Ace Your Interviews: Preparation Guide
A major and difficult aspect of job hunts is the interview stage. It is a normal result of wanting recognition and acceptance from other people in particular from potential employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may come naturally to some people, others are apprehensive about being asked questions about their professional or previous achievements. Perhaps because of modesty, or the fear of being asked personal questions Interviews have become one of the biggest and most nerve-wracking parts in the process of hiring.
This doesn’t have to be the scenario.
Interviews are an important way for the applicant to prove their capabilities are, their achievements, and potential. You’ve been through the first step and your resume has made the cut through ATS scanners and getting a callback. The chance to show and further elaborate on your resume, experience and the most important skills and abilities is the proverbial foot in the door If you can convince the interviewer that you have what it takes this increases your chances of passing to the next step in the final selection process.
You can, fortunately, prepare for interviews even if you’re having fears about speaking about your accomplishments. It is important to practice and, fortunately, interview questions can be rehearsed before the date. The secret to flawless interviews is preparation. Here are some guidelines you can follow to boost your chances at nailing that interview and impressing future employers:
Make yourself comfortable when faced with tricky questions
Interviewers will ask you tough questions, mostly because they are trying to gain information, but also, because they want to help you navigate your way out of potentially contentious issues and worries. Consider for instance the question "Why are you resigning from your current role?"
The answer to the question may be because of management issues, or concerns with work-life balance, etc. No matter the answer however, the manner the way you frame the answer will indicate your capacity to be an objective and fair observer. Answer honestly and explain your reasoning in the most objective way possible. This means that you should eliminate any emotional responses , such as answers based on feelings or sentiments and do not have any basis in evidence.
Other questions to prepare for include "What did you do to get this job?", "Why should we hire us?", or trick questions such as "Why should us not hire you?" The key is to stay calm and arrange your thoughts with care.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Begin with your topic and follow up with a short argument or explanation of why you responded a certain way. Add specific examples or provide more details. After you’ve clarified your points thoroughly, go back to the point you made earlier.
In the same way, if you’re asked to write about your involvement in a particular project or task and you are required to describe your involvement, you could employ the STAR Method, which is commonly used to respond to criteria for selection. When you use STAR the first thing you need to do is write the Situation,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken followed by the results.
The body language
Behaving naturally in a stressful situation could be a challenge however, you can learn to communicate professionally. Sit in front of a mirror or have a trusted companion to ask you questions and observe your behavior. Are you flitting or shifting around with a nervousness? Are you looking uneasy, aggressive or aloof in your body language? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions in line with your message you’re trying to convey? Do you communicate sincerity, authenticity and genuine interest?
Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
Before you go to the interview, you should read the job description over again. If you have read the job description and utilized the roles and responsibilities listed in the description to make changes to your resume and other documents for selection It is essential to consider the job description to honestly package yourself for the interviewer. Be open and honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Being truthful regarding your strengths will allow the interviewer to notice your strengths as a potential customer. But, indicating your intention to address your weak points will be equally notable.
Prepare questions
Another aspect to consider in the interview is to show genuine interest for the position and the company. The best person to inquire questions is your interviewer. If you have noticed something intriguing within the description of your job, or you have questions not answered through their FAQ or guide questions (which typically are found in the job description or their general hiring page about section) Bring them up during the interview when the interviewer encourages you to ask questions. The most interesting questions you could ask your employer include:
"How do I become the most suitable person for the task, if given the chance to be part of you and your colleagues?"
"Does the company have any major projects on currently"
"What are the possibilities to further develop and learn?"
Know your salary expectations
Other benefits and packages for salary are usually advertised alongside the position (or within a set of options if applying through SEEK). However, interviewers could ask you how much you are expecting. An important point to remember is to provide a range in which you would like your salary to be, rather than providing an exact, fixed amount. Try to keep your range tight instead of giving the possibility of a large margin. For example, if you think you will earn $75,000 in a year, a sensible choice would be anything from the $73,000 to $80,000 range, or anything in the range of $10,000. Consider other perks and benefits in addition to these when you think about your salary goals.
Inputting these steps into your bag is vital to ensure you have the capability to handle the toughest questions. Be confident, feel confident and be courageous.
For assistance in recruitment-related documents and credentials and for the preparation for your interview, get in touch with Perth Resume. Our knowledgeable and professional consultants are able to guide you through the interview preparation steps. Contact us now for your no-cost quote or call us direct for a chat with one of our consultants at 1300 648 974.
