Firstly the reason for going to the interview is not only for the employer to see if you are suitable but also for you to see if the type of job, hours and location are what you wish. A little research of the company will be of major assistance. Not only will you learn of the company size but also its history and product. This helps because it will give you the information needed to form a few questions that you can pose to the interviewer. The other bonus is that when you are questioned you will portray yourself as a person that is keenly interested in the company. So in preparation:
- Research the company's history.
- Understand the position that you are applying for and a salary range that you would accept.
- Match those skills you have that will fill the role and emphasize them.
- Be prepared to answer questions such as - why do you want this job? And what strengths can you offer to the role?
Prior to the interview
First appearances are very important, in that split second a snap judgment will be made, either in your favor or against it. So before you leave home:
Select clothing that is appropriate to the occasion and the position applied for. Dress in a modest style and pay attention to personal grooming. It would be inappropriate to dress in jeans and a tee shirt if applying for a managerial role just as would dressing in a three-piece suit for a job on a building site. Surveys have shown that almost 50% of employers were influenced by appearance and that the impression persisted throughout the interview. A clean, neat, tidy and well-groomed presentation will go a long way to securing the job. Also being slightly overdressed is much better than being under dressed. Once dressed have a good critical look at yourself in the mirror, once satisfied you can proceed with confidence.
Prepare your paperwork; recent trends have shown that a one page CV with all relevant facts, skills and employment history summarized is more acceptable than a twenty page document crammed with detail. A good idea is to photocopy and bind all documentation which will enable the copy to be left behind for further perusal - a nice touch. Prepare the folder with the executive summary at the front with supporting detail at the back if needed, do not include irrelevant detail. For example if one is applying for a retail position do not include all your job details of being a dry-cleaning presser - just a summary of time employed with contact details for work references and verbally fill in the details if asked.
On the way to the interview
Nerves are a common occurrence but can be overcome. Often nerves feed on themselves and will definitely degrade your performance at the upcoming interview. Knowing why they occur will help in overcoming the fear factor.
Some of the common causes of worry are:
- Being seen as foolish
- Appearing inarticulate
- Questioned by someone far more knowledgeable than yourself and failing to adequately answer questions
- Being obviously nervous, tremulous voice etc..
- Being struck dumb
- Being overawed by the surroundings or interviewer
One thing to remember is that everyone suffers from nerves but that some will use the excess energy to their advantage. We all know that practice makes perfect, so some positive things one can do on the way to the interview to minimize your nervousness are:
- Rehearse how you will greet the interviewer.
- Go through in your mind how you will enter the office, how you will sit and your posture.
- Mentally rehearse all the questions you could be asked and your responses, often the interviewer will start with a few personal ones, be prepared to answer easily and as if you are talking to a friend of your parents.
- Run through all your paperwork - is it all in order?
- Always give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview, being early is better than stressing because you late due to not being able to find a park etc..
- As you walk to the interview breathe deeply and regularly, do not starve your brain of oxygen. The other plus is that your lungs are filling deeply which assists in modulation and continuity in speech during the interview.
At the interview
On meeting the interviewer shake hands firmly, take a deep breath and introduce yourself calmly and clearly. Maintain eye contact, try to relax and be genial, a trick some find that works is to imagine that the role is reversed and that the interviewer is coming to you for the job and you want to make him feel at ease. Allow him plenty of space to show you into the room, cross to the chair indicated seat yourself comfortably and in a relaxed manner, remember how you rehearsed the action in your mind earlier.
Allow the interviewer to start the conversation and before answering breathe deeply once more and pause before replying. Pausing allows you to compose your thoughts and also lets the interviewer adjust, ready for your reply. You should aim for confident body language for the impression you wish to portray is one of being natural and relaxed.
If you are shy by nature mention this to your interviewer, it will make you a little more comfortable and also stop the interviewer thinking that you are hiding something because of your manner.
Gestures are helpful in reinforcing what you say and in making the interview more interesting and animated, though a warning here, if the gestures are too bold and large it will detract from your credibility. Remember this is the best opportunity to impress your prospective employer with your attitude and personality, which will allow him to assess whether you will fit into the job and with other team members.
Things to take note
- Don't drink alcohol before the interview - save that till afterwards!
- Don't smoke before.
- Don't fiddle
- Have your own favorite pen on you so that any signatures, form filling etc.. can be done without fuss and comfortably
- Don't be overly familiar with the interviewer but do be relaxed and natural
- Answer questions fully, not just yes no answers but on the other hand don't natter on
- Be interested in the job and what the interviewer says - referring back to something said earlier will prove that you were listening
- Have a relevant question to ask - this can help in an awkward silence and allow the interviewer an opportunity to relax by talking of a familiar topic.
- If offered a cup of coffee or tea only 3/4 fill the cup just in case you are then given a guided tour - there is nothing more off-putting than spilling coffee on the carpet of your prospective boss.
- Do not be negative, as an example if you are asked why you left your last job do not say 'the boss was a narrow minded myopic and didn't listen to my forward thinking ideas, so I left', what you could say would be 'some of my ideas didn't fit into the current strategy of the company so I felt that I would like to move to a more dynamic environment'
- Try to project enthusiasm, about what you've achieved and what you'd like to achieve.
- Thank the interviewer for his time at the end of the interview
After the interview, review the way it went. Think of what you did well and those things that you could improve upon. Make a note of those things to change and polish your performance for the next interview. Generally it will take a while for the company to see and assess all the candidates interviewed so do not expect an instant decision. Writing a short letter or email to the interviewer once again thanking him for his time and briefly reiterating your skills that pertain to the position, now that you know more about it, is helpful in keeping you in the forefront of his mind. But continue applying for more positions and hone your interview technique. Success will come your way because of the hard work and persistence put into the job seeking process.
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