10 Tips For A Successful Job Interview
Everything from job search techniques to job descriptions are changing, the only thing that remains the same is a job interview. Everyone even the smartest, needs to practice for a job interview because you only have that one chance to make a lasting impression.
Follow these easy steps to help you nail your job interview and always remember you need to prepare, practice and on the day of the interview, perform.
1. Research the company
As soon as you get called for an interview do a research on the company, what is it about, how big it is, their aim and why they are looking into hiring. It shows your interest in the job.
2. First impressions count
You only get to give a first impression once, make it your best. Greeting with a smile, a firm handshake and eye contact is important. Make it a small talk before the interview starts and be professional.
3. Bring your resume
Always take your resume with you to an interview, if the interviewer has misplaced their copy it makes you look organized when you just pull one out to avoid awkwardness and save time.
4. Clarify why you want the job
Go into an interview with at least three selling points why you want this job. Give reasons why for example you think you are the best candidate, what interests you about the job and why you value it.
5. Prepare common interview questions
Do a research on common interview questions and pick the ones you think you are most likely to encounter depending on the description of the job. Prepare the answers so that you don’t have to mumble in the actual interview.
6. Expect interviewer’s concerns and reservations
Remember there might be a lot of people gunning for the same position that you want, for this reason interviewers might be looking for ways to screen out people. Think about your disadvantages why you might not get the job and use that for defense and tell the interviewer why he/she shouldn’t worry about their reservations.
7. Make it a success the first five minutes
Experts say most interviewers make their decisions in the first five minutes to make their decision so you should make sure you give your most important points in that time and spent the rest of the interview giving reasons that confirm your points.
8. Make the most of “tell me about yourself”
Instead of telling the interviewer about your background, how you grew up and how many siblings you have, take that opportunity to get into your selling point and say as much as you can. This is a perfect opportunity and never to be missed.
9. Be prepared to answer inappropriate questions
Sometimes interviewers may ask inappropriate questions like if you are looking into having kids anytime soon, race, gender, age or religion. In this case it’s okay to ask how this is relevant to your application or you can simply say you are focused on your career and it comes first.
10. Don’t give up
If you see that that the interview didn’t go as you wanted it to, write an email or call your interviewer and let them know that you didn’t communicate well and you’d like to an opportunity to contribute. The worst thing you can do is not try.
