Preparing for an interview can overwhelming. You find yourself asking questions like what you should wear, how much makeup to apply and whether or not heels are a good idea for an interview that you don’t stop to think about how you can improve your chances of success at your interview. While the way you dress yourself is important, you also need to think about how you present yourself as a person to impress your interviewer and potential employer. So, to help you out, here are some surefire ways of smashing your next job interview.
Research the job position
You already have some idea of what the job will entail from when you applied, but taking the time to research specific areas of the job position will give you an advantage. Employers look for people who already have some sort of knowledge of what to expect from the job role and will be more impressed by those who know what they’re talking about. Even smaller aspects of the job role such as which programs you’ll be using or how to deal with a difficult customer will put you at a significant advantage when answering their questions.
Ask questions
In pretty much all interviews, you’ll be asked if you have any questions for them, and this typically comes at the end of the interview. Prepare for this by putting together a few questions about the job role. This will not only show your interest in the job, but it will allow you to learn more before starting the role to ensure it’s the right job for you too. Questions such as:
- What’s the dress code for this job position? Will I need to use dry cleaning to ensure my outfits match the job description?
- If I encounter a certain situation, how would I resolve it?
- Is there anything I can learn in the meantime to make me a better candidate for this role?
No question is a bad question, so if you have general enquiries, don’t be afraid to ask them during the interview.
Show some personality
Interviews can be scary, and it’s completely normal to feel anxious before and during your interview. However, it’s important to try and show some personality! Put yourself in their position; would you rather employ someone who’s robotic, or someone who is bubbly and will bring a great atmosphere to the office? You can show personality in your interview by adding small but relevant stories to your answers or by making your interviewers laugh with tasteful jokes and confidence in your answers.
Take your time when answering questions
Finally, you may feel like you have to know the answer to every question immediately, but this isn’t always the case. When asked a question, take a small amount of time to make sure you’re giving your best answer. If you’re not sure what the question means, ask them to rephrase it rather than giving a random answer. It will show you’ve got good listening skills and you’d rather understand a task before taking it on.
With these tips you’re sure to smash your next interview!
Team TDP x
