Mastering Interview Readiness
One of the most daunting aspects of job hunting is the interview stage. It is a normal result of wanting to seek the approval and support of others, especially from your prospective employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may be a natural thing for some, others are apprehensive about being asked questions regarding their professional or previous successes. Perhaps due to modesty or the discomfort that comes with being asked personal questions, the interview has become one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the hiring process.
It doesn’t have to be the scenario.
Interviews are an important opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their skills, achievements, and potentials. You have already been through the first step, with your resume making it through ATS scanners and getting a callback. This opportunity to present and elaborate further on your resume, experience as well as key abilities and knowledge is the aforementioned entrance into the interview when you convince the interviewer that you have what it takes that increases your chances of passing through to the next step in the selection process.
It is a good idea to prepare for interview questions if you’re struggling with apprehensions about talking about your accomplishments. Practice is key and luckily, interview questions can be rehearsed ahead of time. The secret to successful interviews is preparation. Here are some helpful tips you can implement to improve your chances at nailing that interview and impressing prospective employers:
Get comfortable around tricky questions
Interviewers will ask you tough questions, partly because they want to gain information as well as in order to help you get out of potentially contentious questions and issues. Consider for instance the question "Why do you want to leave your current job?"
The answer could be due to management concerns, or issues about the balance between work and life, etc. No matter the answer but the way the way you frame the answer will indicate your ability to be an objective and fair observer. Be honest and articulate your response in the most objective way is possible. This includes removing any emotional responses , such as answers that are based purely on sentiments or feelings, and are not supported by factual evidence.
Other questions to consider are "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 stay calm and organize your thoughts in a systematic manner.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Start with your statement and then provide a concise reason or summary as to the reason you reacted in a particular manner. Then, add examples or further elaborate. After you have explained thoroughly, go back to the point you made earlier.
In the same way, if you’re asked to describe your involvement in a task or project and you are required to describe your involvement, you could employ to describe your involvement in a project or task, you can use the STAR Method, which is typically used to respond on selection criteria. In using STAR the first thing you need to do is write a context,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken then the final result.
It’s all in body language
The ability to act naturally in difficult situation can be a daunting task however, you can make sure you are practicing professional communication. Sit in front of a mirror or have a trusted companion to ask questions and observe your body language. Are you moving or fidgeting around in a tense manner? Do you look uneasy, aggressive or reserved in your body expression? Do you use appropriate gestures? Do your facial expressions reflect the message you’re trying to convey? Do you show sincerity, authenticity and genuine enthusiasm?
Be aware of your strengths and weak points.
Prior to the interview, be sure to go over the job description over again. In the event that you’ve read the description and then used the roles and responsibilities described therein to modify and customise your resume and other document of selection It is essential to review the job description to clearly prepare yourself for interviewers. Be candid and open regarding your weaknesses and strengths. Being truthful about your strengths will enable the interviewer to note your selling points as a potential customer. However, announcing your intention to improve your weaknesses is just as notable.
Prepare questions
Another important aspect of the interview is to show genuine interest for the position and the company. The best person to inquire to ask questions of the person interviewing you is. If you’ve noticed something you like from the job descriptions, or you have questions that have not been answered through their FAQ or their guide questions (which are usually found in the job description or the general page for hiring about section) Bring them up during the interview, when your interviewer encourages you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer are:
"How can I be the best person for the job, should I be given the chance to work alongside you and your colleagues?"
"Does the company have any major projects on right now"
"What are the potential opportunities to advance and further education?"
Know what your salary expectations are.
Salary packages and other benefits are generally advertised with the job (or within a set of options if applying through SEEK). But, interviewers might ask you how much you are expecting. One important tip is to provide a range in which you’d like your earnings to be, rather than providing an exact, fixed amount. Make sure to keep your range tight instead of giving any wide range. For instance, if think you will earn $75,000 in a year, an appropriate range would be anywhere in the $73,000 to $80,000 range, or anything in the range of $10,000. Consider other benefits and perks as well and consider these when you evaluate your salary expectations.
Having these preparatory steps in your pocket is crucial to be prepared with the readiness to face the toughest questions. Be confident, self-assured, and be bold.
If you need assistance with documents related to recruitment or credentials as well as interview preparation, you may contact Perth Resume. Our knowledgeable and professional consultants can help you through your preparatory steps. Contact us today for an free quote or call us direct to speak to one of our consultants at 1300 202 475.
