For the past (god knows how many) years, you’ve been going through the grind called graduation and at the same time, you’ve been building up on your resume by getting involved with professional organisations and participating in extra-curricular activities. You have been working hard, harnessing the skills that will see you excel in your new job, which, by the way you don’t really have yet. But now it’s all down to the interview. This one little conversation with strangers will probably make or break your career. Yes, it may seem unfair, but that’s how it is and all you can do, is put your best foot forward and try and nail the interview. Easier said than done? Well, not always. If you prepare right, the odds are that the interview will go the way you want it to go. But yes, only if you prepare right.
Read-up
It is important that you do your bit of research before you walk into that meeting. Research the new company you intend to get into, its core business and if possible, its business model. Take a look at the company’s mission statement or better still, memorise it. Knowing the mission statement will help you figure out where you can fit into the company’s scheme of things. You may also study the market and analyse the company’s position in the industry. For this, you may have to read up a bit on the company’s competitors. Knowing all this beforehand will put you in the right frame of mind before the interview, and more importantly, will impress your interviewers. And isn’t this what it’s all about?
Rehearse
To get over the initial jitters, go through the procedure of the interview by yourself in front of a mirror. While doing this, look for signs of nervousness like frequently touching your face or hair. Your hands express a lot. Use them well. They can enhance what you’re saying with graceful movements or they may even highlight the fact that you are nervous by frequently shaking or running into your pockets. It’s not a bad idea to rehearse in front of a friend for he may notice the things that you might miss.
Another good idea is to record yourself. Your voice that you hear while you’re speaking is far different from the one that others hear. So listen to a pre-recorded voice of yourself to see whether you are audible and clear.
Prepare for the obvious
While we often dread the unknown and the so-called tricky questions in an interview, it’s often the more common ones that tend to put us in a corner. So put some effort into preparing for the more common and generic questions. Here’s a list to give you an idea about the kind of questions that are asked in every interview, no matter what position you are seeking.
Do you have any experience in the relevant field? Why should we hire you?
State one weakness that you think you have.
Why do you want to work for our company?
What value can you add to our company?
Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Not much can be done to prepare for the unexpected questions. Here, the idea is to be ready for a few common ones and if they are asked, you know that you will nail them.
Dress well
Your first impression will create a lasting image on the interviewer’s mind and you will not get a second chance to make that first impression. So you need to make sure that you strike a positive image the very second an interviewer looks at you. Dress in smart formals. The dress code in various offices may differ, so it helps if you know that before hand. This will help you blend into that particular office atmosphere, because you don’t want to walk into a casual setting wearing a suit. At the same time, walking into a formal setting wearing a Hawaiian shirt is, well, a disaster. So as you are pondering over whether to wear that tie or not, remember the golden rule of dressing for interviews. Overdressing is any time better than being underdressed. Take that tie.
Read that checklist
The last – and probably the most important – thing you can do before walking into a interview is to prepare a little checklist focussing on the minor points regarding how you should be conducting yourself through that all-important meeting. Here’s a list that you can draw from.
Be on time:
Make sure you reach the location well before time. Reaching late is the easiest way to create a bad first impression. Reaching well before your scheduled appointment will also help you calm down and acclimatise yourself to the location of the interview.
Make eye contact:
Seeing eye to eye is a way to tell the person you are speaking to that he can trust you. So look into the eyes of the interviewers and greet them with a firm handshake and a warm smile.
Show your enthusiasm:
Often, when there is a cut throat competition for a job, the odds always favour the person showing the maximum enthusiasm. With an enthusiastic demeanour, you will be portraying a high level of motivation and that is exactly what your employer wants.
Sell yourself:
An interview is often like a sales pitch. So don’t be wary of sounding like a sales person, for that is exactly what you’re supposed to be doing – selling yourself. Make sure that you let the interviewer know all about your strengths. Highlight the fact that you are a team player and a motivated one at that.
Be honest:
Remember that you are walking into the interview looking for a job and not campaigning for post of the Chief Minister. So be honest about the promises you make and your abilities to deliver them. Your interviewer is more likely to be an experienced one and the odds are that he will see right through your bluff.
And lastly end the interview by saying thank you with a warm smile and a firm handshake. Later, send an e-mail thanking them for the time spent and letting them know that you are interested in the position.
The purpose of preparing for an interview is not just to know what you will be saying to your interviewer, but also to get over those initial jitters of nervousness that might even cost you that job. So get your act together before you walk in and finally when you do walk in, do that with all guns blazing.
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