A Guide to Interview Preparation
Perhaps the most frightening aspect of job hunts is the interview stage. Interview fear is a natural result of wanting recognition and acceptance from other people, especially from your prospective employers. Although expressing their opinions about themselves might seem natural to certain people, others are apprehensive about being asked about their professional or previous successes. Perhaps because of modesty, or the anxiety that comes from being asked questions about their personal life, the interview has become one of the biggest and most stressful parts during the selection process.
It doesn’t have to be the case.
Interviews are an important way for the applicant to show that their competencies are, their achievements, and potential. You have already completed the initial step, with your resume making the cut through ATS scanners, and your name being selected for an interview. This chance to present and elaborate upon one’s profile, employment history and the most important skills and knowledge is the aforementioned way to get noticed: if you convince the interviewer that you’re a good fit you increase your odds to be selected for to the next step in the selection process.
You can, fortunately, prepare for interviews in case you’re experiencing apprehensions about talking about your accomplishments. The practice is essential, and fortunately, interview questions can be rehearsed in advance. The secret to flawless interviews is preparation, and here are some tips that you can follow to boost your chances of getting through that interview and impressing your future employers:
Get comfortable around tricky questions
Interviewers ask challenging questions, mostly because they are trying to elicit information and information, but also in order to help you get out of potentially contentious issues and concerns. For instance, consider the question "Why have you decided to quit your current job?"
The answer to this question may be because of management issues, or concerns with work-life balance, etc. Whatever the reason however, the manner in which you phrase your response will signal your capacity to be an objective and fair observer. Answer honestly and explain your reasoning using as much objectivity possible. This includes removing emotional responses like responses that are based solely on sentiments or feelings, and are not supported by evidence.
Other questions to prepare for are "What did you do to get this job?", "Why should we choose your services?", or trick questions like "Why should be able to not take you on?" 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. Introduce your idea and follow up with a short reason or summary as to why you responded a certain manner. Then, add details or go into more detail. After you’ve clarified your points thoroughly, go back to your original point.
In the same way, if you’re required to explain your participation on a project or task, you may utilize the STAR Method, which is often used when responding to criteria for selection. In using STAR it is necessary to describe an situation,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken followed by the final result.
It’s all in the body language
Acting naturally in a difficult situation can be a daunting task, but you can always make sure you are practicing professional communication. Place yourself in front of a mirror or ask a trusted person to ask you questions and observe your behavior. Are you flitting or shifting about with anxiety? Do you appear stiff, standoffish, defensive or shut off in your body and speech? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions in line with your message you’re trying to make? Do you convey genuineness, honesty and genuine interest?
Consider your strengths and weaknesses.
Before the interview, ensure that you go over the job description over again. Assuming you read the job description and applied the roles and duties listed therein to modify and customise your resume and other document of selection, it is important to look at the job description and how you will present yourself to the interviewer. Be candid and open on your strength and weakness. Being open about your strengths will allow the interviewer to see your selling points as a prospective client. But, indicating your intention to address 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’ve seen something that’s interesting in the job description or if you’ve got any questions not answered by their FAQ page or the guide questions (which are typically found within the job application or their general hiring page about section), raise these at the conclusion of the interview, after your interviewer encourages you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer:
"How can I be the most qualified person for this job, if I am given the opportunity to be part of your team?"
"Does the company have any major projects on currently"
"What are the chances to advance and further education?"
Know what your salary expectations are.
Other benefits and packages for salary are usually advertised alongside the job (or within a set of options when applying via SEEK). However, interviewers may still be interested in knowing what you are expecting. A good tip is to provide a range in which you would like your salary to be based instead of giving an exact number or a set amount. Make sure to keep your range tight instead of giving an expansive margin. For instance, if you think you will earn $75,000 in a year, a sensible range would be anywhere in the $73,000-$80,000 range or anywhere within the $10,000-$10,000 range. Be mindful of other perks and benefits as well and consider these when you consider your salary expectations.
The preparation steps you have in your back pocket is essential for ensuring you are in readiness to face the toughest questions. Be confident, be self-assured and courageous.
If you need assistance with documents related to recruitment and credentials , and also for the preparation for your interview, reach out to Perth Resume. Our highly skilled and knowledgeable consultants will be able to help you through your preparatory steps. Contact us now for an complimentary quote or phone us directly for a chat with one of our consultants on 1300 648 974.
