Interview guidance
Here are some top-tips to help you be prepared to have a great interview.
Be on time!
Practise getting to the venue to see how long it will take. Public transport may be useless, the traffic may have been heavy, but however reasonable it won’t affect the fact that your chances are reduced if you are late. Always remember – You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Aim to be early – you can always find a nearby cafe/shop/ to wait in. And if worst comes to worst and you are going to be late, then definitely ring in and let them know.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
SMILE! Dress professionally in simple business attire. focus on what is being said, you can gather valuable information that will help you formulate better, more intelligent answers and questions of your own.
- Listen through eye contact — stay with the person.
- Listen with nonverbal expressions — nod and appear interested.
- Listen until the speaker is finished — do not interrupt.
Be Prepared!
Look at the employers’ website and learn something about the company before you attend your interview. It shows to them you’re a professional and gives you the opportunity to ask intelligent questions surrounding their business. Research their products, their market place, competitors and customers. Make sure your read their mission statement/creed, know and understand their core values as a company.
Preparing emotionally for the interview is as important as researching the company. The right mood helps you perform at your best. Try these suggestions for preparing emotionally: get moving — go for a walk, run, exercise, meditate, do yoga, stretch, dance, something — activity gets blood flowing to your brain; sing your favourite song while driving to the interview; repeat an inspirational phrase aloud that’s meaningful for you; or simply remember a time when you felt terrific.
Write down and practice possible questions!
Writing them down and practicing them with someone will make it easier to remember when you get to the interview. Use the third person when talking about the job. Avoid sounding as though you assume the job is yours. It is fine to ask about the package on offer. You could also try asking a few more testing questions such as how they differentiate themselves from their competitors or what they think the toughest/hardest part of the job is.
What are your weaknesses?
In an interview, bring up a weakness before you’re asked for one. For example, “The truth is, I really need to work on my leadership skills. I’m a good worker and totally competent, but sometimes I lack the confidence to stand up and take a leadership position.” Be careful not to sow a seed of doubt and always re-affirm your abilities.That candor builds chemistry, helps ensure you’re likely to succeed on the job and differentiates you from typical candidates who hype themselves.
Be honest!
There really is no point lying about your background and/or skills. Job interviews are about matching needs – if there isn’t a good match, then chances are that the job won’t work out.
Don’t talk too much!
When it comes to talking during an interview, sometimes less is more. As a general rule, you should speak one-third of the time and definitely no more than half of the time. The best interviews have a give-and-take atmosphere. To do this, you need to ask questions and try to draw out your interviewer rather than talking about yourself nonstop. When it’s your turn to speak, don’t hesitate to tout yourself — just remember to stop talking after you do.
Be enthusiastic, positive and calm!
Try to think of a job interview as a first date: You’re both trying to figure out if there’s a match. This mindset proffers many advantages. You come off as curious, not desperate, you don’t assume that too-formal, phony-appearing job-seeker persona, you talk about what you want to talk about instead of just passively getting bombarded with the employer’s probes and you’re more likely to ask questions during the interview. Those questions will help assess if you really want the job. Treat the interview as a first date, and you’ll both be better informed when deciding whether you can work in partnership.
Talk about specific achievements!
The product you are selling is you. Give them reasons to buy. Tell them what you can do for them. Emphasize what you can bring to the company, department and position. Convince them that you the product is better than the competition’s. Always put a positive spin on your answers to difficult questions. If you lack a particular skill or don’t know a certain computer program, be sure to emphasize how quickly you learn. Give an example of a time when you were able to get up to speed in a similar situation. Companies are interested in people who can hit the ground running.
Interrogated or interviewed?
Remember you determine whether you’re interrogated or interviewed. If you don’t ask questions throughout the interview, you force the interviewer to continue to ask you a series of questions. Interviews should resemble meetings where both people ask questions and provide answers. After you respond to a question, ask a question to make sure you’re understood accurately and that you’ve provided enough detail. After responding, ask something like, “Did I give you enough detail?” “Was I clear on that?” or “Would you like me to elaborate?”
Have fun!
Try to enjoy the experience stay positive and smile even under pressure remember its all about the match, it shouldn’t be personal.