Interview Succes
A job interview is a bit like a first date. It’s nerve wracking and it’s the toughest part of getting any job. It’s the moment when you come face to face with a prospective employer and, just when you need all the confidence you can muster, it seems to completely disappear. Sparkling at interviews and making a good impression is something that everyone can do, it just takes careful planning and preparation:
BE PREPARED
Analyse the job description, try and work out what sort of person is required and match that to your own strengths and skills. If you are going through an employment agency such as Kelly Scientific Resources, your consultant will be able to give you a detailed job description and ensure you know all about the position before you get there. Research the company, products, staff, culture, clients and competitors. Find out all you can about them to show you are really interested in joining their team. The company’s website often showcases their mission and vision, product line, achievements, annual report and much additional information.
ARRIVE EARLY
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the appointment, ideally you should aim to arrive 10-15 minutes early to give yourself a chance to look around and to relax.
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
Think carefully about what to wear, the importance of first impressions cannot be overstated. Make sure that you look smart and professional. Wear something that is appropriate to the company you are going to see. Golden rules include smart polished shoes, clean tidy hair, discrete jewellery, clean nails and not too much perfume or aftershave. Remember you want them to focus on you and your abilities, so don’t give them any reasons to be distracted by your appearance.
MAKING A FIRST IMPRESSION
Greet everyone you meet politely. When you meet your interviewer, look directly at the person and shake his/her hand firmly. This shows confidence. Adopt a positive attitude from the beginning. Don’t forget to come with a clean and up-to-date copy of your CV.
ANSWER KEY QUESTIONS WITH CONFIDENCE
Practice your responses to such questions as “What are your strongest skills?” and “Why would you like to work for this company?”. Well thought out answers to these questions show confidence and competence. Employers often ask questions designed to discover how you would deal with certain situations and how you would behave. Companies want to know about your abilities and track record, not just your knowledge and experience. For instance “describe a situation where you have shown yourself to be flexible” or “describe how you dealt with an unexpected situation” are both ways of trying to find out more about how you operate as a person and your competencies. Producing answers isn’t as difficult as it may first appear, particularly if you have given some thought to these type of questions. You can draw on your past experience and you don’t necessarily have to restrict yourself to the workplace. Tricky questions are not designed to deliberately catch you out, they are there to encourage you to think on your feet and give you an opportunity to shine.
ASK GOOD QUESTIONS
An interview is a two-way conversation. While you will be there to answer questions, it is also important for you to prepare a few good questions from the research you have conducted prior to the interview. Two or three strategic questions will demonstrate your interest, intelligence and analytical skills.
SELL YOUR STRENGTHS
Identify five or six of your main attributes/skills and be prepared to talk about them in very specific terms. Many recruiters will ask you to give examples of how you have used these skills in the past.
OFFER BRIEF, FOCUSED RESPONSES
Your ability to communicate is critical during an interview. Answer questions briefly, yet thoroughly, providing specific examples about your experience, skills, etc. Stay on target with your answers, maintain eye contact with your interviewer and offer enthusiastic responses whenever appropriate.
KEEP A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE
Never talk negatively about prior employers or co-workers, regardless of your experience with them. Maintaining a positive attitude shows a prospective employer tha you are a team player.
STATE YOUR INTEREST
Let your interviewer know that you are interested in the position and inquire about the next steps in the process. Asking questions such as “Do my qualifications match the needs of your company?” gets right to the point and lets the interviewer know that you are serious about working for the company.
FOLLOW UP
Think of sending a thank you letter to show your professionalism and interest for the position. Sending an e-mail is also acceptable but many recruiters find this approach “too easy”.
Believe in yourself, your skills and abilities. You wouldn’t have been selected for the interview in the first place if the company didn’t think you could be the right person for the job.
