How To Prepare For An Interview

 

Job Interview. These words alone seem to scare the living daylights out of most people…but I’m here to tell you that with the right preparation, and by being smart about WHAT you prepare, you’ll start to enjoy job interviews more, and you’ll likely have more successful outcomes from them.

 

Most people make the mistake of rehearsing their CV over and over again before an interview. Like memorising material for an exam – but that’s not the right material to memorise! You know your job history, and the interviewer knows your job history, you’ve both seen your CV already!

 

You need to walk in prepared to tell them what they really want to hear – and that’s all about how you are the best person for the job. So here are some tips for how to prepare the top-scoring material for your interview

 

Presentation – there is not a one-size-fits-all rule here. Wearing a suit is not going to be right for every job. You need to dress for the job you’re applying for. If it’s in a conservative workplace, then dress conservatively and neatly. If the job you’re applying for is in a cafe, then you can dress like the staff in that cafe currently do. Don’t be afraid to do some research and some investigative work here. First impressions do count for whether or not your interviewer thinks you might be right for the job and the workplace, and the first points you score or lose will be based on how you look. It will also give you a good feel for whether or not this job will make you happy. If you have to remove piercings or cover tattoos for example, will you really be happy working there every single day thereafter?

 

The right material – stop rehearsing your CV and look back to the key competencies that you would have written about in your application. It’s all there for you – the answers to the test! This is where you’ll score big marks! Now think of your personal work examples that directly link to the competencies in terms of the situations, the actions you took, and the outcomes you achieved. You should go in with 4 or 5 very clear examples that support the competencies AND showcase your other skills. Make your examples reflective of many other skills that you have that could be ideal for the job. Just think, what else could this employer be looking for, and then build it into your example.

 

Head into your interview looking good and knowing that you have the goods, and this is going to be one exam you definitely pass with flying colours. Go get ‘em!

 

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