How 2 prepare for a job interview
Very few people enjoy being interviewed for a job. You’re in new territory, you’re anxious to make a good impression, and it feels like your every move is subject to scrutiny.
In order to get the job, you have to make it through the interview. So how can you ensure you give it your best effort? These tips will help you prepare for interviews.
Practice your answers
You can’t know in advance exactly which questions you will be asked, but a quick online search will inform you of a few common interview questions. Practise answering the ones you think are likely to come up and think of examples from past work experience that you can use as evidence to back up what you are saying. For instance, if you are asked if you work well in a team, don’t just say ‘yes’ – back up your claim with a short story. Tell them about a challenging situation in which you showed great teamwork skills by supporting your fellow workers to create a solution.
Be ready for open questions
If you’re not prepared for it, a simple invitation like ‘tell me about yourself’ could render you speechless and spluttering. Have a few key points ready to go, including strengths that are relevant to the job as well as personal qualities that make you a good team mate, and an insight into you as a person, such as a hobby. Be enthusiastic, not self-deprecating. If you have a gap in your C.V., be ready to say what you have been doing with your time recently, and try to appear pro-active. Don’t lie – even if they never find out, they will sense something isn’t right. If you have been caring for a relative or recovering from illness, don’t be afraid to say so.
Do your research
Find out all you can about your employer before the day of your interview. Find out about the projects they are involved in, their goals, whether they have offices in other towns, etc. If they have a website, read it. Look out for the organisation’s mission statement or vision. If possible, find out the name of your interviewer, and use it during your interview.
Get your outfit sorted
Choose something to wear that is smart, tidy, and appropriate to the job. Make sure it’s clean and ironed, and try not to spill anything down yourself on your way to the interview! Have a neat hairstyle and clean nails. Bring a notepad and pen, and a few copies of your C.V.
Be confident
Walk into the interview with a calm confidence that you are a worthy contestant for the job. If you are unsure of your ability to do the task, then how can you expect your prospective employer to be sure that you are the right person for the job? A key to being successful in an interview is to appear calm and confident. So have faith in yourself and your abilities. If your confidence has taken a knock, ask a friend to give you a pep talk before the interview. Choose to believe that you are just as good, if not better, than any of the other candidates. Confidence is catching, so start a chain reaction by believing that you have what it takes.
Written by Becky Matyus.
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