Optimizing Your Interview Preparation
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of job hunts is the daunting interview process. The fear of an interview is a natural result of wanting to seek recognition and acceptance from other people and especially your potential employers. Although expressing their opinions about themselves might be a natural thing for some but others feel nervous about being asked about their work or prior achievements. Perhaps out of modesty and the anxiety that comes from being asked personal questions Interviews have become one of the most intimidating parts of the hiring process.
This does not have to be the case.
Interviews are the best opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their skills, achievements, and potentials. It’s been a while since you’ve completed the initial step by submitting your resume to its way through ATS scanners, and your name being considered for an interview. This is the chance to showcase and elaborate upon one’s profile, employment history as well as the key skills and abilities is the proverbial entrance into the interview and if you can convince the interviewer you have what it takes you increase your odds of passing through to the next step in the selection process.
It is a good idea to prepare for interviews even if you’re having apprehensions about talking about your own achievements. Practice is key to a successful interview, and luckily, the questions can be rehearsed in advance. The key to a flawless interview is preparation, and here are some helpful tips you can follow to boost your chances at nailing that interview and impressing prospective employers:
Make yourself comfortable when faced with tricky questions.
Interviewers ask challenging questions, in part, to elicit information however, also in order to help you get out of potential contentious issues and concerns. Consider, for instance, the question "Why have you decided to quit your current role?"
The answer to this question may be because of problems with management, or concerns about the balance between work and life, etc. No matter the answer, however, the manner in which you phrase your answer will demonstrate your ability to be a fair and objective observer. Be honest and articulate your reasoning using as much objectivity possible. This means eliminating any emotional responses , such as responses based on feelings or sentiments and are not substantiated by evidence.
Other questions to be prepared for include "What made you apply for this role?", "Why should us choose to hire us?", or trick questions like "Why do you not choose you?" The key is to stay calm and arrange your thoughts with care.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Introduce your idea and follow up with a short explanation or a brief summary of why you chose to respond in a specific manner. Then, add instances or elaborate. After you have explained thoroughly then return to the point you made earlier.
Also, if asked to describe your involvement in a project or task and you are required to describe your involvement, you could utilize the STAR Method, which is commonly used to respond to criteria for selection. If you are using STAR, you must state a context,followed by a Task,then a description of Actionstaken followed by the Result.
It’s all in the body language
Acting naturally in a stressful situation could be a tall order however, you can learn to communicate professionally. You can sit in front of a mirror or ask a trusted friend to ask questions of you and note your mannerisms. Are you flitting or shifting about with anxiety? Do you appear rigid, aloof, defensive or reserved in your body or speech? Do you use appropriate gestures? Do your facial expressions reflect your message you’re trying to convey? Do you convey openness, sincerity and genuine enthusiasm?
Think about your strengths and weaknesses.
Before you go to the interview, you should review the job description over again. In the event that you’ve read the description and used the roles and duties listed in it to alter and personalize your resume and other selection documents It is crucial to think about the job description to clearly prepare yourself for interviewers. Be honest and upfront on your strength and weakness. Being realistic about your strengths will enable the interviewer to note your selling points as a potential customer. But, indicating your intention to address your weaknesses is just as important.
Prepare questions
Another important aspect of the interview is showing genuine enthusiasm in the role and in the business. The best person to inquire is the interviewer. If you have noticed something intriguing on the resume, or if you have concerns that weren’t answered through their FAQ or their guide questions (which are typically found within the job application or the general page for hiring about section), raise these during the interview, after your interviewer is encouraging you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer are:
"How can I be an ideal candidate for the job, if I am offered the chance to be part of members of your staff?"
"Does the company have any major projects in the pipeline right now"
"What are the opportunities for advancement and further training?"
Know what your salary expectations are.
Other benefits and packages for salary are generally advertised with the job (or on a list if applying through SEEK). However, interviewers could be interested in knowing what you are expecting. The most important thing to do is offer a range within which you’d like your earnings to fall instead of offering an exact or set number. Make sure to keep your range as narrow as possible instead of offering a an expansive margin. If, for instance, you anticipate earning $75,000 per year, a sensible choice would be anything from the $73,000 to $80,000 range, or anyplace within the $10,000 range. Be mindful of other perks and benefits too and think about these when you are evaluating your salary expectations.
Inputting these steps into your bag is vital to equip yourself with the confidence to answer the toughest questions. Be confident, be self-assured and bold.
For assistance in recruitment-related documents and credentials and for interview preparation, you may get in touch with Perth Resume. Our friendly and highly trained consultants are able to assist you in your preparation stages. Contact us now for your complimentary quote or phone us directly for a chat with one of our consultants at 1300 202 320.
