HOW TO ACE YOUR NEXT JOB INTERVIEW

HOW TO ACE YOUR NEXT JOB INTERVIEW

Thorough interview preparation can help you land a job. You want to boost your chances of getting hired, and here are things that can help you go above and beyond. In this article, you will find my general recommendations regarding some things that you can control and can help you boost your chances of getting hired.

Arriving on time, plan to arrive 15-30 minutes early.?

There is nothing worse than beginning an interview by apologizing for being late. Allow extra time for traffic or transit delays. If you are uncertain of the timing or location, make a trial run.

Physical presence, dress appropriately.

You want to make sure you dress according to the company's culture you are interviewing, and if you are unsure, outfit on the conservative side. Be sure your grooming and hygiene are immaculate. Assume a posture that is neither too relaxed nor too tense or forward. Express your energy and avoid smoking or chewing gum.?

Listen very carefully and do not interrupt the interviewer.

Listen with total concentration and maintain eye contact 90 percent (without staring). Indicate attention and acceptance with nods and smiles, avoid interrupting, and allow silence when thought and reflection are needed. If you do not understand a question, try paraphrasing the question back to the interviewer.

Learn the names and exact titles of the interviewers.

People like to be named by their terms, and pronunciation is also essential. When in doubt, please ask your recruiter for the exact names and pronunciations of who will interview you. Also, look them up on Linkedin to get familiar with their faces and terms. You want to have a natural conversation with them.

Learn to sell yourself

To be successful in an interview, you have got to sell yourself. Since this may be a new attitude for you, here are some tips.

??Be friendly and relaxed:?The interviewer is human too, and they want to work with pleasant, likable people. If the interviewer enjoys your time together, they may overlook your days. Lack of skill or two. Discuss your accomplishments often and appropriately.

? Observe and help the interviewer:?Is the interviewer having trouble with the right question? Help them by asking, "What else would you like to know about my background?" If the interviewer is glancing at their watch, make your answers shorter or ask if they have another appointment.

??Wrapping up:?You know the interviewer wants to end the interview if they stand up, ask if you have any more questions, or begin to thank you for coming. For your peace of mind, pay attention to closure at the end of the interview. Because there is usually an incredible feeling of relief, many people do not ask the few simple questions that can remove some of the anxiety from the weeks following.?

Take notes of the following questions. Ask thoughtful questions when you get the chance.

Bring them with you and make sure you leave enough time to collect this information at the end of the interview. Ask questions as you walk out with the last interviewer or prepare to leave.

??Interview closure questions: What challenges will someone in this role face in the first 60-90 days? What are the next steps? What is the timing? How many are you planning to interview? Where am I in the interview sequence? Will there be additional rounds of interviews? When will you notify the candidates?

Read the job description carefully and learn the company's language.

If you do not read the job description, you are losing your chances of getting hired. You need to master the job description and see yourself performing that role and filling the requirements this company is looking for. It would help if you found out the employer's needs. A good salesperson doesn't start selling until they get an idea of the customer's needs. Before explaining how you can contribute, you need to master what this company is looking for and speak their language.

Prepare to answer the question "Tell me about yourself."

You get asked about this question 99% of the time you have a job interview, and the interviewer is learning more about you and assessing your communications skills. My recommendation is that you prepare a 60-second speech about your career journey and your significant accomplishments; please do not talk about your personal life; that is not the goal of this question.?

Here's an example:

I am currently a Sales Marketing Manager at company ABC. I have over 15 years of experience managing marketing campaigns for several Fortune 500 companies, leading several multi-million dollar initiatives. My most significant accomplishment has been increasing my company's revenue from 1M - to 10M. What I am looking for is to take my career to the next level at your company (the company you are interviewing for) by _______________________________________________________________________ (fillin the blanks with your understanding of they are looking for based on the job description).

In every interview question, tell a story.

We all love stories. If you want to ace your interviews, you need to master the art of storytelling. You will get many "tell me about a time..." type questions, and I suggest that you stick to the?STAR?Method. The STAR method is a very structured response to a behavioral-based interview question. Try to discuss the specific situation, task, action, and result of the problem you describe.

Situation:?Describe the problem you were experiencing for that particular matter, be very specific! You must describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give enough details for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from a previous job, internship, school project, volunteer experience, or a relevant event. I highly recommend you to think about the projects that are more relevant to the job you are applying.

Task:?

What is the goal or objective? What were you trying to accomplish? Here you want to focus on what you did.

Action:

1. Describe the steps you took to resolve the problem or the situation with an appropriate amount of detail and focus on yourself.
2. Try to think that you are telling the story to a five-year-old kid.
3. When describing actions, use "I," not "we."

Result:?

What was the outcome? Describe the impact of your actions, and please stress your accomplishments. Think of how much money, time, or resources you helped this company or team save. What did you accomplish? Make sure your answer contains multiple positive outcomes.?

Finally, confidence is vital. You are an outstanding professional, and your value does not depend on the outcome of an interview. Your worth never changes, and the company that values your worth will hire you. All you need is one "YES." Don't settle until you get it.?