You’ll have spent quite a significant amount of time preparing your CV and applying for roles. You’ve finally secured a job interview, now it’s time to prepare.
From practising answers and coming up with your own questions, to body language and making a good impression, there’s a lot to consider.
It shouldn’t be as difficult as you’d think. Going through several things will make sure that you’re prepared for job interview success.
How to practise answers for your job interview
You’ll naturally be asked multiple questions during your job interview. You’ll need to practise answers for them.
That can often be the most difficult part of preparing for a job interview. There are multiple things that you’ll need to consider.
To make sure you’re ready for the job interview, you should:
Research
You should be as informed as possible about the company you’re interviewing for. Company reviews, their culture, and similar characteristics should be looked at.
Prepare
Some questions are asked quite commonly, such as ‘tell me about yourself.’ Have answers prepared for the questions you’re likely to be asked.
Re-read
Make sure to re-read the job description. Focusing on the skills needed, expectations, and similar parts is essential.
Practice
Practising the answers to questions out loud can be a great way to prepare for a job interview. It could be worth doing a fake interview with a friend or family member.
Prepare smart questions
When you’re getting prepared for your job interview, you should make the time to prepare smart questions. The interviewer will want to make sure that you’re taking the application seriously.
Some of the more common questions to come up with include:
Can you explain some of the daily responsibilities? How would your performance be measured? What are the largest challenges that the team/company is facing?
Focus on first impressions
First impressions are a priority when interviewing for a job. While your CV will have already done some legwork, you’ll have to put extra effort in when you’re interviewing.
Observing office dynamics if you arrive early can help with this. You should also focus on:
The dress code
You should make sure to dress appropriately for the interview. That can vary from company to company, so it could be worth asking in advance what the dress code is. Dressing for the job you want is vital, so make sure to nail this. Dress to impress, never fails.
Arrive early
You should plan to arrive at least ten to 15 minutes ahead of your interview. That gives you time to take a breather, alongside giving your outfit a once-over. It also makes you look more professional.
The little things
The small things can be easy to overlook. Make sure that your shoes are clean, your nails have been trimmed, and multiple other things. As minor as these are, they can add up.
Remember your manners
As part of making your first impression, you’ll need to focus on multiple things. Non-verbal communication will be a priority for this.
During your interview, you should:
Offer a handshake
Giving a firm and professional handshake is a priority. The interviewer will typically be the one to offer their hand first. Make sure that you look them in the eye and smile when you shake their hand.
Maintain eye contact
Eye contact is an important part of communication. While you shouldn’t force this, you shouldn’t avoid it either.
Show respect
You should treat people with respect, regardless of where you meet them. That’s especially true of hiring managers and others involved in the application process. Being as respectful as possible will make you look more professional.
Be honest, but nice
When you’re interviewing for a new job, you’ll need to answer multiple questions. You should do so appropriately.
When you do, you should:
Be honest
Responding accurately and honestly is a priority. If you are offered the job, you could end up being caught in the lie. Nobody wants that. Tie these answers to previous work and give examples.
Keep things short
You’ll have a limited time with your interviewer and they’ll likely have multiple questions to get through. Keep your answers short and make sure you address the question asked.
Be positive
If you speak negatively about previous or current employers, it could look poorly on you rather than them. If there were problems with an employer, look to highlight how you developed solutions to them rather than simply stating that there was an issue.
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