When you’re looking for your next career opportunity, you will eventually have to go through some kind of interview. There could be other aspects of an application, such as a test or trial, but you will more than likely have to interview. Plenty of people get nervous during interviews, so we’ve put together this article. It can help you achieve success in an interview, so let’s get started.
Dress Right For The Company
An important tip for success during an interview is to ensure you are dressing right. Appearance is key, and you can show your professionalism during an interview. It’s important to note that you can tailor your appearance for certain businesses and industries.
For example, offices may appreciate more office wear for an interview. You could tailor your tie to match their primary color to help you stand out and appear the part. This won’t secure you the job, but it can help you to feel confident during the interview.
Some companies would appreciate more smart wear, or even practical clothing, depending on the industry. This is why it’s essential that you do your research on the business to prepare adequately in different areas.
Listen
It sounds obvious, but you should ensure you are listening during interviews. It’s easy to zone out and focus on how you’re doing and looking and what you’re about to say next. It’s important that you listen, as it will be obvious to an interviewer when you are not listening.
When you listen, you may be able to pick up on important signs about the interview or have something that you can recall back to later on to show your enthusiasm. Remember that your interviewer will be giving you lots of information, even indirectly, and if you are not hearing or understanding this information, then you could be missing out on something important.
It’s also important that you try to match the pace of the interviewer. Every interview is likely to be different, so you can’t get used to how they operate. Instead, try to match how your interviewer speaks and performs, so you can do the same and ensure your listening skills are on point.
Answer The Questions In The Right Way
It’s important that you know how to answer questions that are put your way in an interview. You should be prepared to answer the most common questions related to the job position you’re looking for and questions to do with the industry.
Prepare yourself for these questions in an honest way, and ensure you are being true to yourself rather than generic. You should ensure you have researched the common questions and pay more attention to the specific company you’re interviewing at. Different businesses will have different ethics and general atmosphere, influencing their questions.
More quirky businesses may ask unexpected questions to make you think on your feet. For example, they may ask you, what biscuit would you be and why? There’s potentially no way you can prepare for a question like this, but you can mentally prepare yourself to get into the right mindset.
You may be able to find sample interview questions online with some answers to give you an idea of what you can say during an interview. For example, you may be asked what makes you unique? This is a common question that may be harder to answer than you’d think. You can find what makes you unique sample answers online from recruitment and career coaching experts who specialize in helping individuals land their next job role.
Practice Nonverbal Communication
While verbal communication is important for any interview, you should also think more about your nonverbal communication. This refers to a few different things, such as maintaining a firm handshake and ensuring you stand straight.
Solid nonverbal communication helps you demonstrate your confidence to the interviewer and help you feel like you belong more, and create your own confidence. When you feel more confident, it will help you get through the interview process and increase your chances of success and landing the job.
It’s also important that you maintain eye contact with the one interviewing you. This could be more difficult due to remote working. Virtual job interviews have their own challenges, either because of technical limitations or something else altogether. Before you join a virtual job interview, you should practice your camera and microphone to ensure they are working. Of course, you should also ensure that your internet is working from wherever you are planning to interview from.
Be Confident But Not Cocky
As we touched upon, it’s important that you are confident but not cocky. Employers aren’t just looking for someone who has the qualifications and experience for a role, they are also looking out for attitude and someone they feel will be good to work with.
Employers will be able to tell if you are trying too hard and exaggerating in some places. If you come across as simply unpleasant to work with, they will unlikely want to progress your application to any further stage.
Ask Important Questions
Lastly, it’s important that you take the time to ask questions yourself. Remember, interviewers will be used to candidates asking them questions, so ensure you are asking them something more unique or something that will make them remember you.
As much as you want to stand out during an interview, it’s also important that you ask questions that are more relevant to what you want to know. One of the things you may want to know is about the salary, as some employers aren’t always clear with what they’re offering. It could be a warning sign for yourself if an employer isn’t showing the compensation paid, as that’s what you’re there for at the end of the day.
Ensure you are asking more about what you will be doing day-to-day as well. While this may be covered partly in the job description, it doesn’t hurt to hear more about the specifics and hear it in person. You may just find that what you will be doing day-to-day will be slightly different from what you were expecting, and it’s good to know this before you officially join the business.
