Interview success is down to insider knowledge
Preparing for Your Job Interview
1. Make an “Interview Plan”: the first step in your preparation is to start writing down a plan of how you will approach this important event. Make a note of everything you need to do before the big day and in the interview itself, carefully prioritising what you perceive to be most important. Develop and follow this plan right up to the day of the interview.
2. Research the organization you are hoping to join: a lot of information may be gleaned from its website, but ideally you should also make contact with at least one person who has experience of working there. Get as much information as you can about the history of the organization, its vision, finances, successes and failures.
3. List out questions: from your research you will have a decent idea of what questions may be asked. The job specification should provide some insight into these. But, in addition, don’t forget to prepare questions that you can ask; these should demonstrate intelligence and insight into the organization and the job for which you are applying.
4. Prepare to answer the likely questions: write down specific answers that you could give and provide tangible examples from successful experiences you’ve had. Get someone you know to ask you these questions and practice the answers until you feel confident these will come across naturally in the interview.
5. Make sure you are well groomed: get a good night’s sleep prior to the interview and ensure you have eaten properly and are wearing the appropriate clothes, according to their preferred dress code.
Handling Your Job Interview
6. Relax: you need to sit in a relaxed manner, but not in a casual and disinterested way. Body language is one thing they will watch as part of their assessment.
7. Eye contact: it’s important to make good eye contact with the interviewers. This will have the double effect of increasing your self-confidence and communicating self-assurance to them.
8. Communicate efficiently: this means neither talking too much nor too little. Try to be as concise as possible, since interviewers do not want to hear long, rambling answers that wander away from the main point.
9. Be yourself: this may seem an obvious thing to say, but many people are so hung-up about going to an interview that they are not natural. The interviewers need to see the real “you”, because then you will come across with integrity. They are much less likely to hire someone who they feel is simply putting on a front.
10. Ask questions: you will inevitably be given an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview. Ask the questions you have prepared in advance, then end your interview with style by asking if there are any reservations about your application. If any concerns are raised at this stage, you can then try sensitively to overcome them
Conclusion
The job interview is one of life’s little dramas. It’s never easy to handle but, with the right “Interview Plan” and preparation, it should go very smoothly. The top ten job interview tips listed above have been honed over a period of many decades and should go a long way towards a successful interview, as long as each point is followed through effectively. Afterwards, you could write to thank them for the interview and confirm once again your enthusiasm for the job.