Interview Preparation Tactics
A major and difficult aspect of job hunts is the daunting interview process. Interview fear is a natural result of wanting recognition and acceptance from other people and especially your potential employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may be natural for some however, many are nervous about being asked questions about their professional or previous achievements. Perhaps due to modesty or the discomfort that comes with being asked questions about their personal life, the interview has become one of the most intimidating parts that are required to hire.
It doesn’t have to be the case.
Interviews are a great means for the candidate to demonstrate their skills are, their achievements, and potential. You’ve completed the initial step by submitting your resume to an appearance on ATS scanners and your name being selected for an interview. The chance to show and elaborate further on your profile, work history as well as the key skills and knowledge is the aforementioned entrance into the interview If you can convince the interviewer you’re qualified this increases your chances of passing through to the next step in the final selection process.
You can, fortunately, prepare for interviews if you have doubts about speaking about your personal achievements. Practice is key and luckily, interview questions can be rehearsed before the date. The secret to flawless interviews is preparation, and here are some suggestions you can follow to boost your chances of aceing that interview and impressing your prospective employers:
Be comfortable with difficult questions.
Interviewers pose challenging questions partially because they wish to get information from you however, also since they want to help you come out of potential contentious issues and concerns. Take for example the question "Why have you decided to quit your current job?"
The answer to this question could be due to management concerns, or issues with work-life balance, etc. Whatever the reason but the way in which you phrase your answer will show your capacity to be an objective and fair observer. Respond honestly and explain your reasoning with the greatest objectivity is possible. This means removing emotional responses like responses based on sentiments or feelings, and are not supported by evidence.
Other questions to be prepared for include "What made you apply for this position?", "Why should us choose to hire the person we chose to hire?", or trick questions like "Why do be able to not employ you?" The key is to remain 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 explanation or a brief summary of why you responded a certain way. After that, you can add examples or further elaborate. After you have explained thoroughly the topic, return to your previous point.
If you’re asked to describe your involvement on a project or task and you are required to describe your involvement, you could utilize the STAR Method, which is commonly used to respond the selection requirements. If you are using STAR it is necessary to describe the context,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken followed by the final result.
It’s all in body language
Acting naturally in a stressful situation could be a challenge however, you can learn to communicate professionally. You can sit in front of a mirror or ask a friend you trust to ask questions of you and note your mannerisms. Are you flitting or shifting about with anxiety? Do you appear stiff, standoffish, defensive or shut off in your body or speech? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions in line with your message you’re trying to make? Do you convey genuineness, honesty and genuine interest?
Take a look at your strengths and weaknesses.
Prior to your interview, be sure to review the description of the position. Assuming you read the job description and used the roles and responsibilities outlined in it to alter and personalize your resume as well as other selection documents, it is important to review the job description to honestly package yourself for the interviewer. Be open and honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Being honest regarding your strengths will allow the interviewer to note your unique selling points as a prospect. However, announcing your intention to improve your weaknesses is just as notable.
Prepare questions
Another crucial aspect of an interview is showing genuine interest in the role and in the company. The best person to approach is the interviewer. If you’ve seen something that’s interesting on the resume, or if you have questions that have not been answered through their FAQ or guide questions (which typically are found in the job packet or their general hiring page about section), raise these at the end of the interview, after your interviewer asks you to pose questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer include:
"How do I become the best person for the jobif offered the chance to join your team?"
"Does the company have any major projects in the pipeline currently"
"What are the potential opportunities for further development and training?"
Know your salary expectations
The salary package and other benefits are often advertised with the job (or on a list if applying through SEEK). However, interviewers may still ask you how much you are expecting. An important point to remember is to include a range that you’d like your earnings to be based instead of giving an exact or fixed number. Keep your range tight instead of giving any wide range. For instance, if anticipate earning $75,000 per year, a reasonable range would be in the $73,000 to $80,000 area or anyplace within the $10,000 range. Consider other benefits and perks too and think about these when you evaluate your salary goals.
These steps to prepare in your purse is important to be prepared with the ability to tackle the most difficult questions. Be confident, be self-assured and courageous.
For assistance in recruitment-related documents and credentials , and also for the preparation for your interview, contact Perth Resume. Our friendly and highly trained consultants can guide you through the interview preparation phases. Contact us today for the free quote or contact us directly to speak with one our consultants at 1300 202 475.
