain why your strengths make you an excellent candidate for the job. To do that you need to know the specifics of your strengths and how you would apply them on the job. This is why you get questions like - tell me about a time when.... A good interviewer is looking for a specific example, not a hypothetical. This is when you get to highlight how you applied your strengths and skills and sell yourself as a good fit for the job.

Of course this works better (for you and the interviewer) when you know what your natural strengths are - what are the things at work that you could do all day and feel energized about. Are there things that you really look forward to at work - when are you "in the zone" and time just flys on by?

- Eric

No, terrible answer. What the interviewer takes from that is that you can't learn from your mistakes, because you don't think you make any.

The way to answer the infamous weakness question is to describe some weakness, and then also describe how you are working on overcoming that weakness. This shows that you are aware of your shortcomings and are always working on improvement.

Do not focus on wanting the job, but on what the company need's are currently and in the near future. Ask questions according to the research you have done about the company. Current and future projects. Ask the interviewer what challenges they face and the show them what solutions you bring to the table. Your hard skills are getting your foot in the door. Now it is time for your critical thinking and soft skills to land you the job offer.

I've always wondered if I should answer the weakness question

"I don't come across my best when being interviewed"

Lots of good advice here.

Do you know anyone who has done hiring who could help you practice? I've been on both ends of the process and practice helps. Keep in mind that interviews are as individual as the people doing the interviewing.

Try to put yourself in the interviewer's shoes, and imagine what questions you'd ask if you were looking at your resume. How would your technical skill-set help their organization? How would your "soft skills" help -- your capacity for teamwork, your work ethic, your drive to succeed and contribute?

Everywhere I've done hiring, what I'm looking for in the interview is a sense of the person and answers to any questions the resume poses (such as clarifying what exactly they did in those jobs and looking for an explanation of gaps between jobs). Some tips:

1) SCRUB YOUR RESUME and have others do so, too. Make sure there are no errors. Your resume is the first clue to your "attention-to-detail."

2) BRING COPIES OF YOUR RESUME TO THE INTERVIEW. In case the interviewer misplaced it, they'll appreciate you having extras handy.

3) No matter what, follow up the interview with a typed THANK YOU NOTE. This alone will set you apart from the crowd -- especially these days. E-mails are no substitute for old-fashioned snail-mail, even in IT. And if you aren't the right fit for this job, the thank you note will make it more likely they'll keep you in mind for the future.

4) ASK STRATEGIC QUESTIONS. A good interview is a two-way conversation. You are also interviewing that workplace. Know as much as you can going in to the interview and plan beforehand a couple of questions that show your knowledge and demonstrate your strategic sense (including who else you'd be working with and how long they've been there -- a team player wants to know about their future team).

5) INVENTORY YOUR STRENGTHS -- and have them on the tip of your tongue. Your technical qualifications, past successes, personal attributes (teamworker, hardworker, quick learner)

6) BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE A WEAKNESS -- I never ask this question but it is not uncommon. Can't say I have a stock answer but would try to formulate in advance a weakness that also conveys a strength. (perhaps the ETS gang can help with this)

7) Be rested and try to be relaxed when you go in. Give it your best shot and know that even if that situation doesn't work out you can gain from the process.

The interviewer wants you to succeed. They want to like you and know that you can do the job so they can hire you and get on with their own job.

Have faith.

How about "I have been accused of being a perfectionist at times. Sometimes perfection isn't the best answer when costs have to be measured or funds are limited. This one is hard for me so I do my best utilizing the available resources, time, money, etc."