Everybody currently looking for work knows the excitement an invitation to a job interview for a post is particularly if you have been looking for a long time. Now that you have that interview it is imperative that you take full advantage of it and that you do your preparation properly.
Firstly you have to remember that first impressions do count and its way you dress, act and enter the interview room that make the greatest impressions followed by your voice, grammar and the actual words. Make sure you give a good firm handshake.
So now you’re sat down so remember to smile, maintain eye to eye contact and sit up and maintain good posture. Show humour and a warm personality and do not dwell on negatives like why you lost your last job or why you didn’t get your last job! Don’t fidget, play with your hair or gesture too much with your hands.
Show interest in the process and the opportunity and learn something about the sector you are interviewing for and especially learn about the company itself. Interviewers like candidates with knowledge of the company and it invites conversational opportunities. It’s best that you don’t talk about what you want too much but better still discuss what you can bring to the new company and what role you think you can do.
You have to demonstrate that you have qualities that the other candidates don’t have. You have to sell yourself to the interviewer without sounding arrogant and don’t forget to actually ask for the job.
Be prepared to answer all the usual interview questions like “why do you want to work for us “and “what made you leave your last employment”, etc. Ensure that you are able to do the job and that you have all the correct and requested qualifications and that you are able to talk about previous experiences commensurate with this new role.
Above all keep positive and if you fail to get this job then ask for feedback and learn from it and keep that positivity and optimism going into your next job interview.
Steve Blythe (Recruitment and Social Media Commentator).
