How To Take Your Interview to the Next Level

Want to crush your next interview and land an exciting new job? What if I told you the secret is in the prepwork? Do you allow yourself enough time to prepare for an interview -- I mean effectively prepare?

There is a lot to be said for walking into an interview anticipating the questions and having thought through your answers. You’ll exude a wonderful sense of confidence to employers when you are prepared. I can tell you from personal experience, employers go crazy over this. Confidence and preparedness demonstrate initiative and pro-activeness, which are some of the key indicators of high-potential employees. It also says to us you’ve done your homework, and you’re not about to waste anyone’s time;you want this job, so let’s get started!

Here are more invaluable interview tips from an insider:

Have you done your homework?:

•  What do you know about the company? What’s the industry?Who are their key competitors?
• What is their mission? What are their values? Find ways to show how you professionally and personally identify with some of these.

First impressions really count:

•  Studies indicate most interviewers make up their minds about a candidate during the first five minutes of an interview, so it’s important to pull out all the stops early on. Bring your excitement and energy!

Understand the job and your selling points

•  Can you recite what makes you an excellent candidate for the role? What unique and similar experiences can you mention?
•  What primarily intrigues you about the role?
•  Show some personality: what interpersonal skills do you possess that would make you irresistible to an employer?

Prepare answers to common interview questions

• The internet is overflowing with interview resources -- there are literally hundreds of practice interview questions online. Put Google to good use and search for common questions based on the field and/or role you’re applying for. Hone in on the top 10 questions and prepare strong answers.
• Employers will commonly ask about your strengths and weaknesses, so put some thought into your top three strengths. Be humble when asked about weaknesses: identify at least one, no more than two, areas where you could “be better” or “improve upon”. Honesty is important, but avoid weaknesses that could lose you the job (e.g., tardiness, conflicts with coworkers, lack of motivation).

Ask questions:

• It’s important to anticipate the questions you will be asked, but it’s equally important to grasp the opportunity to interview the employer with one or two questions: what incentives does the company offer? Opportunities for growth?
• This is a perfect opportunity to gain clarification and expectations of the role and to demonstrate your interest.

Practice makes perfect

•  Practice tone and body language by answering practice questions out loud.
• Snag your best friend for a quick mock-interview!Practice different ways to articulate your answer in a short and concise way.
• Practice all of the gestures that come with the interview; a firm handshake, sitting up straight, making eye contact and smiling.

Think positive

•  Interviewers will often ask about difficult experiences in the workplace Be prepared to reflect on the negative experience and showcase the positive outcome-- don’t dwell on the bad.

Interviews can seem daunting, but by putting in the work ahead of each and every interview, you will greatly improve your odds at landing your dream job.If you’re looking for a new opportunity and ready to give your interview skills a shot, I would encourage you to head over to our career page and see what Intact has to offer. Come be a part of our amazing team!

Stay Tuned for my next blog on “How to interview the company you are applying to"

careers.intact.ca

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