When it comes to interviews, half the battle is won before you even step into the interview. That’s because one of the most essential components to have a successful interview is preparation. In other words, how you prepared or the research you did for the interview and the other half has to do with presentation. How you present yourself during the actual interview.
We can break it down in five simple interview tips:
Research
- When it comes to interviews, being forewarned is definitely being forearmed.
- It’s important to know who you are going to be speaking to, this includes their names and positions.
- It’s a good idea to find about the position you will be interviewing for what are some of the essential skills needed to be successful and the special skills you possess to make you a good candidate.
- One of the most popular questions in an interview is “why do you want to work here”. In order to answer this question, it’s imperative you do some research on your prospective employer. Use the resources at your disposal such as the company’s website to gather the necessary information.
Punctuality
Who thinks it’s a good idea to show up late for an interview? No one. It says all the wrong things about you and leaves an impression that is difficult to overcome in an interview. It also makes you bothered and flustered, and puts you in a position where you start off on your back foot, apologizing. Arrive at least 15 mins early, settle in, relax and observe your surroundings. By the way, you can also arrive too early which is also not in good taste.
Dress the Part
People form an impression of you within seconds of meeting you, before you even say a word, the interview has already begun. What do your clothes say about you? It’s important to be clean, neat and polished in your attire and grooming. This includes not just your clothing, but your shoes, hair and nails. If you did your research, you will have an idea of the culture and dress style appropriate for the organization, but, neat, clean and modest usually works.
Avoid surprises
There is a saying that there’s nothing new under the sun, and this is usually true about interviews. Interview questions and their appropriate responses can easily be found on the internet. Take the time to go through the possible questions and prepare your responses and any questions that you may have. Make sure you have extra copies of your resume, your qualifications, pen and paper.
Body Language
Your body language should say you are calm, confident, relaxed and assured, your speech should say you are knowledgeable and a team player. Don’t fidget, slouch, bite your nails or other nervous habits. Preparation really is the key to demonstrating this. If you are prepared there is nothing to worry about. It’s not about luck, remember “fortune favours the prepared”. You have prepared and so you can be comfortable and confident in that knowledge.