The interview has long been a source of stress and pressure for practically everyone who has ever had a job. For a long time, it didn’t matter how qualified you were for a particular role, if you messed up the interview you wouldn’t get the job. Luckily today’s business owners are much more forgiving, and an interview can be a very constructive exercise, enabling the candidate to really stretch their interviewing muscles, so to speak. Today we’re going to show you how you can make that interview work for you and impress the hell out of your interviewers
Look the part
It doesn’t really matter what type of job you are going for, first impressions count. You should always dress to impress. We’re not talking about wearing a tuxedo and a pair of shiny shoes, but you need to be smart above all else. What you wear and how you present yourself says a lot about you, and a lot more about how much you want the position you’re applying for.
Prepare for standard interview questions
Although interviews are becoming much less formal in many ways, there will always be the standard set of questions that you really should be prepared for. We have listed some of the more important ones here. They may of course be asked in different ways.
- Tell us about yourself
- How did your last position end?
- How would your colleagues describe you?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell us about one of your greatest challenges and how you overcame it.
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Why do you want this job?
Do your preparation for these questions, not only so you can have the right kind of answers, but also because it shows you care about the position and have taken the time to consider your answer. We won’t give you any tips on how to answer these questions because each role is different, and it’s also appears insincere if you come out with some answers you grabbed off the internet.
“Why do you want this job?”
This is the killer question that can make or break the interview. This has been asked for years, and although it’s very straightforward, it may surprise you just how much it vexes applicants. Everyone is tempted to answer this question by saying “I need the money to live,” but obviously this isn’t what your prospective employer is looking for. Nor are they looking for a trite answer that is given in an attempt to tick all the boxes.
You should take some time to think about your answer to this before your interview. Even if it doesn’t come up, it will still give you insight into understanding your own goals and ambitions that may relate in another way during the interview.
What your employer is doing it identifying not only how well you suit the position, but also how well the role you’re applying for fits into any long-term career plan you may have. This question may present itself as “where do you see yourself in five years?” also. If the position you’re applying for is not logically related to your career plan, they may see this as a negative point. So, it’s important to try and link this to any plan you have. And whilst we’re discussing plans, it’s important to have one of those too!
Ask them questions
It’s very important to ask your interviewer(s) questions. This is one of the best ways to show enthusiasm and interest in the role you are applying for. When you do some research on the company you are applying to (and you should do this), make a note of any questions you may have. It doesn’t matter how irrelevant they may seem at the time you note them.
When you have this list of questions, use Google as your tool to find the answers. The ones you couldn’t find the answer to should be the questions you bring up at your interview. Remember, asking questions that are obvious or you could easily find out will make your preparation look hurried and unplanned.
Keep your eyes on the blog for more interesting articles, hints and tips. We wish you lots of luck in finding the position that’s right for you.