A Guide to Interview Preparation
One of the most frightening aspect of job hunts is the daunting interview process. The fear of an interview is a natural result of wanting approval and validation from others particularly from prospective employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may seem natural to certain people however, many are nervous about being asked questions regarding their work or prior successes. Perhaps due to modesty or the discomfort arising from being asked questions about their personal life The interview process has evolved into an extremely stressful parts of the hiring process.
This does not have to be the situation.
Interviews are an important means for the candidate to demonstrate their skills, achievements, and potentials. It’s been a while since you’ve passed the first step, with your resume making it through ATS scanners, and your name getting a callback. The chance to show and elaborate upon your profile, work history as well as key abilities and knowledge is the aforementioned foot in the door If you can convince the interviewer that you’re the right candidate, it boosts your chances of passing through the next stage of the final selection process.
It is a good idea to prepare for interviews even if you’re having concerns about presenting your achievements. Practice is key and luckily, interview questions can be rehearsed prior to the time. The key to a flawless interview is preparation. Here are some guidelines you can follow to boost your chances of getting through that interview and impressing future employers:
Be comfortable with difficult questions
Interviewers are able to ask tough questions partially because they wish to get information from you as well as in order to help how you can get rid of potentially contentious topics and concerns. Take for example the question "Why are you resigning from your current position?"
The answer may be because of management concerns, or issues about the balance between work and life, etc. No matter the answer however, the manner that you express your answer will show your capacity to be an objective and fair observer. Give a clear and honest explanation of your answer in the most objective way is possible. This means removing any emotional responses , such as responses that are based solely on sentiments or feelings, and are not substantiated by actual facts.
Other important questions to ask include "What made you apply for this role?", "Why should be hiring us?", or trick questions such as "Why should be able to not choose you?" The key is to remain calm and organise your thoughts carefully.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Lead with your point and follow up with a short note of the reason or reasons the reason you reacted in a particular way. After that, you can add examples or further elaborate. After you’ve clarified your points thoroughly the topic, return to your original point.
In the same way, if you’re required to explain your participation in a particular project or task then you can apply this method. STAR Method, which is commonly used to respond to selection criteria. When using STAR you will need to write the scenario,followed by a Task,then a description of Actionstaken as well as the result.
The body language
The ability to act naturally in stressful environment can be difficult However, you can make sure you are practicing professional communication. Sit in front of a mirror or ask a trusted person to ask questions of you and take note of your actions. Are you shifting or fidgeting around in a tense manner? Do you seem stiff, standoffish, defensive or shut off in your body and speech? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions consistent with what you want to convey? Do you display openness, sincerity and genuine concern?
Consider your strengths and weaknesses
Before the interview, ensure that you review the description of the position. Assuming you read the job description and then used the roles and duties listed in the description to make changes to your resume and other selection documents It is essential to think about the job description and how you will describe yourself to the interviewer. Be open and honest on your strength and weakness. Being honest about your strengths will enable the interviewer to notice your unique selling points as a prospective client. But, indicating your intention to work on your weaknesses will also be relevant.
Prepare questions
Another aspect to consider in the interview is to show genuine interest in the role and in the business. The best person to inquire is the interviewer. If you’ve seen something that’s interesting from the job descriptions, or if you’ve got any questions that have not been answered by their FAQ page or guide questions (which can be found in the job packet or the general page for hiring About section) Make sure to bring them up during the interview when the interviewer encourages you to ask questions. Some thought-provoking questions you may ask your employer:
"How do I become the best person for the jobif offered the chance to work alongside members of your staff?"
"Does the company have any major projects underway at the moment"
"What are the opportunities for advancement and further training?"
Know what your salary expectations are.
Benefits and salary packages are generally advertised with the position (or within a set of options in the case of SEEK). But, interviewers might be interested in knowing what you’re expecting to earn. An important point to remember is to offer a range within which you’d like your salary to fall instead of offering an exact or fixed number. Keep your range as narrow as possible instead of offering a an expansive margin. For instance, if are expecting to earn $75,000 per year, a reasonable range is anywhere between the $73,000 to $80,000 range, or anywhere within the $10,000 range. Be mindful of additional perks and benefits also and take these into consideration when you think about your salary expectations.
The preparation steps you have in your purse is important for ensuring you are in confidence to answer the toughest questions. Be confident, confident, and confident, and be bold.
For help with the recruitment process, documents and credentials and for interviews, please reach out to Perth Resume. Our highly skilled and knowledgeable consultants will be able to guide you through the interview preparation stages. Contact us today to receive the complimentary quote or call us direct to speak to one of our consultants on 1300 871 072.
