For those of us who want to land a job, we consider a job interview to be a crucial stage in our job application. If it is your dream job that you are applying for, you will need all the help you can get. You will need a very good job interview preparation. Confidence may be your best weapon but only good job interview skills can provide you with enough confidence to face your job interview.
Nowadays, looking and earning a permanent job can be a very daunting task. For you to be recruited you have to be scrutinized from head to toe and you must have the best of the best credentials. Abilities and experience are the two requirements for you to get a job and these two must always be at the top of the line. However, having the abilities is not the only thing required, but also for you to pass the interview. During the part of the job interview, many people fail to cope with the appropriate answers. Here are a few interview tips that would help you in interviews:
- Research well Gather as much data as you can about the company in which you want to work - that is crucial. A company which is looking for employees would always test your knowledge about them and for what reasons you would like to work there. The tricky job interview questions like these are often answerable with proper research about the upbringing goals and the past deeds of the company. Be sure to have enough knowledge on the position you aspire such as its qualifications, work expectations and the likes. Check the internet if you have to. Search the company in the web and its strengths and weaknesses.
- Hone your skills It may be cliché, but practice really makes perfect. It is applicable even to interviews. It can be very advantageous to have practice before the interview. One way of doing so is through videotaping yourself, asking a friend, recording your voice or looking at the mirror while you answer questions that you expect in the interview. Watching, reading or listening to a sample job interview can also be helpful. Through practicing, you hone your job interview skills and increase the rate for you to get hired.
- Prepare properly Always make sure to have a job interview preparation before you go through any interview. Remember that a job interview is formal thus; you are expected to look as decent and formal as much as possible. Avoid being overdressed. Reach the venue before 15 minutes as punctuality is a must. Know the place to gain advantage. Know the name and position of the interviewer and address him properly. Reproduce your resume and references because you can never be sure if the interviewer looks for another copy.
- Observe proper behavior Be formal not just in the way you dress, but also in the way you act. Bear in mind that mannerisms are minus points in the interview such as nail biting, scratching the head and stroking the hair. Make sure to sit straight but not stiffly. Speak each word with wisdom and confidence. Recheck your details before saying them if they are true and correct. Make your responses detailed and not stereotypical. But, do not overact your statements.
- Be cool and calm Be cool in the interview, no matter how hot the issue may get. Once a tricky question is thrown at you, ponder about it with poise. Ask the interviewer to repeat the question politely if you need it to be said again. Always keep your answers concise and direct to the point as it would mean a turn-off if you do not do so. Keep a hold on yourself even if the topic becomes aggressing. Always be calm during the job interview.
- You will be called for a job interview follow-up if you did well in your previous one. Sometimes, you will know right away if you did badly because you will be given the infamous phrase "don't call us, we'll call you." If they tell you, however, to "keep your line available" then you can keep your hopes up because this is a good sign. Next thing you know, you will be writing a job interview thank you letter in a matter of a few days. A "thank you" letter is a good way to show your appreciation for your interviewer's skills, citing in the letter how a particular question made you think really hard. It can also be a good way to let them know that you understand the point of the rigorous interview and that you are not taking any hardship that you encountered in the process against them.
by Jimmy Sweeny