JOB SEARCH: 4 Steps To Prepare For Job Interview

Possibly you are here reading this because you are preparing for a job interview. Congratulations for making to the interview stage! However you need to do everything possible to make a great impression and get the job. Remember that this is a great opportunity and you need not to waste it. You need to train and practice severally before the big day. Supposing you were a footballer, you would have a coach and trainers to prepare you for the big match. But as a job seeker you neither have a coach nor trainers. Therefore you need to train on your own by dedicating your time and resources to develop your interviewing skills..

Haven gotten to this stage, it means that you have invested a lot of energy and time in searching and crafting your cover letter and resume. You have really done a great job. Now you have the privilege to meet your would be employer one-on-one. It’s an opportunity to sale yourself to him; to tell him why you are the right person for the position. Hence, the need for you to prepare very well or you will lose out to a well-prepared candidate.

Just like the footballer, you need a job interview coach to prepare you for the interview. However, in the absence of a coach, you have the responsibility to fashion out a way to prepare yourself to appear confident, qualified and stand out. An interview goes beyond giving the right answers. Being prepared for the interview could mean the difference between getting the job and not.

Employers will usually hire the person that makes the best impression at the interview. This is quite often over people who have far more skills, qualifications and experience. Being prepared can quite often make or break the interview. Here are 4 major steps that you need to take if you interested in landing a job.

1. Step One - Before the Interview, Research and Learn About Your Potential Employer/Company.

Now that you have been invited to meet your would be employer for an interview, it simply mean that you at least made the cut off. However, this is where the hard work begins. It is important that you take some quality time to research and learn about the company. Company research is the best way to learn about what the company does and what they look out for in candidate. If you do a good research work, you will be better prepared to answer questions and position yourself as the best candidate.

It’s critical to have significant knowledge about a company so you can make a good impression. Researching about a company’s past, present and future is now easier than ever with the transparency the internet provides.

Take note of any important items you learn. Perhaps some of the challenges it faces in its market or with its products or services. Think of how your skills and experience will bring solution to the company. Identify and prepare lots of examples to share as you answer their job interview questions. Also asking questions based on your research show that you are passionate about the position and the company, and it will make a good impression. These are the types of things that interest interviewers and it helps you appear confident in the actual interview.

Here are some of the things to research about the company:

• The Company’s Mission, Culture And Values
• News And Recent Company Achievement
• What To Wear
• Clients, Products And Services (What They Do) etc.

Try and find the answers to the following questions after gathering the information:

•  What does the organization provide / make / sell?
•  Who are their customers / users?
• What will the job involve?
• What sort of person do you think they want?
• How best would your own skills fit into this role?

2. Step 2 - Prepare To Answer All Questions Positively And With Enthusiasm.

Another step in the preparation process for the interview is to read over commonly asked interview questions and have your answers already planned out. Interview questions are what job seekers think of most when they think of interviews and this cause much panic. Hence, the need for proper preparation. Just as you would study for an exam in advance, be sure to prepare well for an interview. Learn the right way to answer the most common interview questions. Prepare to share stories about how you handled related situations and results you achieved, then end it up with how the experience is relevant; to the job you to which you are interviewing for and how it will add to the growth of the company

Most interviewers use the same questions and differ from the normal questions almost never. This makes it easy for you to know how you will answer almost any question that is given to you. This will help to keep you sounding assured of yourself.

By knowing what is going to be asked and having answers already planned out, you will be able to keep your nervous.

 3. Step 3 - Develop Your "Success Story"

It’s also important you know how to develop your success story. This simply means illustrating your proficiencies as it relates to the position for which you are interviewing. As you prepare for an interview, make sure you have key points to share with your interviewers that summarize why you are the best candidate for the job. 

Your success story must be based on your personal experience, achievements and qualities (not qualification) and how they are related to the company’s needs. They are the things that should set you apart from the other candidates and what the interviewers should remember about you, most especially when they are making their final decision. Remember that the best qualified candidate is not always the one that gets the job.

Look at your work history, evaluate your skills and strengths, review any failures and lessons learned and list out your successes. Use them to develop your success story and learn how to emphasize them in your interview answers. For every question asked, cease the opportunity to present sell yourself as the only product with the required qualities. However, make sure you use the talking points well before you head to your interview.

4. Step 4 - Rehearse the Job Interview Before the Big Day

To make your presentation flawless you need to practice the job interview ahead of time. This will ensure that you are confident in your answers and actions. Practicing will help you to become comfortable with your responses and identify actions or habits that need addressed. There are different ways you can practice. For instance, you could video record yourself, practice with a family member or a friend, sit in front of a mirror etc.

Here are some of the things you should pay attention to as you practice:

• Eye Contact
• Facial Expression
• Posture
• Nervous Gestures (e.g. Fidgeting)
• Use of Non-words
• Up-Talking
• Grammatical Errors
• Sloppy Speech
• Weak Speaking
• Speed Talking
• Answering Questions Too Quickly
• Talking Too Much
• Being Cocky etc.

If you are going to impress the interviewer, you need to work hard and prepare very well. Even the smartest and the most qualified job seekers need to prepare for interviews. Pre-interview preparation is the key.

Walking into an interview expecting to succeed without proper preparation is a waste of time. It’s good to make a checklist of key experiences and attributes you want to cover and utilize every opportunity to present them during the interview

Providing answers that highlight your skills, experience and expertise is the key to answering any interview question. Be yourself; don’t try to be perfect because the interview itself is imperfect.

For more detailed info click here

Wish you success.

Please drop your comment below; questions or/and contributions…