Keys to a successful interview
The reason we go to interviews is to get a job. You are not going to get any job until you are interviewed face to face by a person or persons from the company in which you are you are trying to get a job. You will then have to convince the interviewers that you are the best person for the job. The interview is one of the most critical factors that has a bearing on the hiring decision. If most of the candidates have the same qualifications for a position, the interview may be the most critical factor in getting that job or if a specific personality type is required for a job the interview will also be the most critical factor.
Selling Yourself An interview is really a sales pitch but in this case you are selling yourself. You need to be able to convince the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the position. Some people have the ability of changing their performance at interviews to fit in depending on what they believe the company is looking for. This, in itself can be a great skill however here’s a word of caution. Your personality type may not fit in with every company and this is normal. You, like most people have preference in the type of company environment and culture you enjoy working in. Imagine an actor who is creative and talkative working in a quite accounting office! Probably not the best fit. The message her is clear, be true to your personality type or you may end up in a position where you really dislike the environment and are unhappy. Absolutely tailor your approach to specific interviews and indeed practice the impressions you want to create in an interview only sell your true self and not an “impression“ that you cannot deliver and live with day after day.
What do Interviewers care about? An interview is one of the few times in your life that you are the sole focus on attention. The interviewer is trying to find out and make a decision on whether you ….
Have the ability to do the job
Will fit in to with the company
Will be a focused, determined motivated employee
Ability to do the job It is highly unlikely that you will be asked at an interview to complete some tasks to demonstrate ability and proficiency. Instead you will talk about what you can do and what you have done in the past. The interviewer has to get a read on your capability from these discussions so what you say is extremely important/ Interviewers will try to fill in the blanks on your resume at the interview. They will also try to get an impression of you and will try to verify that impression during the interview several times over by asking you more questions. Some questions may be probing however do not get defensive as is common, instead use the opportunity to elaborate on answers. Good thorough preparation will ensure you are ready for these questions.
Good Fit The interviewer will be trying to determine whether you could easily fit in the company or not. Different companies have different personalities and cultures. Some companies are very conservative and traditional and this may be reflected in the dress style and behaviors expected while at work. Other companies are more liberal and embrace variety and diversity and this may be reflected in the style of clothing and behaviors allowed. For you to be happy you must also fit in with the company. There is no point in putting up an impression of yourself as an aggressive go getter if that’s not what you are, even if the hiring company is looking for that type of individual.
Motivated You can be the most highly qualified person of all the candidates and may be the best fit however if you appear to be unmotivated or uninterested you will most likely not be hired. Motivation can be shown in several ways including your demeanor, the tone of your voice and your conversation, for example discussing trends in the industry. Actually sharing knowledge of the industry is on of the best ways of showing how motivated you are.
