You have an interview for your dream job – Fantastic! Yet as the days go by and the interview draws closer, you become nervous, like many people do. A million questions go through your head every minute of your waking day. Will they like? I’m I truly qualified for the job? How many people I’m I up against?
Do not panic; the mere fact that you made it to the interview means that they are interested in what you have to offer in terms of experience and skills. As such, you should conduct proper preparation to ensure you put on a stellar performance when it really matters – during the interview. Herein are 7 tips to help you with the preparation.
#1. Conduct Through Research On The company
To be honest, this is no-brainer tip. Nonetheless, it is important to mention it as there are plenty of people who do not research the company they are applying for. Our recruiters have come across interviewees who have said that they looked at the company’s website. However, when asked about the details, they cannot offer any credible info.
With this in mind, make a point of thoroughly reading everything about the prospective company. Travis Perkins suggest that you go through all their web pages and soak up as much info as possible. Read the profile of various company personnel, including your interviewers. Use Google to search for the company’s latest and past news. Attaining this knowledge will give you a sense of seriousness during the interview. Importantly, it will help you come up with questions to ask at the end of the interview.
#2. Prepare With A Recruitment Consultant
Any good recruitment agency will go the extra mile needed to help you prepare for the interview. As such, when such an opportunity is offered, make yourself available as they tend to have helpful insights. Furthermore, they are the experts and more often than not they are experienced in placing a people in the company.
While preparing with your consultant, make a point of discussing all the concerns you may have. You can even role play. The main point here is to take full advantage of preparing with a consultant.
#3. Get In The Right State Of Mind
Positivity, much like the laughter, is hard to resist and infectious. As Randy Moore reckons, employers find it hard to dislike individuals who really want their jobs.
As such, when you attend an interview whilst full of confidence and enthusiasm, you have already done half the job. Go in there telling yourself that the job is yours and no one is going to take it away from you. As cheesy as it may sound, it works. Having a positive mind frame can positively impact your interview.
#4. Practice Your Responses
While interviews take many different forms, the most common type of interview is the competency-based interview. During such an interview, the interviewer will ask questions as a means of determining whether you have the right skills and ample experience for the job. Use the job description to determine the kind of skills that the job requires. Additionally, you can consult with your recruitment consultant to know the competencies and behaviors (relationship-building, influencing, technical, etc. ) that the company is looking for.
Moreover, practice for the specific questions that they ask. It is important that you have specific examples at hand so that you can match your skills with your experiences.
#5. Be A STAR
During interviews, there is a high risk of rumbling on and on without properly answering the questions. To avert such as situation and be more precise with your answers use the STAR technique. Start with a Situation: “We were launching a new online service”, describe your Task: “I was tasked with the software design and UX”, talk about the various Actions you took: “I handled the research, development, and testing”, finally explain the outcomes of your actions – the Results: “we launched the service in time and without hitches and glitches”.
It is important to note that you are allowed to bring in notes to an interview. In the event your mind goes blank, you can refer to your note. It also gives the interview panel an impression that you worked hard to prepare for the interview.
#6. Be Honest About Your Salary Expectations
This has to be among the most awkward interview questions. However, the golden tip is to be honest. If you used a recruitment agency, they will have forwarded your salary expectations while submitting your name and documents. As such, the panel will not be suppressed by your answer, if they ask. So stick with figures you gave the recruitment agency.
If you did not use an agency, you still should be honest. You can state the salary range and indicate that you would prefer getting the top end of the range. However, you can indicate that you are flexible up to a certain extent since the job is a stellar opportunity.
#7. Always Ask Questions
An interview should be a two-way process, more akin to a conversation. As such, to get a feel for the company, ask as plenty of questions as possible. For you can ask:
– What would my first two to three months in the role be like?
– What are the notable challenges facing the company currently?
– What do you like about working here?
– Do you have any concerns about me that I should address?
You should ask the last question in each and every one of your interviews. It allows the interview panel to bring up any lingering doubts and issues so that you can address. For instance, are you comfortable with the commute? Importantly, you are given an opportunity to answer the question giving you an upper hand.