10 Tips For Acing Your Next Job Interview
10 Tips For Acing Your Next Job Interview. The fact that you have been called for a job interview means you have potential. This is the final leg for you to get that job. The following tips can help you impress your interviewers, and land yourself a new job.
1. Research About The Company
Find out everything you can about your potential place of employment ahead of time. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the company’s website and blog all provide you with information that will help you go to a job interview confident and prepared.
2. Prepare For Common Interview Questions
Every “how to interview” book has a list of a hundred or more “common interview questions. Pick any list and think about which questions you’re most likely to encounter, given your age and status. Then prepare your answers so you won’t have to fumble for them during the actual interview.
3. Be Ready For Inappropriate Questions
Questions about race, age, gender, religion, marital status and sexual orientation can be inappropriate. If you get asked those questions, simply answer with a question ,”I’m not sure how that’s relevant to my application”, or you can try to answer “the question behind the question”: “I don’t know whether I’ll decide to have children in the near future, but if you’re wondering if I’ll be leaving my job for an extended period of time, I can say that I’m very committed to my career.
4. Make The Most Of The “Tell me about yourself” Question
You can go into a story about where you were born, your family, and pets, and that’s okay. But would you rather have the interviewer writing down what kind of dog you have, or why the company should hire you? Consider responding to this question with something like: “Well, obviously I could tell you about lots of things, and if I’m missing what you want, please let me know. But the three things I think are most important for you to know about me are [your selling points].
5.Have Questions For The Interviewer
Come to the interview with some intelligent questions for the interviewer that demonstrate your knowledge of the company as well as your serious intent. Interviewers always ask if you have any questions, and no matter what, you should have one or two ready. If you say, “No, not really,” they may conclude that you’re not all that interested in the job or the company.
6. Let Some Personality In
On that note, an important thing to remember is that you were selected for this interview based on your skills and accomplishments. The interviewers know you have what it takes to do the job, so now’s your chance to inject some personality into what’s written on that resume and cover letter.
7. Speak The Right Body Language
Dress appropriately, make eye contact, give a firm handshake, have good posture, speak clearly, and don’t wear too much perfume or cologne. Sometimes interview locations are small rooms that may lack good air circulation. You want the interviewer paying attention to your job qualifications, not passing out because you’ve come in wearing too much perfume!
8. Relax
Interviews are a big deal, and landing that new career can be a game-changer, but it’s important to remember that you’ve already accomplished something: You landed the interview. So, relax a little bit. As long as you’ve done your research and you let your personality shine through, you’ll be prepared to ace the interview.
9. Get Ready Ahead of Time
Don’t wait until the last minute to pick out an interview outfit, print extra copies of your resume, or find a notepad and pen. Have one good interview outfit ready, so you can interview on short notice without having to worry about what to wear. When you have an interview lined up, get everything ready the night before.
10. Don’t Give Up
If you’ve had a bad interview for a job that you truly think would be a great fit for you (not just something you want badly), don’t give up! Write a note, send an email, or call the interviewer to let him or her know that you think you did a poor job of communicating why you think this job would be a good match. Reiterate what you have to offer the company, and say that you’d like an opportunity to contribute. Whether this strategy will get you a job offer depends on the company and on you. But one thing’s for sure: If you don’t try, your chances are exactly zero. We’ve seen this approach work on numerous occasions, and we encourage you to give it that last shot.
