The hardest part of getting any job is the application and interview process. This is the part where you have to show that you are better than the dozens or even hundreds of other applicants. At this stage it is essential to illustrate your particular skills, show the qualifications you have and the industry training courses you may have taken. This is not a time to be modest.
Once you get an interview you know that on paper the company is interested. But of course you need to show in person that you are someone who they can rely on and get on with too. You should relax as much as you can and try and be yourself – well your professional self anyway. So here are 7 tips to help:
“P” #1: Be Prepared
Always prepare properly, don’t just turn up on the day of the interview and expect that you will be able to answer everything without any preparation. Go online and research the company that you have an interview for and you will be prepared to answer various things on what the company does.
Of course, you’ll never be able to have answers for every single question you are ever asked at an interview, but by being prepared and learning about the company then you will be well on your way.
“P” #2: Dress Properly
It sounds like an obvious one but it is very important. Dress smartly, first impressions are important in any walk of life but even more so when you are going for an interview. If you turn up for an interview in a tracksuit, unless that job is to do with sports and your interview is to do the sport or coach the sport, you aren’t getting that job.
“P” #3: Be Polite
Politeness will get you very far. When you enter the interview room, shake hands with all of the interviewers, ask how they are and then wait to be asked to seat or ask if you can sit. It will impress the interviewer if you go in and are as polite as you can be.
“P” #4: Don’t Get Perturbed
Expect the unexpected, often interviewers will throw a question at you that you won’t expect. Don’t become flustered and lose your way, take it in your stride and answer it as best you can. If you need time to think of what your answer is, don’t sit in silence, ask the interviewer to repeat what he or she has asked you and they will be happy to.
“P” #5: Watch Your Physical Response
Body language is important. Keep eye contact with your interviewer(s). If there is more than one interviewer, look at the person who asked the question the most, but also look into the eyes of the other interviewers. But don’t turn it into a staring contest. Avoid negative physical responses like crossed arms, etc.
“P” #6: Be Positive
Exhibit a positive happy attitude. Confidence is a great trait to have, cockiness isn’t. An interviewee who is confident and positive is always a good sign, they like to see someone who knows what they want and is positive they can get it.
“P” #7: Be Polite
Always be polite and say thank you at the end of the interview. Ask questions as well, interviewers like if you ask questions and are interested in the company and what it does. When researching the company, prepare some questions that you could ask at the end.
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