Optimizing Your Interview Preparation
The most daunting aspects of the job search is the daunting interview process. Fear of being interviewed is a natural result of wanting to seek the approval and support of others and especially your potential employers. While speaking about themselves may seem natural to certain people but others feel nervous about being asked questions about their career or past successes. Perhaps out of modesty and the discomfort arising from being asked to answer personal questions, the interview has become one of the most stressful parts in the process of hiring.
This doesn’t have to be the case.
Interviews are a crucial way for the applicant to showcase their abilities, achievements, and potentials. It’s been a while since you’ve made it through the first step with your resume passing its way through ATS scanners and being shortlisted for an interview. This is the chance to showcase and elaborate upon your resume, experience as well as key abilities and abilities is the proverbial step to the front and if you can convince the interviewer you’re the right candidate that increases your chances of passing the next stage of the final selection process.
Luckily, you can prepare for interviews if you have apprehensions about talking about your personal achievements. Practice is key to a successful interview, and luckily, the questions can be rehearsed prior to the time. The key to a flawless interview is preparation, and here are some guidelines you can apply to boost your chances of getting through that interview and impressing prospective employers:
Make yourself comfortable when faced with tricky questions
Interviewers ask challenging questions, partially because they wish to get information from you however, also because they want to see you get out of potential contentious issues and issues. Take for example the question "Why do you want to leave your current job?"
The answer to this question could be due to management issues, or concerns about the balance between work and life, etc. Whatever the reason, however, the manner that you formulate your answer will demonstrate your ability to be an objective and fair observer. Give a clear and honest explanation of your answer with as much objectivity as possible. This means that you should eliminate all emotional responses, like answers that are based purely on sentiments or feelings, that are not supported by facts.
Other questions to prepare for include "What made you apply for this position?", "Why should us choose to hire us?", or trick questions like "Why should us not employ you?" The key is to remain calm and arrange your thoughts with care.
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 explanation or a brief summary of why you responded a certain way. Then, add instances or elaborate. Once you’ve thoroughly explained then return to your original point.
In the same way, if you’re required to explain your participation in a particular project or task it is possible to use the STAR Method, which is often used when responding the selection requirements. When using STAR it is necessary to describe an situation,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken as well as the Result.
All it is in the body language
Behaving naturally in a stressful environment can be a tall order, but you can always make sure you are practicing professional communication. Sit in front of a mirror or have a trusted companion to ask questions and take note of your actions. Are you shifting or fidgeting around with a nervousness? Do you look rigid, aloof, defensive, or closed off in your body expression? Do you use appropriate gestures? Are your facial expressions consistent with your message you’re trying to make? Do you convey genuineness, honesty and genuine concern?
Think about your strengths and weaknesses
Prior to your interview, ensure that you review the job description again. Assuming that you’ve read the description and then used the roles and responsibilities listed therein to modify and customise your resume and other selection documents It is crucial to review the job description in order to accurately present yourself to the interviewer. Be honest and upfront on your strength and weakness. Being realistic about your strengths will allow interviewers to recognize your selling points as a prospect. But, indicating your intention to improve your weaknesses is just as significant.
Prepare questions
Another key aspect of the interview is showing genuine interest about the job and the company. The best person to ask for questions during the interview is the one you interview. If you’ve seen something that’s interesting on the resume, or if you have any questions that were left unanswered by their FAQ page or their guide questions (which are typically found within the job packet or the general page for hiring About section) You can raise them after the interview, when your interviewer is encouraging you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer are:
"How can I be the most qualified person for this job, if I am given the chance to work alongside your team?"
"Does the company have any major projects in the pipeline at the moment"
"What are the chances to further develop and learn?"
Be aware of your salary expectations
Other benefits and packages for salary are usually advertised alongside the position (or in a variety, in the case of SEEK). However, interviewers could be interested in knowing what you expect to earn. The most important thing to do is offer a range within which you’d like your pay to be, rather than providing an exact or fixed number. Be sure to keep the range tight instead of giving the possibility of a large margin. If, for instance, you expect to make $75,000 a year, a reasonable range would be in the $73,000 to $80,000 area or anywhere within the $10,000 range. Be mindful of other perks and benefits also and take these into consideration when you consider your salary expectations.
Having these preparatory steps in your back pocket is essential for ensuring you are in ability to tackle the most difficult questions. Be confident, feel confident, and be bold.
To assist with recruitment-related documents and credentials and for interview preparation, you may contact Perth Resume. Our knowledgeable and professional consultants are able to help you with your interview preparation stages. Contact us today to receive the free quote or to call us directly to speak with one our consultants at 1300 202 475.
