Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!
In today’s article, I thought I would take things back to basics and speak about what candidates can do in an interview situation to improve their chances of landing their dream job. For many people, interviewing is tough! It’s simply not natural for them to sit in a room and talk about how great they are for a position an employer is looking to fill and as a result, their interview performance is poor and they end up missing out on opportunities they are well suited for. The real tragedy of this situation, is that it’s not just the candidate missing out- it’s the employer too. A candidate that fails to accurately portray their value to a potential employer has no real chance of being brought on board, which means both parties are missing out on a great opportunity.
So why do some candidates perform poorly in interviews? Based on the conversations I have had with candidates and hiring managers over the years, it almost always comes down to preparation and confidence. And do you know what? One leads to the other!
The number one piece of advice I would give to any candidate who has an interview lined up is, “prepare, prepare, prepare!”. Now, I don’t mean prepare as in rehearse answers for questions you think you are likely to face, I mean prepare for every aspect of the interview. First thing’s first- do you research on the company AND the person/s interviewing you. It scares me just how many candidates fail to do something so basic, especially when it comes to something huge like their career. Learn the history of the company you are interviewing for; where they have been and where they are heading. You will find most of this information on their website, but check out news articles as well- Google is your friend here. I can assure you, you will be asked what you know about the company you are interviewing with and candidates that have done their research will always come out on top. As I mentioned, it’s equally important to research your interviewer/s. Find out who will be interviewing you (ring and ask), check their history on LinkedIn and find out what makes them tick. Can you imagine how much easier the conversation will be with your interviewer if you are able to identify something in common with them?
Now research shouldn’t just be exclusive to the company and interviewer, it’s important you understand how to get to the interview on time. Tardiness is simply unacceptable, so find out where to go, where to park or what public transport to take, and do a trial run so you know how long it takes to get to where you are going. Dress code is also an important factor to consider- turning up underdressed is never a good look and arriving overdressed can be just as detrimental to your chances. Always ensure you are well presented and tidy and if you are unsure what to wear, phone up and ask. Alternatively, perhaps you might have a friend at the company you can ask, or someone who worked there recently? It’s easy to find out, you just have to search. Ensure you are well rested, hydrated and full of energy prior to the interview. A good night’s sleep the night before will make sure you are giving yourself the best chance to perform come crunch time.
When it comes to the interview itself, there are a few things you can do that will really help you shine among your peers. Think about how you can best translate you knowledge and experience to the person interviewing you – relevant, real life experiences are always the way to go. When answering questions in an interview, try to relate them to a real world example that accurately demonstrated your competency. Giving examples makes it far easier for an employer to translate your skills/experience to situations you may face in the position you are interviewing for. Whilst it’s good to prepare examples to help answer questions, try to avoid rehearsing them and making them sound canned. Canned answers are boring and it’s tough to connect with someone reciting a script.
Finally, ask questions! There is almost nothing worse than having no questions for your interviewer and employers know it. Asking questions not only gives you a better insight into the role or organisation you are interviewing for, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the role and the type of thinking you can bring to the table.
Interviewing is never easy, but if you are well prepared the amount of things you need to worry about greatly decreases, resulting in your confidence greatly increasing. Prepare, prepare, prepare and the rest will take care of itself.
