Prepping Effectively for Interviews
Perhaps the most intimidating aspect of job hunts is the dreaded interview round. Fear of being interviewed is a natural result of wanting acceptance and approval from others particularly from prospective employers. While speaking about themselves may seem natural to certain people, others are apprehensive about being asked questions regarding their work or prior accomplishments. Perhaps out of modesty and the anxiety that comes from being asked personal questions, the interview has become one of the biggest and most intimidating parts in the process of hiring.
This doesn’t need to be the situation.
Interviews are a crucial way for the applicant to showcase their abilities, achievements, and potentials. You’ve been through the first step, with your resume making the cut through ATS scanners and your name getting a callback. This opportunity to present and further elaborate on the profile of your employer, background as well as key abilities and knowledge is the aforementioned step to the front when you convince the interviewer you’re a good fit that increases your chances of getting through to the next step in the selection process.
It is a good idea to prepare for interviews even if you’re having fears about speaking about your achievements. The practice is essential and luckily, interview questions can be practiced before the date. The secret to successful interviews is preparation, and here are some tips that you can use to increase your chances of aceing that interview and impressing potential employers.
Get comfortable around tricky questions
Interviewers ask challenging questions, partly because they want to gain information however, also because they want to help you get out of potentially contentious questions and concerns. Consider, for instance, the question "Why are you resigning from your current job?"
The answer could be due to management concerns, or issues with work-life balance, etc. Whatever the reason but the way the way you frame your answer will show your capacity to be a fair and objective observer. Give a clear and honest explanation of your responses in the most objective way feasible. This means eliminating any emotional responses such as answers based on feelings or sentiments and are not supported by actual facts.
Other important questions to ask include "What inspired you to apply for this role?", "Why should we choose the person we chose to hire?", or trick questions such as "Why should you not choose you?" The key is to not lose composure and organise your thoughts carefully.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Lead with your point and then follow it up with a short reason or summary as to why you chose to respond in a specific way. Add examples or further elaborate. After you’ve clarified your points thoroughly you can go back to the previous section.
In the same way, if you’re asked to write about your involvement on a project or task, you may apply an approach called the STAR Method, which is also usually used in responding to selection criteria. If you are using STAR the first thing you need to do is write the situation,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken as well as the result.
It’s all in body language
Being natural in a stressful situation may be difficult, but you can always make sure you are practicing professional communication. Put yourself in front of the mirror or ask a trusted friend to ask questions of you and observe your body language. Are you fidgeting or shifting around in a tense manner? Do you look uneasy, aggressive or reserved in your body language? Do you use appropriate gestures? Do your facial expressions reflect the point you are trying to make? Do you communicate genuineness, honesty, and genuine interest?
Take a look at your strengths and your weaknesses.
Before you go to the interview, ensure that you go over the job description once more. If you have read the job description and utilized the roles and duties listed in it to alter and personalize your resume as well as other selection documents It is crucial to look at the job description to honestly describe yourself to the interviewer. Be open and honest on your strength and weakness. Being open about your strengths will allow the interviewer to see your selling points as a potential client. However, announcing your intention to improve your weaknesses will also be significant.
Prepare questions
Another aspect to consider in the interview is to show genuine interest for the position and the company. The most appropriate person to ask for questions during the interview is the one you interview. If you noticed something interesting from the job descriptions, or if you have questions that were left unanswered by their FAQ page or their guide questions (which typically are found in the job description or the general page for hiring About section), raise these at the conclusion of the interview when the interviewer invites you to ask questions. Some of the questions you could ask your employer include:
"How do I become an ideal candidate for the jobif given the opportunity to work with you and your colleagues?"
"Does the company has any major projects going on right now"
"What are the possibilities to advance and further education?"
Be aware of your salary expectations
Salary packages and other benefits are usually advertised alongside the job (or as part of a range if applying through SEEK). However, interviewers may still ask you how much you expect to earn. An important point to remember is to give a range of where you’d like your earnings to fall rather than giving an exact number or a set amount. Keep your range as narrow as possible instead of offering a the possibility of a large margin. For instance, if you anticipate earning $75,000 per year, a reasonable range is anywhere between the $73,000 to $80,000 area or anyplace within the $10,000 range. Also, be aware of other perks and benefits too and think about these when you are evaluating your salary expectations.
These steps to prepare in your pocket is crucial to be prepared with the capability to handle the toughest questions. Be confident, self-assured and bold.
For assistance in recruitment-related documents and certificates, as well as for interviews, please reach out to Perth Resume. Our highly skilled and knowledgeable consultants will be able to guide you through the interview preparation phases. Contact us now for your no-cost quote or contact us directly to speak with one of our consultants on 0800 024 129.
