Improving Your Interview Strategy
To succeed at interviews you must prepare well. Nearly without exception, it’s the best prepared candidate – and not the best candidate – that gets the job.
Prepare your responses:
Obviously, you can’t expect to predict what questions will come your way, but there are many questions which generally get posed at interviews and through using the internet and completing your research you could have a bank of answers ready for most questions. There will always be questions that surprise you, but if you’ve thought through your work history, prepared examples and know your CV inside out, then you should be able to answer everything competently.
Discover what you can about the company:
In nearly every interview situation, you will be asked, at some point, to confirm what you know about the post to which you’re applying. The detail and complexity of your reply depends on the position you’re applying for and the level of rank, but it is critical that you demonstrate that you’ve concluded your prep and understand their company, the market and the competitor landscape. Their internet site is always a sensible research tool and if you have time, call up the company and ask them to post you any pertinent corporate communications.
Plan your travel:
It is astounding how many people turn up late for an interview, because they got lost. Learn the address, print out a map and if possible do a trial run so you know exactly how long it will take to get there. Always take the main reception telephone number with you, in case of an emergency, and give yourself plenty of time.
Once the interview itself arrives, make sure that you follow the lead of the interviewer. Never try to use all the examples you have, just keep on track and make sure your responses are applicable.
An interview isn’t all about being reactive. Try to get the interviewer to tell you what attributes they are looking for early on and make a mental note of any information that they give you. This way you can deliver your responses accordingly and ensure you say what they want to hear.
Lastly, the first impression that you produce is more important than yur skills and qualifications in an interview setting. Be enthusiastic, positive and professional, give a firm handshake, look the interviewer in the eye and smile!
