An interview is a formal meeting set by an employer to meet a potential employee to see whether he is qualified to work in a given company. An interview is really your only chance to stand out and make a great first impression, and highlight your skills. You have to convince the interviewer that you’re the one. Many interviewers form their opinion of you within the first few minutes of the interview. Many people fail their job interviews because of the anxiety and awkwardness they portray. The most important things to remember when going to a job interview are the three P’s: Preparation, Presentation and Performance. Below are some tips to help you nail your next job interview.
1. PREPARATION is key. Interviewing is a skill that can be developed and enhanced. Practice with others; familiarize yourself with different interview styles ; anticipate and practice responses for difficult questions, so you won’t be caught off guard during the interview. The more practiced and prepared you are the more confident and effective you will be.
2.KNOW the job. Make sure you read and understand the job description.
3. Dress appropriately for the job. Arrive a few minutes early and allow extra time for travel delays. Turn off your cell phone and avoid it at all costs during the actual interview.
4.From the moment you walk in the building, smile, be respectful, personable and professional at all times. You want anyone who interacted with you to remember you in a positive way.
5.LISTEN. Most job candidates are understandably a little nervous during an interview situation and tend to focus ahead on giving a good answer rather than focusing on the question and its context. This often results in incomplete or “off-target” responses.
6.Emphasize “articulate brevity”. Keep responses short and focused on the question. Certainly you want to be engaging and thorough, but be careful not to drone on. Include examples and incorporate actual circumstances and outcomes whenever possible in your responses.
7. Have accomplishments. Be prepared to talk about something that you’re proud of accomplishing, whether professionally or personally (or a failure and what you learned from it).
8. Have goals. Maybe you don’t have any idea where you want to be in a few years professionally but figure out something to say. If you don’t and you’re asked, you appear un-ambitious, which leads an interviewer to think you’d be a lazy employee.
9.Have passion.Be able to express why you want to work in that field/industry and what you do to further your knowledge (books, blogs you read). The more intelligent or informed you are the more impressive you’ll look.
10. Always stay positive. Never badmouth a former supervisor, co-worker, or organization in an interview situation. The world is small and you never want to burn any bridges or, even more importantly, give the impression to a potential employer that you’re given to negativity and inappropriate criticism. Always focus on the positive aspects of any situation.
11.Have a few great questions to ask when the interview is winding down. Don’t ask things that you can find the answers to easily. Make sure your questions demonstrate your knowledge of the company, the broader field, and your longer-term goals as they relate to the job you are applying for.
12.Know the next steps. Before you leave the interview be sure to find out what the timetable and next steps will be. If you don’t hear back within that time period, follow-up so you know where you stand. In following up always remember the “Three P’s” – patience, persistence, and politeness.
13.Send timely and personal thank you notes. Keep track of the people you met by noting their names and titles or asking for a business card. Sending notes by email is very acceptable – try to send them the very same day to demonstrate your enthusiasm and organizational skills. Always express your thanks, highlight a few of your greatest strengths relative to the job, and reaffirm your interest in the position.
Best of luck