Be Prepared, Be Prepared, BE PREPARED For Your Interview:
I cannot stress this point enough! No business owner will think about employing you twice if you have not even taken the time or initiative before the first step, the interview! Do some research on the business/company/organisation that you’re interviewing with. Get to know what they are all about, and think about how you align with their values. Dot point key learnings, interesting facts or questions you can ask.
Dress to impress:
While wearing a suit is standard in most job interviews, dress for the position you are applying for. My biggest tip is to go one step above what that staff normally wear. Depending on the job you’ve applied for, most people wear jeans/long pants, enclosed shoes, and a staff t-shirt/collared shirt. You want to give the impression that you care and that you’ve put in some effort, so clean clothes and tidy hair go a long way.
Be Friendly And Personable:
Most workplaces have some element of customer service involved. Ensure your smile and present yourself as friendly and approachable. Your interviewer will be able to imagine you behaving this way with their clients and colleagues.
Be Confident:
Easier said than done, right? Practice makes perfect, you might fumble and learn some lessons in your first few interviews, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Being nervous just means that you care! “Fake it ‘til you make it” really does work. So, if you’re feeling jittery and nervous, know that it can easily be masked with a smile and good posture. Your nerves should ease after a few minutes 😊 Skipping the caffeine, getting a good night’s sleep, and eating a proper meal before your interview can help calm the jitters.
Practice:
Think of some questions you think you might be asked. Usually, the job application will list some job responsibilities, so if something like ‘Team work’ is listed, you should think of some examples of how you work well in a team. It’s great to practice in the mirror or with a friend, but you also want to sound natural and unscripted during the interview. So have a think about some responses, but don’t feel you need to obsess over it. A lot of interviewers will ask ‘Scenario-based questions’ these days. So, try to think of real-life examples of when you have worked in a team and what you did in order to be a great team player.
Be Yourself:
There’s no one else just like you! And the interviewer clearly liked what they saw on your application. So trust that you have what they need and let your personality shine through. While answering questions is important, it is also key to show them how personable and friendly you are.
These are just a few quick and easy tips. There are lots of other ideas out there that might be of value to you. Here are some of my favourites.
- SEEK- career, job and interview tips
- Hays- career, interview and preparation tips
- Robert Walters- How to nail an interview in 5 mins
Having been both an interviewee and an interviewer, I can tell you that at the end of the day, I really just want to get to know the interviewee a bit better and have a bit of a conversation. I never want people feeling stressed or overwhelmed. A good interviewer will make you feel comfortable and put you at ease. Remember that things are never as scary in real life as they seem in your head 😊
Good luck!
By Olivia Basham
OCA Mentor
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