If you have recently applied for a new job or a placement opportunity, you might get a chance to be interviewed for the position. An interview does not have to be a nightmare that haunts you every time. The stress can be significantly reduced with good preparation. The first idea that comes to mind is to search for popular interview questions. It is most definitely a promising idea to prepare for possible questions but there is so much more you can do to feel ready by the time your interview comes around. Here is a list of things you can use to be a successful applicant.
Research the company
You would be surprised how much this will help you to become comfortable with the upcoming conversation. Use this time to ask friends and family about the company. Sites such as Indeed and LinkedIn can help you navigate previous employees’ views. This is where the real intel comes from. It will allow you to further understand the employer’s expectations for this specific position.
Interview questions
‘Tell me about yourself;’ this deceivingly simple question continues to cause a block for a lot of people. You must have this prepped, learn it off if you would like. Interviewers always ask this and being able to answer it well will give you a boost of confidence for the remainder of the interview.
Prepare answers with regards to skills, accomplishments, and qualities. It is important to be able to provide examples of where you have presented each.
Do not forget about the beauty behind practice! All you need is a mirror. This will allow you to see if you fidget a little too much or maybe you will find yourself being stuck for words. If you are lucky to have somebody around, ask for their help. We are more comfortable around things we already know. Thus, having this mock interview can ease your worried mind.
Organise the following
Make sure to have your references organised. This may be difficult to obtain when you are looking for your first job. However, a reference from the school principal or a place you may have volunteered for will likely suffice.
Prepare your bag. Pack around five copies of your C.V, a notepad and a pen. Try to have it cleaned out prior because once you need to reach in for something, you do not want wrappers to be falling out. It might give an impression of disorganization. This may seem to be a small detail; however, it can make a difference in how you present yourself.
In regards to presentation, dress accordingly and be on time. Being punctual will also represent how serious you are about the position. It is best to be earlier because it will give you time to get in the right head space.
Sometimes an interviewer might drop a question you will not be ready for. That is only natural and there is no need to panic. To give you some time to think about your answer, have a phrase ready to go. For example, ‘This is a great question, I believe …’
Oh, and I almost forgot, get some sleep. Being sleep deprived will only increase irritability and stress. It is one more thing you can do to nail your interview. With all of this, I wish you the absolute best of luck in your future interviews!
