As career counselling shows, even the most organised and prepared amongst us report they struggle to prepare for an interview. Predicting the interview questions to prepare your answers in advance is key to your success. The good news is you don’t need a crystal ball to figure it out.
How important is it to create a good impression at a job interview?
Well, studies show that 4 out of every 5 hiring decisions are based on the first 10 minutes of any job interview. You could say that it’s one of the most important things to focus on. That said, a confident manner, a firm handshake, intelligent business dress and punctuality represent a good start.
What are some good tips for job interviews?
That’s what the main thrust of this article is, as we offer some excellent career counselling advice on how to ace those interviews. So sit back and relax as we give you the lowdown.
Start with the Job Description
What are the responsibilities of the role? Look out for the clues that tell you the key skills and competencies you need to do the job, as you’ll need to provide clear, confident answers when quizzed about your suitability for the position.
For example, if the job description says the ideal person in the role will need to multitask, prioritise, provide excellent customer service, be a team player and be flexible, it stands to reason that the interview questions most likely used are to identify your personal skill in these areas.
Do Your Research On You
This may sound a bit odd but career counselling shows us that when we fail at an interview, it’s usually because we mistakenly believe we can pluck our most shining examples of past brilliance out of the air. This is rarely the case in a stressful environment such as an interview, so start now by going through your resume carefully.
What did you actually do in each role? What made you successful? List your achievements and think of how your skill benefited your peers and employer at the time. The practice will make your answers that much smoother.
Practice, Practice, Practice
As children, we were always told it was unrealistic to be the best at something on the first attempt, but with practice, we would likely get much better. Why should being ‘good’ at interviews be any different? As such, interview practice should form a central part of your personal development plan.
Most of us attend an interview only on rare occasions, but we run with the expectation we will somehow do a good job. This is not the approach that will bring you success. Instead, pull up a chair, work through the list of competencies/likely questions and practice them out loud.
How do you sound? Do your answers explain your thoughts and achievements clearly? Does your answer adequately explain your level of skill in the required competency? Keep practising and rephrasing your answers until you get them to spot on.
Preparing for interviews is hard work, but the good news is, that once you get your dream job, you will not have to attend interviews for some time to come! By following these basic steps, your interview can be a breeze. It'll allow you to be confident and impress your employer, so you have that chance to start your dream career.
All that’s left to say is Good luck and happy job hunting!
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