Ace Your Interviews: Preparation Guide
A major and difficult aspects of job searching is the daunting interview process. Fear of being interviewed is a natural consequence of seeking recognition and acceptance from other people, especially from your prospective employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may be natural for some however, many are nervous about being asked questions about their careers or their previous achievements. Perhaps due to modesty or the discomfort that comes with being asked questions about their personal life interviews have turned out to be an extremely intimidating aspects during the selection process.
This doesn’t have to be the situation.
Interviews are the best means for the candidate to show that their competencies are, their achievements, and potential. You’ve made it through the first step with your resume passing the cut through ATS scanners, and your name being selected for an interview. This is the chance to showcase and further elaborate on your profile, work history as well as the key skills and knowledge is the aforementioned step to the front when you convince the interviewer you’re the right candidate you increase your odds of getting through the next phase of the selection process.
Luckily, you can prepare for interviews even if you’re having concerns about presenting your accomplishments. It is important to practice and, fortunately, interview questions can be practiced before the date. The key to flawless interviews is preparation. Here are some tips that you can use to increase your chances at nailing that interview and impressing prospective employers:
Learn to be comfortable around difficult questions.
Interviewers will ask you tough questions, in part, to elicit information, but also, since they want to help how you can get rid of potentially contentious issues and worries. Consider, for instance, the question "Why are you leaving your current job?"
The reason for this could be due to managerial issues, or worries about work-life balance. Whatever the reason however, the manner that you express the answer will indicate your ability to be an objective and fair observer. Be honest and articulate your reasoning with as much objectivity as feasible. This means eliminating all emotional responses, like answers that are based purely on emotions or feelings and are not substantiated by facts.
Other questions to prepare for include "What motivated you to apply for this role?", "Why should we hire your services?", or trick questions like "Why should us not hire you?" The key is not to lose your cool and organise your thoughts carefully.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Lead with your point and then follow it up with a short note of the reason or reasons the reasons you responded in a certain way. Then, add examples or further elaborate. After you have explained thoroughly the topic, return to your previous point.
In the same way, if you’re asked to describe your involvement in a particular project or task then you can employ to describe your involvement in a project or task, you can use the STAR Method, which is also usually used in responding to selection criteria. When you use STAR the first thing you need to do is write a scenario,followed by a Task,then a description of Actionstaken, and lastly, the result.
It’s all in the body language
Being natural in a difficult situation can be a challenge however, you can practice professional communication. You can sit in front of a mirror or ask a trusted person to ask you questions and note your mannerisms. Are you moving or fidgeting around in a tense manner? Do you seem intimidating, stiff, defensive or reserved in your body expression? Do you use appropriate gestures? Do your facial expressions reflect the message you’re trying to make? Do you show sincerity, authenticity and genuine interest?
Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
Prior to the interview, ensure that you go over the description of the position. If you have read the job description and used the roles and duties listed within to customize and modify your resume and other document of selection, it is important to think about the job description to honestly present yourself to the interviewer. Be candid and open regarding your weaknesses and strengths. Being honest about your strengths will enable the interviewer to notice your strengths as a prospect. But, indicating your intention to improve your weaknesses is just as relevant.
Prepare questions
Another important aspect of the interview is showing genuine interest in the role and in the company. The most appropriate person to ask questions is your interviewer. If you noticed something interesting from the job descriptions, or if you’ve got any questions not answered on their FAQ page or guide questions (which can be found in the job description or the general page for hiring About section) Make sure to bring them up at the end of the interview when the interviewer asks you to pose questions. Some thought-provoking questions you may ask your employer include:
"How can I be an ideal candidate for the job, should I be given the chance to work with the team?"
"Does the company have any major projects in the pipeline right now"
"What are the opportunities for further development and training?"
Know what your salary expectations are.
Benefits and salary packages are usually advertised alongside the position (or as part of a range for those applying through SEEK). However, the interviewer may be interested in knowing what you anticipate earning. One important tip is to give a range of where you’d like your salary to be, rather than providing an exact number or a set amount. Be sure to keep the limit to a narrow range instead of providing any wide range. For instance, if anticipate earning $75,000 per year, a reasonable range would be anywhere in the $73,000 to $80,000 or anywhere within the $10,000-$10,000 range. Be mindful of additional perks and benefits as well and consider these when you think about your salary expectations.
Inputting these steps into your purse is important to equip yourself with the ability to tackle the most difficult questions. Be confident, feel confident and courageous.
For help with the recruitment process, documents and certificates, as well as for interviews, please contact Perth Resume. Our professional and friendly consultants will be able to help you with your interview preparation stages. Contact us today to receive an free quote or phone us directly for a chat with one of our consultants at 0800 024 129.
