The most effective way to ensure you enter a job interview confidently is to prepare beforehand. By preparing, you can be confident in your ability to answer any questions. Doing so well will enable you to highlight how your skills, knowledge and experience make you the best person for the role. Believe it or not, this can make the job interview one of the most enjoyable parts of the job search process.
Preparing for your interview
Preparing for your job interview is the key to success. Make sure you can explain everything you have included in your resume and cover letter. This should include examples and explanations of your experience. Be clear about why you want the job and why you want to work for the organisation. Do as much research about the company or business as you can. Visit the company's website to find out about what they do and their mission or vision statements. Consider how you would go about answering some of the most commonly asked questions. But don't write a script as you may forget or not sound natural. Some common interview questions are:
- Can you tell me about yourself?
- Why do you want to work here?
- Why should we hire you?
- What are your greatest strengths?
- What is your greatest weakness? (tip: think of a skill you would like to improve and explain your approach to overcoming this)
- Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated …? Have some scenarios prepared and use the STAR structure for this type of question.
During the interview
You may be interviewed by one or two people, or by a panel. Ask the person who notifies you of your interview time who will be interviewing you. This way you can be prepared.
And remember to do the following:
- Dress appropriately for the interview.
- Get to the interview on time.
- Turn off your mobile phone.
- Be confident and speak clearly.
- Show you're keen by listening and paying attention.
- Ask specific questions.
- Leave the interview on a positive note by thanking them for their time.
If you're not sure about a question the interviewer has asked, ask them to explain it. Sometimes it's helpful to note down the various parts of a complex question. Give answers relevant to the job. And use this opportunity to highlight why you're the best person for it.
The interview is not a time for:
- true confessions
- discussing politics, religion, race or marital status
- expressing anger over past jobs
- talking about family problems
- complaining about looking for work or the number of interviews that you have had.
After the formal questions, you will be asked if you have any questions of your own. Always have at least one question ready. A good question could be about a special project you noted on their website. This will show you've done some research. Other questions could be about:
- opportunities for further training and professional development
- the organisational structure
- the way performance is measured and reviewed
- transfer policy to other sites including overseas transfers.
There is no set number of questions, but generally allow five minutes for your questions to be answered. Other candidates may be waiting for an interview, so keeping to time is important.
It's a good idea to send a follow-up email thanking the employer for the interview. This does lead to job offers. Sending a thank-you email shows that you're polite and considerate. This might be the difference between you and another candidate.
If you don't get the job you've been interviewed for, ask for feedback to help you improve your interview performance. Ask questions like:
- Do you have any suggestions or feedback regarding my approach or attitude?
- Do you have any hints on how I could improve my interview skills?
Searching for a job takes time and patience. Talk to friends who have found work and ask them what they did. Or talk to people employed in industries that interest you about how they got their job.
Proper preparation will help reduce some stress involved in job interviews. And the more you prepare, the more comfortable and successful you're likely to be.
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