Introduction
A job interview can be nerve-wracking, but if you prepare adequately, you won’t have anything to worry about.
Here are seven strategies to help you improve your job interview skills:
- Prepare for the interview ahead of time.
- Effectively begin the interview.
- Use Your Me In 30 Seconds (Please tell us about yourself)
- Use Powerful Statements.
- Turn negatives to positives.
- Pose questions.
- Close the interview.
Prepare for the job interview ahead of time.
Uncertainty about the questions to be asked is one of the factors which make interviewees nervous. However, you already have enough information to predict the questions you’ll be asked. The first place to check for prospective interview questions is the job posting.
During your interview, those key words and phrases will very certainly be turned into questions. Identifying their goals and values will help you phrase your responses in a way that your potential employer will understand.
Furthermore, most interviewers ask questions similar to the ones listed below, giving you plenty of opportunities to practice your responses.
- Tell me about a time that you disagreed with a supervisor and how you handled it.
- Tell me about a difficult problem you solved.
- What are your strengths?
- What is your greatest professional achievement?
- Tell me about a failure you experienced at work and what you learned from it.
- What type of supervisor do you work best with?
- What do you expect from us as an employer for you to be successful?
- Why do you want this job?
- Why should we hire you?
- What qualifies you for this position?
- What is your greatest weakness?
Open The Interview Effectively
The first few minutes of the interview are when your potential employer forms the most of their impressions of you. It’s critical that you get off to a good start. Consider the following dos and don’ts in an interview:
Do:
- Dress one level higher than the company’s dress code.
- Arrive five to ten minutes early.
- Use positive body language.
Don’t:
- Dress too casually
- Arrive late or more than 10 minutes early
- Use negative body language
Examine the illustration below. In both photos, the person on the left is there for an interview. In each photograph, how does the job seeker make an impression?
Use Your Me In 30 Seconds (Please tell us about yourself)
Telling the interviewer about yourself is likely to be one of the first questions you’ll be asked. This question can be answered by adapting your Me In 30 Seconds statement. You end it by expressing interest in the company or position, rather than asking for references like you would with networking.
Use Powerful Statements
You learnt how to make high-impact statements on your CV. Instead of telling what you performed at a job, these phrases let you illustrate, or demonstrate, how you might offer value. We’ll react to interview questions in a similar way, by asserting a talent or experience, presenting an example, demonstrating the results, and then tying it to the employer’s needs. Power statements are a term used to describe this process. Power statements are comparable to Me in 30 Seconds in that they are used to answer to interview questions rather than to introduce yourself. Take note of how the steps below, by providing memorable examples and results, help employers in understanding how your experience qualifies you for the job.
- Claim a skill or an experience (“I am”…, “I can” … or “I have”.. )
- Give an example (“For example…..”)
- Give a result (“As a result..”)
- Match your skills to the needs of the employer
Consider the following example of how to use a power statement properly.
“Tell me about a time when you gave excellent customer service,” asks the interviewer.
(1)”I am an expert at customer service,” you say.
(2) At Mashinani Sales Company, for example, we had a long-term customer who did not receive what he had bought. He was irate when he called and threatened to stop doing business with us. I took the time to listen and understand his problem before offering a solution that he liked.
(3) As a result, we were able to keep the customer while also seeing significant development in our business, as his orders quickly jumped by 200 percent.
(4) I am certain that I can apply the same level of customer service to you.
Turn Negatives Into Positives
One of the goals of an interview is for the interviewer to address any questions or reservations they may have about hiring you. These concerns could be regarding your work history, age, or experience, among other things. These worries are frequently expressed in questions such as the following:
- Why did you leave your last position? Or why are you considering leaving your current employer?
- Tell me about a time when you didn’t get along with a coworker or team member.
- What is one of your weaknesses?
Don’t try to hide or dismiss such concerns. Address the worry directly and give an example of how you have or will overcome their concern to be honest and real. An employer may be concerned that you lack maturity or experience if you are young or new to an industry, or if you haven’t worked in a long time. Recognizing this issue, you might emphasize what you’ve previously learned as well as your aptitude and want to learn more. Here are a few examples of possible responses:
“Before coming here, I worked as a metal fabricator for the past two years. I discovered my enthusiasm for fabrication and creative problem-solving by shaping and making metal to address customer challenges. My former boss became my mentor after noticing my interest. He persuaded me to come here to university to study metallurgy. He also suggested that I keep fabricating while I was in school to strengthen my talents. I’m really enthusiastic about this profession, and I’m a member of FMA (Fabricators and Manufacturers Association International). I believe I can contribute and grow at your firm.”
“I’ve been out of the profession for a few years, but I’ve always looked for opportunities to advance my career and serve as a leader in my community. I’ve held leadership positions at my local church, led teams of volunteers at local blood drives and community clean-up efforts, and served on the county fair board during my time away from the workforce. I recently received the opportunity to study business administration at university and am quite enthusiastic about it. At your organization, I am motivated to continue learning and refining new talents, and I believe I can make a significant contribution to your mission.”
Almost many employers will give you the opportunity to ask questions. They want to know how enthusiastic you are about working for them and how well you’ve prepared for the interview. You should always come prepared with a few inquiries, particularly on how the position contributes to the organization. During the interview, listen for indications to help you craft more focused and insightful questions. Unless the employer specifically requests it, do not inquire about compensation, benefits, or scheduling. After you’ve gotten an offer, you can address these concerns.
How you approach and conclude your interview leaves an employer with some of the strongest impressions. Make sure you leave a positive impression by doing the following:
- When you stand up to leave, make eye contact.
- Smile and shake hands once again (if this is appropriate to your culture).
- Address the interviewer by his or her first name.
- Thank the interviewer for their time and consideration.
- Determine what the process’s next steps are and how you should proceed. “What are the following steps, and how should I follow up?” is a basic example of what you could say.
- “I enjoyed our visit and look forward to hearing from you,” or “I am confident I can make a positive impact here,” are examples of phrases that show your own interest.
Informational Interview
Scheduling and conducting an informative interview is one approach to networking. An informative interview is similar to a job interview, only your primary purpose is to learn information rather than get a job. Consider it a more formal kind of networking. You conduct an informational interview to learn more about the person’s workplace, industry, or specialty. You can gain new insights into your job hunt by asking, listening, and learning. You can also build a rapport with the individual and possibly get the names of other people you could interview later. As a result, your network might spread.
Please take the time to go through this material ( How To Conduct An Informational Interview ) There are five steps to conducting an informational interview.
