Facing an interview is no longer a daunting task today. You have ample resources that can make you ready for answering interview questions successfully. Once you have moved out of college and competing with various candidates for a good profile job, interviews will have to be faced every now and then till you land in your preferred field of expertise. Even when you want to switch jobs later, you will have to go through a series of interviews for companies who are looking for the most desirable candidate. Whether it is your first one, or you are seeking for a change of job profile, here are 5 tips that will help in enhancing interview skills.
Do your homework well
Many job managers share a common misconception, “Candidates are not well prepared about the company’s profile and about their own professional goals.” Hence to excel,pre-preparation is a must. Though this might sound clichéd, but its importance cannot be sidelined. Read on Google about the company and its various branches and specializations. Most interviewers start with a set of general questions. Get a list of such common questions and prepare their answers beforehand. Try to get hold of some of the best books for interview preparation readily available in the book stores and online.
Think about the company’s requirements
The interview is not a personal questionnaire about you, not entirely. While answering, one should always keep in mindthe needs of the company and frame their answers accordingly. Before the interview date, read their job descriptions carefully to understand the basic needs of the company for that position. Search and read their facebook, LinkedIn and twitter pages to know more about the top executives of the company and the general policies and objectives. With such information, you will be better equipped to provide the exact answers they want to hear.
Talk in front of your mirror to practice
This step should be followed so that you can verbalize why you are important for that position and why the interviewer should choose you over the other candidates. Keeping in mind the different needs of the companies, each time you talk in front of a mirror, you will be able to voice out your strengths, abilities, experiences and aspirations in a better way. Though many interviews start with a telephone call nowadays but you might have to face a real interview, one day or the other before you are selected. Prepare to talk on all desired contexts, which are expected to be questioned by the employer.
Take lessons from previous interviews
Gradually, during job hunting, you will gain a good deal of experience by appearing in a number of interviews till you have been finally appointed. If you are lucky, you might land up with a dream job early, or it might be a haggling sequence of facing continuous interviews. Failing an interview can be disheartening, especially if your qualifications and experience were up to the mark. Nevertheless, learning from the past interviews can be the guiding factor for the next one. Try to take feedbacks, or self-analyze the outcome to concentrate on the shortcomings. Make a list of the questions, which you could not answer satisfactorily, update your knowledge and be better prepared next time.
Articulate your goals to impress
The way you express your thoughts in words makes a lasting impression on the interviewing committee. Though all your qualifications, eligibility criteria and certifications may be up to the mark, you should be able to speak clearly about your capabilities, aims and competence through effective articulation during the interview. Your resume shows only half the picture, the rest has to be done by you by proving your expertise in communication.
Don’t be anxious,be comfortable
This should be the most important point to remember. Don’t feel nervous, as it shows in your performance during the interview. Dress up in your most formal attire, but also keep comfort in mind. Prepare well, and don’t assume that the interviewer is going to hag you till the end. If there are a lot of candidates, give your best but be prepared for equal chances of failure. Do some deep breathing if you are really feeling tensed before the interview. A relaxed attitude will help you face the heat in a much better way.
Get ready for the plunge but don’t get stressed. Do all the preparation required by reading, acquiring information online and by friends or relatives who have been through the same process or have worked with similar organizations. All the best!
Photo by Texas A&M University, CC BY 2.0
