As a job seeker, interviews are certainly the most important step in your journey for getting the right job. Indeed, job interviews are an excellent opportunity to build an initial contact with your future employer and to see if you are a good fit for the company. For this reason, you need to put some energy in your preparation to avoid making unecessary mistakes that may decrease your chances of getting hired. Here are some tips on how to ace your job interviews (and build some confidence).
- Get informed
Before handling any interview, the first thing you need to do is to research information about the company and the position you have applied for. Indeed, getting informed will allow you to be comfortable and confident during the job interview, since you have learned valuable information about the business of the company, their clients, and the industry they operate in.
- Make a great first impression
To make a good first impression, arrive to your job interview looking professional from head to toe. Although each company has a different corportate culture that dictates what people wear, looking professional reflects a degree of seriousness that you want to have while meeting your future employers. For this reason, you need to pick the proper attire and ensure that the rest of you appearance is impeccable.
Aside from looking professional, bring everything that is essential to your job interview. This includes copies of your resume, copies of your portfolio, copies of your references list, your ID, and a pen and paper. Having these with you will show that you are a credible person who prepared for the interview. Also, don’t forget to bring your smile and self-confidence, as they are key to any job interview success.
- Expose and clarify your selling points
Job interviews are an opportunity for you to market yourself and demonstrate your expertise. This is particularly important when asked about why the company should hire you. An easy way to tackle such questions is by linking your past experiences, qualifications and skills to the job. Start by thinking about specific attributes that are required for the job and link them to what you have accomplished before in a « storytelling » format.
As you are proceeding with the interview, don’t forget to ask for clarifications when needed and avoid rambling by making clear and concise answers.
- Be yourself !
While it is important to sell yourself properly during a job interview, avoid being someone else ! In fact, job interviews are just conversations between a candidate and an employer to see if they are a mutual fit. As a candidate, this is the best opportunity to showcase who you are, your achievements, and what you have accomplished while being authentic. So be proud of who you are and believe in your abilities to learn and grow !
- Ask questions at the end of the interview
Asking questions at the end of a job interview shows that you have done your research and that you have prepared for the interview. As a candidate, you can ask questions related to the role you have applied for (what’s the biggest opportunity/challenge you will face in this role, how a typical day looks like in this position, …). Use this opportunity to ask questions related to the company (ask about the training process, the biggest challenges facing the company…). You may also use this time to clarify anything you didn’t understand properly in the job description or during the interview.
All in all, job interviews are part of your journey to get your dream job, that’s why you should always prepare for them by getting informed about the company and the position applied for, making a great first impression, exposing your selling points while being yourself, and asking questions at the end of the interview.
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