Ready Yourself for Interviews
One of the most intimidating aspects of the job search is the fear of an interview. Fear of being interviewed is a natural result of wanting to seek acceptance and approval from others and especially your potential employers. Although talking about oneself may be a natural thing for some, others are apprehensive about being asked questions 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 an extremely nerve-wracking parts in the process of hiring.
This does not have to be the scenario.
Interviews are an important way for the applicant to prove their capabilities, achievements, and potentials. You have already passed the first step with your resume passing the cut through ATS scanners and getting a callback. The chance to show and further elaborate on your profile, work history as well as key abilities and expertise is the proverbial foot in the door: if you convince the interviewer that you’re the right candidate, it boosts your chances of passing the next phase of the final selection process.
Luckily, you can prepare for interview questions if you’re struggling with doubts about speaking about your achievements. The practice is essential to a successful interview, and luckily, the questions can be rehearsed in advance. The secret to flawless interviews is preparation. Here are some guidelines you can implement to improve your chances of nailing the interview and impressing prospective employers:
Learn to be comfortable around difficult questions.
Interviewers are able to ask tough questions mostly because they are trying to gather information and information, but also in order to help you navigate your way out of potentially contentious topics and concerns. Consider, for instance, the question "Why are you resigning from your current role?"
The answer could be due to management issues, or concerns about work-life balance. Whatever the reason but the way the way you frame your answer will show your capacity to be an objective and fair observer. Be honest and articulate your responses with as much objectivity as feasible. This means that you should eliminate any emotional responses such as answers that are based purely on feelings or sentiments that are not supported by factual evidence.
Other questions to prepare for are "What inspired you to apply for this position?", "Why should we choose the person we chose to hire?", or trick questions like "Why do you not employ 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. Start with your statement and follow with a brief reason or summary as to why you responded a certain manner. Then, add specific examples or provide more details. Once you’ve thoroughly explained you can go back to the previous section.
Similarly, if you are asked to write about your involvement in a particular project or task it is possible to utilize to describe your involvement in a project or task, you can use the STAR Method, which is commonly used to respond to criteria for selection. When using STAR you will need to write the Situation,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken followed by the result.
The body language
Behaving naturally in a stressful environment can be a daunting task However, you can make sure you are practicing professional communication. Put yourself in front of the mirror or ask a trusted person to ask questions and note your mannerisms. Are you fidgeting or shifting about with anxiety? Do you appear intimidating, stiff, defensive or reserved in your body expression? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions in line with the point you are trying to make? Do you display openness, sincerity and genuine enthusiasm?
Take a look at your strengths and your weaknesses.
Prior to the interview, ensure that you go over the job description once more. Assuming you read the job description and applied the roles and duties listed within to customize and modify your resume and other documents for selection, it is important to consider the job description in order to accurately prepare yourself for interviewers. Be honest and upfront concerning your abilities and shortcomings. Being realistic about your strengths will enable the interviewer to see your strengths as a prospective client. But, indicating your intention to work on your weak points will be equally notable.
Prepare questions
Another crucial aspect of an interview is showing genuine enthusiasm in the job and within the company. The best person to approach questions is your interviewer. If you noticed something interesting within the description of your job or if you’ve got any questions that were left unanswered by their FAQ page or their guide questions (which typically are found in the job description or the general page for hiring about section) Make sure to bring them up after the interview, when your interviewer encourages you to ask questions. The most interesting questions you could ask your employer:
"How can I be an ideal candidate for the job, if I am offered the chance to work with the team?"
"Does the company have any major projects underway in the present"
"What are the possibilities to advance and further education?"
Know your salary expectations
The salary package and other benefits are usually advertised alongside the position (or within a set of options, in the case of SEEK). However, the interviewer may want to know what salary you’re expecting to earn. One important tip is to provide a range in which you’d like your salary to fall rather than giving an exact or set number. Try to keep your limit to a narrow range instead of providing an expansive margin. For instance, if think you will earn $75,000 in a year, a reasonable range would be in the $73,000 to $80,000 area or anywhere within the $10,000 range. Be mindful of other benefits and perks in addition to these when you consider your salary goals.
These steps to prepare in your bag is vital to ensure you have the readiness to face the toughest questions. Be confident, feel confident, and be bold.
For help with the recruitment process, documents and credentials , and also for interview preparation, reach out to Perth Resume. Our friendly and highly trained consultants will be able to guide you through the interview preparation steps. Contact us now for the free quote or to call us directly to speak with one of our consultants on 1300 202 475.
