Optimizing Your Interview Preparation
One of the most difficult aspects of job hunting is the dreaded interview round. Interview fear is a natural result of wanting to seek approval and validation from others and especially your potential employers. While speaking about themselves may come naturally to some people but others feel nervous about being asked questions about their professional or previous successes. Perhaps because of modesty, or the anxiety that comes from being asked to answer personal questions interviews have turned out to be one of the biggest and most intimidating parts in the process of hiring.
This does not have to be the situation.
Interviews are an important opportunity for applicants to show that their competencies, achievements, and potentials. You’ve passed the first step and your resume has made an appearance on ATS scanners and being shortlisted for an interview. This opportunity to present and elaborate further on your resume, experience as well as key abilities and experience is the equivalent of getting a foot in the door If you can convince the interviewer you’re the right candidate you increase your odds of getting through the next step of the final selection process.
You can, fortunately, prepare for interview questions if you’re struggling with doubts about speaking about your accomplishments. Training is the key to success and, fortunately, interview questions can be rehearsed before the date. The key to a flawless interview is preparation, and here are some tips that you can follow to boost your chances at nailing that interview and impressing your future employers:
Get comfortable around tricky questions
Interviewers are able to ask tough questions partly because they want to gather information and information, but also because they want to help you get out of potential contentious issues and concerns. For instance, consider the question "Why do you want to leave your current position?"
The answer to this question could be due to managerial issues, or worries with work-life balance, etc. No matter the answer but the way the way you frame the answer will indicate your capacity to be an objective and fair observer. Respond honestly and explain your response with the greatest objectivity possible. This means that you should eliminate all emotional responses, like answers that are based purely on feelings or sentiments and are not substantiated by evidence.
Other questions to consider include "What made you apply for this job?", "Why should we choose us?", or trick questions such as "Why do us not hire you?" The key is to remain calm 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 provide a concise note of the reason or reasons the reasons you responded in a certain manner. After that, you can add examples or further elaborate. After you have explained thoroughly the topic, return to your previous point.
Similarly, if you are asked to write about your involvement in a particular project or task then you can apply the STAR Method, which is typically used to respond to selection criteria. In using STAR the first thing you need to do is write a situation,followed by a Task,then a description of Actionstaken then the results.
The body language
Behaving naturally in a stressful situation could be a tall order However, you can learn to communicate professionally. Sit in front of a mirror or ask a friend you trust to ask questions of you and observe your body language. Are you moving or fidgeting about with anxiety? Are you looking intimidating, stiff, defensive, or closed off in your body language? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions consistent with what you want to convey? Do you communicate genuineness, honesty and genuine enthusiasm?
Be aware of your strengths and weak points.
Before you go to the interview, be sure to review the job description once more. Assuming that you’ve read the description and applied the roles and responsibilities listed in the description to make changes to your resume and other documents for selection It is imperative to look at the job description to honestly present yourself to the interviewer. Be open and honest on your strength and weakness. Being realistic regarding your strengths will allow the interviewer to notice your strengths as a prospect. However, announcing your intention to improve your weaknesses will also be notable.
Prepare questions
Another key aspect of the interview is showing genuine interest in the job and within the business. The most appropriate person to ask questions is your interviewer. If you have noticed something intriguing within the description of your job, or you have questions that have not been answered on their FAQ page or guide questions (which can be found in the job application or the general page for hiring about section) Bring them up during the interview, when your interviewer encourages you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer are:
"How do I become the best person for the job, should I be given the chance to work alongside your team?"
"Does the company have any major projects in the pipeline currently"
"What are the opportunities for further development and training?"
Know your salary expectations
The salary package and other benefits are often advertised with the position (or in a variety, if applying through SEEK). However, the interviewer may ask you how much you are expecting. The most important thing to do is provide a range in which you’d like your earnings to be, rather than providing an exact or fixed number. Be sure to keep the limit to a narrow range instead of providing the possibility of a large margin. For instance, if you think you will earn $75,000 in a year, a good choice would be anything from the $73,000 to $80,000 range, or anywhere within the $10,000 range. Consider other benefits and perks also and take these into consideration when you are evaluating your salary expectations.
These steps to prepare in your bag is vital for ensuring you are in capability to handle the toughest questions. Be confident, self-assured and courageous.
For assistance in recruitment-related documents and credentials and for the preparation for your interview, get in touch with Perth Resume. Our professional and friendly consultants can assist you in your preparation stages. Contact us today for an complimentary quote or contact us directly to speak with one our consultants at 08 9468 9176.
