Optimizing Your Interview Preparation
The most intimidating aspects of job searching is the dreaded interview round. The fear of an interview is a natural result of wanting the approval and support of others in particular from potential employers. Although talking about oneself may be natural for some but others feel nervous about being asked questions regarding their professional or previous achievements. Perhaps due to modesty or the discomfort arising from being asked questions about their personal life, the interview has become one of the most intimidating aspects in the process of hiring.
It doesn’t have to be the scenario.
Interviews are an important method for applicants to demonstrate their skills as well as their accomplishments and capabilities. It’s been a while since you’ve completed the initial step with your resume passing its way through ATS scanners and your name being selected for an interview. This chance to present and elaborate on your resume, experience, and key skills and experience is the equivalent of getting a way to get noticed and if you can convince the interviewer that you’re the right candidate, it boosts your chances of getting through to the next step in the final selection process.
It is a good idea to prepare for interviews if you have fears about speaking about your achievements. It is important to practice and, fortunately, interview questions can be rehearsed in advance. The key to a flawless interview is preparation, and here are some suggestions you can implement to improve your chances at nailing that interview and impressing your prospective employers:
Get comfortable around tricky questions
Interviewers pose challenging questions partially because they wish to gain information however, also because they want to see you come out of potentially contentious topics and issues. For instance, consider the question "Why are you resigning from your current position?"
The reason for this may be because of management issues, or concerns about the balance between work and life, etc. No matter the answer, however, the manner the way you frame your response will signal your ability to be a fair and objective observer. Answer honestly and explain your answer in the most objective way possible. This means eliminating emotional responses like answers based on feelings or sentiments and are not supported by evidence.
Other important questions to ask are "What motivated you to apply for this role?", "Why should be hiring your services?", or trick questions such as "Why do you not choose you?" The key is to not lose composure and organize your thoughts in a systematic manner.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Lead with your point and then provide a concise reason or summary as to the reason you reacted in a particular manner. Then, add specific examples or provide more details. Once you’ve explained everything thoroughly you can go back to the point you made earlier.
If you’re asked to write about your involvement on a project or task and you are required to describe your involvement, you could apply an approach called the STAR Method, which is often used when responding on selection criteria. If you are using STAR, you must state the scenario,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken, and lastly, the Result.
The body language
Behaving naturally in a stressful situation could be a challenge, but you can always try to practice professional communication. Put yourself in front of the mirror or ask a trusted person to ask questions of you and observe your body language. Are you fidgeting or shifting about nervously? Are you looking rigid, aloof, defensive or shut off in your body and speech? Do you use appropriate gestures? Do your facial expressions match what you want to make? Do you convey genuineness, honesty and genuine concern?
Think about your strengths and weaknesses.
Prior to the interview, be sure to go over the job description once more. Assuming that you’ve read the description and used the roles and responsibilities outlined therein to modify and customise your resume and other documents for selection, it is important to look at the job description to honestly describe yourself to the interviewer. Be honest and upfront regarding your weaknesses and strengths. Being open about your strengths can allow the interviewer to notice your unique selling points as a prospective client. But, indicating your intention to improve your weak points will be equally relevant.
Prepare questions
Another crucial aspect of an interview is to show genuine interest about the job and the business. The best person to ask questions is your interviewer. If you have noticed something intriguing on the resume, or if you have any questions not answered by their FAQ page or their guide questions (which can be found in the job packet or their general hiring page about section) Bring them up at the end of the interview, when your interviewer encourages you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer
"How do I become an ideal candidate for the jobif offered the chance to be part of your team?"
"Does the company have any major projects in the pipeline at the moment"
"What are the chances for advancement and further training?"
Know your salary expectations
Benefits and salary packages are usually advertised alongside the position (or as part of a range, for those applying through SEEK). But, interviewers might ask you how much you are expecting. An important point to remember is to provide a range in which you would like your salary to fall instead of offering an exact, fixed amount. Try to keep your limit to a narrow range instead of providing any wide range. If, for instance, you expect to make $75,000 a year, an appropriate range would be anywhere in the $73,000 to $80,000 area or anything in the range of $10,000. Consider other perks and benefits too and think about these when you consider your salary expectations.
Inputting these steps into your bag is vital to ensure you have the readiness to face the toughest questions. Be confident, be self-assured, and be bold.
If you need assistance with documents related to recruitment and certificates, as well as for interview preparation, get in touch with Perth Resume. Our knowledgeable and professional consultants can help you through your preparatory stages. Contact us today to receive your no-cost quote or contact us directly to speak to one of our consultants at 1300 993 659.
