By Rochelle Blanch
We have all been there, those frightful moments before a job interview. Our palms are sweating, our lips are dry, our hearts are pounding fast and we can’t seem to remember a thing. Well, you need not fear anymore – the more you prepare, the less daunting it may seem.
From someone who has attended many job interviews and who has hosted many job interviews, I am here to give you a sneak peek at the cheat sheet.
Do your homework!
I know this has been said time and time again but I cannot stipulate how important this is. Don’t just research the job and the qualifications you need but also the company, their motto, history and if you know who is interviewing you, then research them too. The more information you have the easier it will be to answer the tricky questions. Sometimes companies will ask why you want to work for them and there is nothing better than giving a personalised response of someone who clearly wants to work at the company and did their homework.
Dress nicely!
It doesn’t matter which position you have applied for, whether it is for an internship or a managerial role. It also doesn’t matter if it is for a bank or a funky, soho PR company, dress nicely and appropriately. People only take five seconds to make a judgement of you and this includes but is not limited to what you’re wearing. Remember – first impressions do matter.
Be sincere.
Despite what you may think, we can tell when you are being insincere or lying. Just by watching your body language and facial expressions we know that you don’t really think you’re a good communicator and a team player. Whatever your weaknesses are, rather than lie, just focus on your attributes and how they fit into the role. Convince the interviewers that these attributes will make you the best candidate.
Be articulate.
Don’t go into the meeting speaking at a hundred miles a minute with ‘like’ and ‘yeah’ in between each sentence. Be clear, concise and accurate. This is a job interview so it needs to be professional and communicated in a clear manner. Also be sure to maintain a good level of eye contact. The more you avoid looking into their eyes, the less confident you seem and the chances of landing the job are smaller.
Smile!
We are not scary, we want to know that you’re enjoying yourself or that you can enjoy yourself. Show us you’re friendly and smile and if it’s appropriate even crack a joke or show your sense of humour!
Remember if you don’t get the job, don’t be disheartened. Just think of it as a stepping stone and a learning curve to perfect your skills for the next job interview.
Good luck!
