How To Win At Interviews

 By Richard Akin

Getting your ideal job involves some preparation and effort. Taking time to prepare will ensure that you are equipped with the resources needed to get that job. It will also provide you with a lot of confidence, which will shine through at the interview.

If you have been successful enough to be invited for an interview, it is because the company would like to know more about you and  find out if you will be a suitable employee if hired. It is now up to you to prove that you are the candidate that should be hired for the job.

Before going to an interview you will need to do some research about the role that you have applied for. Your research should involve finding out details of what the job will entail and the skills required to be outstanding on the job. I am sure you would have already done some research before applying for the vacancy. Moreover carrying out a little bit more research before attending the interview will provide you with a competitive edge over others who have not bothered to research the job or the company. It will also recap your memory.

The internet is a very good tool to use to carry out your research and must be used at all time. You may also want to visit the library and read a few books about the industry sector  in which you have applied for a job. If you have friends working within the industry sector you may also want to ask them to provide you with more information which will improve your prospects of getting the job.  

The 2 main reasons why you would need to research the company that have invited you to attend an interview include the following:

• To make sure that it is a step in the right direction and to ensure that you really would like to work there.
• To show the interviewer that you have taken the trouble and time to find out about the organisation.

Arriving at the interview in time is very important and also knowing the full name and contact number of the person or people that will be interviewing you for the vacancy. In order to ensure that you get to the interview in time it is a good idea to know the location of the company in advance. This may involve visiting the area before the interview if possible, or finding out about landmarks that will make it easier to locate the building.

Before attending any interview for a job vacancy, make sure that you practise in advance with a friend and also prepare for any questions you think you might be asked at the interview.

Once at the interview it is your chance to prove to the company that you are suitable for the job and also stand out.

Emphasise on the reasons why you believe you are suitable to fill the vacancy and  provide real life examples of what tasks you have carried out to backup your statements. Focus on your strengths at the interview and ensure that you  take your time when answering questions. If a question is not clear, politely ask the interviewer to repeat the question. 

If you are asked about any weaknesses that you have, you may want to tell them about a weakness that you are currently working on and have also managed to improve on. This will show the interviewer that despite the weakness you are using your initiative to turn it into a strength.

Talk about the reasons why you believe that they should hire you for the role and how you intend to perform when you are given the job. You should always mention both your short term and long term goals within the company, this shows the interviewer that you are an ambitious person.

Always try to ask a few questions at the interview. Asking questions at an interview will show that you are still keen on the job vacancy. When the interview has concluded thank the interviewer for their time. If you have not been told during the course of the interview, ask what the next steps  are and when to expect feedback.

Applying the techniques in this article will ensure that you will shine at the interview at get that job.