Interview Readiness Blueprint
A major and intimidating aspects of job hunting is the fear of an interview. Fear of being interviewed is a natural result of wanting recognition and acceptance from other people and especially your potential employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may come naturally to some people, others are apprehensive about being asked about their careers or their previous successes. Perhaps due to modesty or the discomfort that comes with being asked to answer personal questions, the interview has become one of the biggest and most stressful parts of the hiring process.
This doesn’t need to be the scenario.
Interviews are the best opportunity for applicants to prove their capabilities, achievements, and potentials. You’ve been through the first step with your resume passing an appearance on ATS scanners, and your name getting a callback. This opportunity to present and further elaborate on your resume, experience as well as the key skills and abilities is the proverbial entrance into the interview when you convince the interviewer you have what it takes that increases your chances of getting through to the next step in the selection process.
Luckily, you can prepare for interview questions if you’re struggling with apprehensions about talking about your personal achievements. Training is the key to success and, fortunately, interview questions can be practiced ahead of time. The key to a flawless interview is preparation. Here are some helpful tips you can use to increase your chances of nailing the interview and impressing your potential employers.
Be comfortable with difficult questions.
Interviewers will ask you tough questions, in part, to get information from you as well as because they want to see you navigate your way out of potentially contentious questions and issues. Consider for instance the question "Why are you leaving your current position?"
The answer could be due to management concerns, or issues regarding work-life balance, for instance. Whatever the reason however, the manner in which you phrase your response will signal your ability to be an objective and fair observer. Give a clear and honest explanation of your answer with as much objectivity as is possible. This includes removing all emotional responses, like answers based on emotions or feelings and do not have any basis in facts.
Other important questions to ask include "What made you apply for this role?", "Why should us choose to hire us?", or trick questions like "Why do us not employ 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. Start with your statement and follow up with a short explanation or a brief summary of the reasons you responded in a certain manner. After that, you can add instances or elaborate. After you’ve clarified your points thoroughly the topic, return to the point you made earlier.
Also, if asked to write about your involvement on a project or task, you may employ this method. STAR Method, which is typically used to respond to criteria for selection. In using STAR, you must state the context,followed by a Task,then a description of Actionstaken followed by the final result.
It’s all in the body language
Acting naturally in a stressful situation may be a challenge however, you can practice professional communication. Sit in front of a mirror or ask a friend you trust to ask questions of you and observe your behavior. Are you moving or fidgeting around in a tense manner? Do you seem rigid, aloof, defensive, or closed off in your body expression? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions consistent with the point you are trying to convey? Do you convey openness, sincerity and genuine enthusiasm?
Be aware of your strengths and your weaknesses.
Before you go to the interview, be sure to go over the job description again. Assuming you read the job description and used the roles and responsibilities listed in it to alter and personalize your resume and other selection documents It is crucial to consider the job description and how you will prepare yourself for interviewers. Be upfront and honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Being honest about your strengths will allow interviewers to recognize your unique selling points as a potential customer. But, indicating your intention to work on your weaknesses will also be relevant.
Prepare questions
Another crucial aspect of an interview is showing genuine enthusiasm for the position and the company. The best person to approach is the interviewer. If you’ve seen something that’s interesting from the job descriptions, or if you have questions that were left unanswered on their FAQ page or guide questions (which can be found in the job description or the general page for hiring about section) Bring them up at the end of the interview, after your interviewer encourages you to ask questions. Some of the questions you could ask your employer:
"How do I become the most suitable person for the jobif given the opportunity to work alongside members of your staff?"
"Does the company have any major projects underway currently"
"What are the opportunities for advancement and further training?"
Know your salary expectations
Benefits and salary packages are generally advertised with the position (or on a list, for those applying through SEEK). However, interviewers may still be interested in knowing what you’re expecting to earn. One important tip is to provide a range in which you’d like your pay to be, rather than providing an exact or fixed number. Make sure to keep your limit to a narrow range instead of providing any wide range. For example, if you expect to make $75,000 a year, an appropriate range is anywhere between the $73,000-$80,000 range or anywhere within the $10,000-$10,000 range. Be mindful of additional perks and benefits in addition to these when you think about your salary expectations.
Inputting these steps into your back pocket is essential for ensuring you are in readiness to face the toughest questions. Be confident, be self-assured and bold.
If you need assistance with documents related to recruitment and certificates, as well as 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 today to receive an free quote or phone us directly for a chat with one of our consultants at 03 5420 1563.
