How to Win the Job Interview

Well, I am guessing congratulations are in order… Your resume has wowed your would be employer and you now have the opportunity to attend an interview! Let’s take a few deep breaths now and make sure you capture every moment of opportunity to further ‘wow’ them by applying good job application preparation before your interview.

Following are my tips that are sure to make a favorable impression.

Research The Business

A little bit of research should not be underestimated. Take a bit of time to search the web for the company to get some background information. We’re not looking for a thesis here, but a show of interest that you are doing some ground work to get to know your potential employer.

Make note of at least one good aspect of the website. The sort of points you will want to make a note of include branches, are they local, national or globally distributed? Approximately how many employers work for them. Do they have any community initiatives as a focus? What are the main sectors, divisions or business units and how old is the business.

If they are a small local business then you may not find any information about them on the web so therefore do a little research on the industry.

Times when this research will pay off is when you are asked such questions as:
o Do you know what division our department are part of (fall under etc)
o Have you seen our website? What did you think about it? (Catchy… Only comment about the positive aspects for example if it is drab or ugly, comment that you were able to find some good information about the business there, or mention a page you like etc)
o Have you heard of us before?
o Can you tell us what you know about the business?

Review Common Interview Questions

These are readily found on the internet or through your careers coach. Looking over the tricky questions prepares you to answer them. Have a think about the reason behind the question and the sort of answers you would like to hear if you had a business and were employing someone to watch your business.

Ask a friend or family member to read them to you and practice your answers. Don’t get bogged down on exact wording either. You need to speak as naturally as possible.

Prepare For Surprise Scenarios

Firstly, I need to tell you that you may be informed that it is very casual meeting and told not to overdress. I still recommend dressing for success at any meeting with a prospective employer as first impressions count for a lot.

You may be told prior to the interview that it is only one person attending then surprisingly, arrive to find a group of reviewers have “decided” to attend. So be ready for this. If there are more than one person present then it is really important to share your eye contact with all of them. The one person you don’t feel comfortable with (often the case) is the one you need to win over the most! Some people can be intimidating and if this is the case look at their nose when speaking if you are sitting back from them rather than their eyes but keep sharing your attention so no one feels ignored. The reason is because this can severely impact their impression of you. So breath deep, smile, laugh at yourself and add a comment to excuse your nervousness if that is the case and keep going!

Prepare Any Work Documents/Reports etc

If you have any work related documents that reflect very well on you then bring them in and ask for permission to show them when you are asked if you have any questions.

Think Of Any Questions To Ask

Think of a few questions to ask beforehand that may not be covered during the initial discussion as this will show you have initiative and are interactive with the process.

Continuing on with your job interview preparation lets look at some simple strategies to capture the total benefit of the opportunity. Follow these steps to further ‘wow’ your prospective employer by applying good preparation before your interview.

Clothing

The rule of thumb is dress for an interview in business attire. Check that shirts aren’t too revealing, skirts are a modest length and stockings have no holes or ladders. For gents make sure you have a belt to avoid your pants revealing your boxers. Lay your clothing out the evening before so you are well organised. Have you tried the outfit on to make sure it still fits and is in good order? Clean your shoes the day before also.

Wage Expectations

Investigate a fair wage prior to the interview to ensure you are offered a fair and reasonable figure. Most government figures have access to wage information to check what you are entitled to.

If the position was advertised with the wage noted then their expectation is that you will meet closely with this amount. If you know this is not within the fair parameters for the job then advise them politely, that your information suggests that the right amount would be… and inform them of the amount.

If the wage is under guideline standards but you feel you should be paid more, then it is really a matter of whether you are willing to confidently state your benefits and reason for asking for a higher rate or not.

Mindset

If you can, take a bit of time before leaving home to calm your mind of any nervous chatter. Make a concerted effort to think positive statements such as “I found this interview easy, enjoyable and everyone was really supportive” to begin programming your subconscious mind that today results in a win-win.

Make sure you are not running late as this will create undue stress.

Final Preparation

Ensure you apply deodorant and your teeth are freshly brushed prior to arriving at the interview. Make sure you are well hydrated to assist to lower your stress on the day.

Arrival

Contrary to information I have seen many times regarding this, it is not desirable to arrive more than 10 minutes early. This is due to many businesses not having facilities like reception staff to watch over you or waiting space to have you in without hearing the previous interview discussion etc and it can put the interviewers out.

Unless you have been told to arrive early to complete some forms then 5 mins early is adequate.

Good luck with your interview!