Yes, these 10 tips of Before Interview Tricks and tips techniques help you to crack your interview. So, here they are!
1. Remember the obvious.
Turn up on time.
Turn up in the right place.
Look smart (companies will often give you information about their dress code, if you phone the reception). If in confuse, dress slightly smarter than you usually would for work.
Make sure you are presentable: clean hair, tidy nails, polished shoes, clean, ironed clothes. You only get one chance to make a first impression and you will feel more relaxed if you know you are looking your best.
Also (and this may feel a little odd) practice your handshake with a friend or relative. It’s hard for us to evaluate our handshake objectively, on our own! Yet this is one of the most important parts of a first impression. A firm (but not vice-like!) handshake, good eye contact and a relaxed smile gives you a confident start.
2. Re-read your notes before the interview.
Re-read the job advert and your working, notes the night before the interview.
Do this just before going to bed. Why? Because this will help refresh your memory and make it much easier to retrieve those “blow them away” answers to awkward interview questions. Doing it just before you go to bed helps the information sink in at a below conscious level, making it easier to remember answers the next day.
If you have worked through CV Stuff, it will also help increase your confidence, because you will be revising all the reasons why you are suitable for the job. This will help you relax and get a better night’s sleep.
Re-read your CV the morning of the interview and take a copy with you.
You’d be surprised how many candidates can’t remember what they wrote in their CV. It looks unprofessional and will count against you. It’s great to be able to quickly recall exactly what you were doing, for which company and when. It’s not great if you can’t remember, when asked, what you wrote as your responsibilities in your last role…
3. Check that you know how to get to the interview — at least a day beforehand.
This one may sound silly, but the last thing you want on the morning of the interview is to realize you’re not quite sure where to go, but no one is at the company to ask, when you set off.
Make sure you leave plenty of time, so there is no chance of you being late. This will save stress and embarrassment. It’s much less stressful to have to go to a local café and wait, than it is to be stuck in a traffic jam or train delay with the clock ticking. Take contact details with you, so you have someone you can call, if you can’t avoid being held up.
If you’re traveling by public transport, then make sure you have checked out how to get from the train / bus station to the interview: it’s not always obvious and you need to factor in time for this.
If you’re driving, it’s useful to ask for directions with significant landmarks. Even if you’re a good navigator, it can be reassuring to spot the expected pubs and petrol stations en route, so you know you’re going in the right direction. This helps you arrive relaxed and ready to give your best.
4. Prepare at least 3 questions to ask the interviewer.
Make them relevant, genuine, and intelligent. Don’t ask about salary (see point 8).
What are the three things you most want to know about the job? About the team? About the company? This is your chance! Whatever you do, don’t turn up without questions — it can make you look unprepared and unenthusiastic.
Maybe company research highlighted some questions about the competitive environment or working practices? Or you want to know what the interviewer thinks about an aspect of a topic you have already discussed? Your questions are an opportunity to impress and show how much thinking you have done about the company and the position you’re applying for.
One really important tip is to before you ask, read your question to yourself. This will make sure you don’t re-ask something that’s already been covered, which might make the interviewer think you hadn’t been paying attention! It’s worth having a few extra questions, just in case.
If the company has arranged for you to have more than one interview in a day (often the case), then have some extra questions — or maybe ask questions about the interviewer’s opinions, so you can gather different viewpoints.
There’s no need to try to memorize your questions; it’s perfectly acceptable to write them down, to take in with you. This makes it look as though you have prepared thoroughly for the interview and helps you relax.
5. Practice answers to “obvious” questions.
Some interview questions are really obvious. There are preparation exercises you can do, to make sure you are fully equipped for almost any question that arises.
However, should you want to do even more preparation, then there are some obvious questions that almost always come up. It’s really worth practicing your answers to them, so you sound natural when asked.
Check out some Sample material to find out more.
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