How to Slay a Job Interview

A job interview is the most crucial stage in the recruitment process for both the applicant and the hiring company. The challenge for the applicant is to ace all the interview questions. On the other hand, the job interview will help the company select the best applicant among the rest.

Thanks to lots of years of research and intensive practice, an employer is likely to tell you the classic interview “stumbling block”. Ever wondered if this might be your challenge? It’s time to assess the realities of your job interview preparation. Are you well prepared? Do you know what to expect? Do you have a strategy? Consider what will likely be the hardest part of the interview: demonstrating your focus, planning and interviewing attitude.

According to experts, only 2% of the total number of candidates make it to the job interview. The rest of the 98% of the job seekers are eliminated at the initial resume screening. In a survey conducted by the company Bullhorn to 1,500 recruiters and hiring managers, they found out that 30% of them are turned off by irrelevant applications. 43% of these blacklist the applicants from applying again in the future.

So, if you get to reach the interview stage, then it is a very big privilege. This is the chance that you shouldn’t miss.

Automatic questions by supervisors

A question from an interviewer that prompts you to think about the question but doesn’t specifically ask you for answers. Do your research Hiring managers are (hopefully) very good about asking questions they have already asked.

Use this time to move beyond keywords for most questions and further explore the market situation for the position you’re applying for, the potential culture, whether your company or region is in more or less favourable sales conditions and the outcome of the industry forecasts.

Next, prepare a list of questions you can ask of the interviewer in order to demonstrate your knowledge of the process, ask relevant questions and to refine and bring out different aspects of your personality

Prepare your elevator pitch

Develop a self-contained list of non-direct questions about you, your work experience and personal background. Knowing the profile of the company and the job you’re applying for makes it easier to make your questions sound relevant.

Seek out clues from the organisation Research the values and competencies of the employer, its approach to training and development of staff and how it fits into the broader environment and competition in the field you’re applying for.

Think through the interview

Plan your answers. Make sure you’re clearly articulating what you are going to talk about. Make sure that any highpoints are well understood – don’t fill your time by being rushed through information without giving the reader something to absorb.

Concentrate on your physical presence

There are two processes to be aware of. The first is your momentum which will affect your emotions and focus. These are important for self-awareness and reactions during the interview. The second is the experience and mental state of the interviewer. The interviewer’s body language and facial expression will also determine whether you get the job. Reacting to emotions during the interview can be difficult to hide but can have a lasting impact, as can other inputs, such as reactions to contact. Equally, there are some things to keep an eye out for on the interviewer’s body and facial expressions. Notifications about time, body language, light contact and clarity of words can give clues about a personality which aligns with their interaction style.

What’s for lunch?

Apart from the occasional business lunch, the interviewer is likely to have only time for short, pre-heated conversations during the interview so ask questions during this period. Look at the interviewer’s direct questions You may be asked questions about the hiring strategy or the competition, but the more direct your questions, the better.

Know about the company

Days before the scheduled interview, your only homework is to research about the background of the company that you are applying to. Know about their history, their awards, and achievements and most especially, the most notable figures in the company. This will measure your interest to the company.

Prepare your questions

After doing a research, prepare some relevant questions. Throw these questions when the interviewer asks you if you have anything to ask or clarify. This demonstrates that you are really prepared. Ask questions about the company or your job.

Complete your documents

What are the documents you need? Birth certificate, valid IDs, resume, curriculum vitae, cover letter, certificates of employment, awards and achievements, portfolio, publications and other documents that you think is important in your application.

Sleep well

Make sure your brain will function on the day of your interview. Do not go for last minute interview preparation as it may disrupt your sleep. Accomplish all the necessary preparations so you can achieve a sound sleep.

Eat adequately

Don’t skip any meal. Eat your breakfast and your lunch. If you proceed to your interview with an empty stomach, the chances are your mind will be disturbed. Fuel yourself with carbohydrates to maintain your high energy. Of course, avoid drinking alcohol before your interview.

Practice, practice, and practice

This may sound awkward but you can actually talk to yourself in the mirror. Look at how you deliver your answers and check your gestures and body movements. Practice how you would deliver yourself during the interview. Also, you can practice some interview questions and prepare your answers.

Dress appropriately

We are sure you know how to dress properly for an interview. You should look professional. Iron your clothes days before your scheduled interview so you don’t cram at the last minute.

Stay focused

No matter what, stay focused on your goals. Leave your drama at home and forget about the stressors in life. You should not be preoccupied on the day of your interview.

After doing all the necessary preparations, it’s time for you to make an impression. You have to ace the job interview. Just remember, there are no perfect and definite answers, just honest ones. In answering questions, remain true to yourself.

To help you, we gather the most common job interview questions. We also include their suggestions for your answers.

Tell me about yourself.

Instead of telling about the chronology of your life, skip directly to your skills and work history. That’s what matters for them. You can provide a concise and compelling summary of your work experiences and accomplishments.

How did you hear about the position?

If you heard about the position through a friend, name drop that person and tell how excited you are when you hear about the work. If you find it in the internet, highlight how strong the company’s presence in the online world.

What do you know about the company?

If you have done your homework, then you can ace this question. Start sharing a brief history of the company and then focus more on the company’s goals, mission, vision, and accomplishments. Also, talk about the influence of the company to the people.

What is your greatest strength?

Be honest about your true strengths. Do not tell attributes that you think the recruiter wants to hear. Also, choose your strengths that are relevant to the particular position. Also, use specific terms like “problem-solving”, “multitasking”, and “relationship-building”, among others.

What is your greatest weakness?

Interviewers prefer applicants who are honest about their weaknesses. Tell about some areas or your skills that need improvement. However, make them aware that you are already working on improving these areas.

Why should we hire you?

Sell yourself to the interviewer. Apart from your necessary skill set, offer something for the company. Devise some strategies that you think will increase the productivity and efficiency of the operations. Also, assure them that you can deliver great results.

What is your greatest achievement so far?

In this question, you have to make an impression. First, state the situation or the task you are asked to complete. Then, discuss the things or the action you did to accomplish the task. Lastly, highlight the results of your action. Provide them some proof, statistics.

Why do you want this job?

The interviewer would like to test your passion about the job.  In answering this, identify some factors that you think fit you. Discuss the things you love about the job. Then, share what you can to contribute to the company in achieving their goals.

Why have you left your previous job?

If you had a rough time with your previous employer, do not bring them to the table. Carefully answer this question by focusing on the future. Tell the interviewer that you want to escalate your skills and to explore more of your capabilities.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Be honest and specific about your future goals. It’s alright to say that you will see yourself running the company in the future. This will prove that you really have ambitions. Tell the interviewer that you believe that the position will be a stepping stone for you to achieve your ambitions in life.

These are some of the basic questions that are asked during job interviews. Just always remember, be true to yourself and stay focused.