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.
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below; questions or/and contributions…
