Recruiting now
Although a job interview may only last for one hour, this time is one of the most nervous and important of your career. It is during this time where a decision is made based on whether you would be a good choice and fit for a particular company. It is also the time in which you find out more about the company and what your exact role would be within it. It is the interview process that truly determines whether you are suitable for a particular role, regardless of how qualified you are and how much experience you have.
Job interviews are the main factor that prevents people being offered the job they have applied for simply because for many of us our nerves take over and we fail to compose ourselves in the correct manner to get through the process successfully. This is why it is vital that you prepare yourself in the correct manner.
There are a number of aspects that you can plan for in order to aid you in the success of your job interview. For example make sure you greet your potential employer with a handshake and hold consistent eye contact with them. Also it is a good idea to take a variety of information with you as you never know what forms you may have to fill in. This information should include telephone numbers and addresses of your references as well as information on your previous employers as this is a representation of information that you may not know straight away.
Remember when you go to your interview to be relaxed, positive and confident but also remember planning and preparation is vital to your success, which is you should keep the following five points in mind...
Research the company
Visit their website, read their publications and ask around about them. The more information you can make use of about the company the more impressed your potential employer will be. You will understand the job role a lot more, which will enable you to ask more informed questions about the role you are applying for.
Researching the company highlights to your potential employer that you are interested in the position and you are willing to learn and take an active role in the future success of the company. It is also a plus point as it demonstrates that you have your own intuition to find out such information; a valuable skill regardless of the industry you are applying for a job in. So make sure you find out information about past projects and current ones and what this means for the business and you are certain to make a good impression.
Find out the location of the company
As you are aware, turning up on time to your interview is fundamental to the success of it. So setting out to it not really knowing where you are going is not the greatest idea. Find out where the office is and ensure you know how to get there. One of the best ways of achieving this, especially if you aren't aware of the area, is to have a practice run of getting there. Not only does this ensure you know where you are going but it also means you can time how long it takes to get there so you know what time to set out.
Create answers to possible questions
Employers love to put you on the spot to see how you handle the situation. However the questions that are asked often revolve around certain themes such as strengths and weaknesses as well as where you see yourself in fives years time. You should prepare answers to these questions as well as reasons as to why you applied for the job etc. You should prepare answers to different questions and situations and then practice them to ensure that you know exactly what you want to say and so that you say it with confidence. It may even help if you get someone to ask you the questions to get a better feel for the interview process. Just make sure that the answers you give to the questions sell yourself as a potential employee.
Prepare any documentation
In some circumstances you may be asked to take certain documents with you to your interview. These documents could be previous examples of work, university certifications and your CV. It is a good idea to prepare all of these the night before to ensure that they are presented in a folder that your potential employer can easily look through.
Dress smart
Your appearance is the first impression a potential employer is going to gain of you so you need to ensure that this impression is a good one. Make sure that you are dressed smart, your hair is styled and you don't have too much jewellery on. All of these are essential to ensuring you give off the right impression.
By preparing beforehand you are giving yourself the biggest chance of making the right impression at your interview. Keep the above points in mind and not only will you make the right impression but you will be able to remain calm and collected during the process, which demonstrates that you can work well under pressure. You are much more likely to say everything you need to if you have prepared, so next interview you have carry out the above and secure your dream job.
How to succeed in your next interview
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This article has been kindly provided by Anson Reed, one of the UK's leading interview coaching and interview skills training specialists.