Spring is a time of fertility and new beginnings. The time when people give birth to new ideas and new opportunities. A lot of people are being recruited for new jobs, applying for scholarships, or submitting documents for graduate school etcetera. And within all of these processes is the all important, nerve racking, life-changing interview. The interview is a time for you to prove why you deserve whatever is on the other side of the interview. Here are a few tips to make sure you nail that opportunity EVERYTIME!
- Know yourself: Interviews are all about knowing your strengths, your weaknesses, and who you are as a person. An interviewer’s goal is to get to know you as a person to determine if you are a good fit not only for the job, but the company culture. They are most certainly going to ask personal questions about who you are and what you offer. You need to sell yourself, and to do that, you need to know who you are.
- Do Your Research: There is a wealth of knowledge on the internet about pretty much anything if you look hard enough. As I mentioned previously, interviews are all about selling yourself, and a part of that is being competitive. Knowing more about the company, its employees, their current projects, their history, and what they stand for is a great way to make you stand out as a candidate. Asking questions about any of these at the end of the interview is the perfect time for that additional dialogue.
- Look The Part: How you are dressed is such an important part of an interview. The attire is going to vary by disciple, but being appropriate should always be a priority. It’s not just about looking the part, but also respecting the workplace and the position. You want to be professional and show the interviewer you take the interview seriously.
- Confidence is Key: In all of the interviews that I have ever done, I have tried to make sure I am as confident as possible. If you’ve gotten an interview, then they are interested in you in some capacity. Use that. You can equate an interview to selling a car. You have to convince the interviewer (the customer) that they want you (the car). Carry yourself like you are something they can’t live without and they won’t be able to resist you!
- Practice Makes Perfect: If you recall my blog talking about the 5 P’s of Success, I discussed how “Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”. This is definitely the case when it comes to interviewing. One of the best ways is to practice answering questions, especially about yourself. It’s not as easy as you may think and interview questions can sometimes be a lot deeper than you expect. In your spare time, like when getting ready in the morning, answer questions in a continuous dialogue as if you’re an actor rehearsing lines. I’ve created a list of mock interview questions to help you practice this!
If this has been helpful, please share it with someone you know who is getting ready for an interview. Like all other resources on my site, the mock interview questions are FREE and ready for download, just check out the Resources tab. As always, if there are any questions, you can message me on any platform @kaevynlei. Be sure to leave a comment with your own interview tips!
