Receiving an invitation for a job interview is a good reason to be happy; at least, one of your feet is already at the company’s door! But remember that you’re probably just one among the hundreds more candidates set for the interview. The role of a hiring manager is to make sure they choose and hire the best talent for the available position. Now, how do you create a positive impression so they will favor you over others?
Worry not, the following tips can help add points to your scorecard during your interview.
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#1 – Research the company you’re applying for and its industry. Nothing impresses a hiring or recruitment manager more than an applicant interested in the business operation of the company.
#2 – Determine your USP. Just as products have a unique selling proposition, so should you. List your top 3 selling points and discuss briefly the past instances where those points were demonstrated.
#3 – Express deep interest in the job. Hiring managers do not want to feel that you’re just going through a job interview and you’re fine whether you get it or not. Your sincere enthusiasm for the job is a sure sign that you’ll make good at it once accepted.
#4 – Prepare a good defense. With so many candidates to choose from, the hiring manager will do their best to screen out the best from the rest. There may be one or two reasons why the interviewer would not hire you. Anticipate what those are and prepare an excellent spiel on why they should not be overly concerned.
#5 – Practice answering even the most common questions. Sometimes you feel too relaxed during an interview that you lose the formality in your communication; either you say too much or too little of what is expected of the answer. Don’t underestimate giving good answers even to the simplest questions.
#6 – Prepare your intelligent questions for the interviewer. The interviewer is prepared to answer any of your questions that may, in fact, provide clues for you in getting the job. Towards the end the manager will always ask you if you have any questions; not having any will make the same thing you’re not that interested in the job. Questions like “what do you expect from an ideal candidate for this post?” or “what would be the most challenging aspect of this post?” will demonstrate your intention to prepare yourself for the job.
#7 – Keep yourself in high spirits in the first 5minutes. Studies reveal that interviewers make up their minds in the first 5 minutes of the interview. Whether this is true or not, make sure you greet the interviewer with gusto and keep it that way for as long as you can.
#8 – Dress up appropriately. You can’t beat a good impression created by coming in for an interview neatly dressed. This shows you value professionalism and care for your image. This impression will resonate with your ability to do the job in a professional manner.
#9 – Make the right body language speak for you. Eye-to-eye contact, a firm handshake, not crossing your arms on your chest, and avoiding being fidgety are just some of the body languages you need to observe. Practice the right postures that imply “I’m all business”.
#10 – Have a good closing. Show your appreciation and keep the excitement going up to the very last minute. Act as if you got the job already. This attitude cannot be ignored; it may pay off well to your interviewer.
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