We tend to get quite worked up about interviews. With all eyes on you, the process can often feel like you are giving the presentation of your life.
Few of us are great at interviews because we haven’t had many of them. For most people, interviews can feel quite daunting.
Many of us will search for interview tips in books, online, from friends, from career coaches and much of the time we end up even more confused and uncertain. The danger here is that the anxiety will prevent you from being yourself and, to be honest, the most important thing in an interview is to demonstrate that you are the right person for the job, if you are. Sometimes during the interview process, you may realise that the role is not really what you want after all.
However, assuming that you DO want the job, here are 10 tips to set you in the right direction:
1. Know your audience – what is most important to the hiring manager.
2. Chemistry counts for a lot – good managers and executives learn to trust their gut instincts as well as consider what is in your resume. Be genuine, be open and relax. Look the hiring manager in the eye, smile. Make a connection.
3. Do you meet the job specifications? What are the functional requirements of the role and what are the soft skills required (communication skills, personal characteristics.)
4. Are you being true to yourself? Do you represent yourself accurately? Make sure you are as good as your resume says otherwise there will be major disappointments on both sides.
5. What is your experience and can you talk about it? It doesn’t always matter how many years you have been performing a specific task, it’s the results you’ve achieved. Make sure you can tell the story – how you did it, what were the challenges, how you overcame them.
6. How do you approach problem-solving? Do you have examples of your ‘street smarts?’ You may be asked some unusual questions. Recently one of my clients was thrown a curve ball and was asked what he would do if he was given a million dollars. The hiring manager wanted to know if he could think on his feet as it would have been unlikely that he would have prepared for that specific question.
7. What is it like to be in your presence? What’s your personality? Are you laid back, are you a go-getter, do you have a strong sense of entitlement or do you have an exceptional work ethic? Are you driven? Are you grounded? How do you handle the responsibility?
8. Are you a team player or more insular? What type of person is required for the role?
9. Are you like minded? Look out for clues as to the preferred communication style of the hiring manager. Be open minded so you can learn from each other and if the connection is there, you have a greater chance of success.
10. Do your research to find out as much as you can about what the hiring manager is looking for, think about what you have that is a match to those requirements, provide some examples of your capabilities in those areas, tell the stories and finally, relax and be yourself.
To ace your job interviews, take this online course: HOW TO ACE YOUR JOB INTERVIEWS
For additional support, read Amazon Australia Best Seller, Navigating Career Crossroads – the essential guide to landing your next role.
For one on one coaching, visit janejacksoncoach.com and let’s get you interviewing with confidence, clarity, and conviction. Your passion for the role must shine through.
