Surviving an Interview!
The most important thing to remember when going into an interview is that your goal is to get a job offer. Many people look at an interview as a big scary situation, but actually, with the correct preparation, practice and pitch about who you are, it needn’t be! Always keep in mind what you want from the interview – A JOB OFFER!!
If you have been getting interviews but hearing nothing back then you need to look at how you are interviewing and see where you can do it better!! Here’s some pointers to get you going in the right direction!
• Know where you are going and be sure to arrive early. - Lateness does not look good, if you do get delayed by traffic then call ahead and let the interviewer know – shows you have good communication skills and an ability to deal with unexpected situations calmly!
• Show confident, positive body language. – We mean smile, eye contact and a world class handshake! (All of you previous academy candidates will have that one nailed!!)
• DID YOU KNOW that 93% of an interview is based on personality, body language and how you interact with other people? oh you didn’t – well now you will be paying much more attention to how you interact with EVERYONE you speak to on the phone and come across on the day!!
• Show interest throughout the interview. - Don’t make the mistake of letting your body language give you away if you are wondering if the job is for you or if you have “brain freeze” when trying to think of an answer.
• Research the company and have a list of questions prepared. – failure to prepare is preparing to fail! Take it from me – NEVER GO TO AN INTERVIEW WITHOUT HAVING DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH ON THE COMPANY!! – Looking like a fool is never a good look at interview!!
• Give examples when answering a question. - Answering with an example gives you plenty of opportunity to pack several of the skills you used into the answer; this gives the interviewers a better picture of why they should hire you.
• Ask questions. – You never let yourself down showing that you are interested in the position that you are being interviewed for! Go for questions that show you have looked into the company and the job and are keen to find out more!
So having left the interview your thinking that means your work with the employer is done until you hear back? WRONG!! Following up with an email, letter or phone call to the interviewer, shortly after you have left or later that day, shows that you are not afraid to do things differently and set yourself apart from the crowd!! Standing out from the crowd in a positive way is a great skills to master for interviews!
By putting time and effort into getting ready for your next interview, you up your chances of having a memorable interview and getting that job offer!
Ask yourself - Do you need to change your strategy?
Posted by Kate Sutherland on 13 September 2011 in : KDS Training, KDS Youth Training, Training employability
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