Ready Yourself for Interviews
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of job hunts is the dreaded interview round. Interview fear is a natural result of wanting to seek acceptance and approval from others, especially from your prospective employers. While expressing themselves in a positive manner may seem natural to certain people but others feel nervous about being asked questions regarding their careers or their previous accomplishments. Perhaps due to modesty or the fear of being asked personal questions interviews have turned out to be an extremely nerve-wracking parts in the process of hiring.
This does not have to be the case.
Interviews are the best method for applicants to demonstrate their skills as well as their accomplishments and capabilities. You have already been through the first step by submitting your resume to its way through ATS scanners and getting a callback. This chance to present and elaborate on your profile, work history as well as key abilities and expertise is the proverbial entrance into the interview If you can convince the interviewer that you’re qualified that increases your chances of passing the next step of the selection process.
It is a good idea to prepare for interview questions if you’re struggling with concerns about presenting your own achievements. Practice is key, and fortunately, interview questions can be practiced ahead of time. The key to flawless interviews is preparation. Here are some helpful tips you can follow to boost your chances of nailing the interview and impressing prospective employers:
Get comfortable around tricky questions
Interviewers will ask you tough questions, partly because they want to get information from you however, also in order to help how you can get rid of potentially contentious questions and concerns. For instance, consider the question "Why are you resigning from your current position?"
The reason for this may be because of managerial issues, or worries about work-life balance. No matter the answer but the way that you express the answer will indicate your ability to be a fair and objective observer. Respond honestly and explain your responses with as much objectivity as feasible. This means eliminating emotional responses like answers that are based purely on emotions or feelings and are not substantiated by actual facts.
Other questions to prepare for are "What motivated you to apply for this role?", "Why should we hire us?", or trick questions like "Why should us not choose you?" The key is to not lose composure and organize your thoughts in a systematic manner.
Before speaking, outline your thoughts using the PREP method: POINT-REASON-EXPLANATION/EXAMPLE/-POINT. Start with your statement and follow up with a short explanation or a brief summary of why you responded a certain way. Then, add instances or elaborate. After you have explained thoroughly, go back to your previous point.
Similarly, if you are asked to write about your involvement in a task or project it is possible to apply this method. STAR Method, which is commonly used to respond on selection criteria. When using STAR you will need to write the situation,followed by a Task,then a description of the actionstaken then the result.
It’s all in the body language
The ability to act naturally in stressful situation may be a daunting task but it is possible to make sure you are practicing professional communication. Place yourself in front of a mirror or ask a friend you trust to ask you questions and observe your body language. Are you flitting or shifting about nervously? Do you seem rigid, aloof, defensive or reserved in your body and speech? Do you use appropriate gestures? Do your facial expressions match what you want to convey? Do you convey sincerity, authenticity and genuine interest?
Think about your strengths and weaknesses.
Before you go to the interview, you should review the job description once more. Assuming that you’ve read the description and applied the roles and responsibilities listed within to customize and modify your resume and other selection documents It is essential to consider the job description to honestly present yourself to the interviewer. Be upfront and honest concerning your abilities and shortcomings. Being truthful about your strengths can allow the interviewer to notice your unique selling points as a potential client. However, signalling your intent to improve your weaknesses will also be important.
Prepare questions
Another crucial aspect of an interview is showing genuine interest in the job and within the business. The best person to ask for questions during the interview is the one you interview. If you’ve seen something that’s interesting within the description of your job, or if you have questions that were left unanswered on their FAQ page or guide questions (which can be found in the job packet or their general hiring page about section) You can raise them at the end of the interview, when your interviewer invites you to ask questions. A few questions that you can ask your employer include:
"How can I be the best person for the job, if I am given the chance to work alongside the team?"
"Does the company have any major projects underway in the present"
"What are the chances to further develop and learn?"
Be aware of your salary expectations
Salary packages and other benefits are usually advertised alongside the position (or as part of a range if applying through SEEK). However, the interviewer may ask you how much you expect to earn. The most important thing to do is give a range of where you’d like your salary to fall instead of offering an exact or set number. Be sure to keep the limit to a narrow range instead of providing any wide range. For instance, if you anticipate earning $75,000 per year, an appropriate range would be in the $73,000 to $80,000 or anything in the range of $10,000. Also, be aware of other benefits and perks also and take these into consideration when you consider your salary expectations.
These steps to prepare in your purse is important to equip yourself with the readiness to face the toughest questions. Be confident, feel confident and courageous.
To assist with recruitment-related documents or credentials as well as interviews, please contact Perth Resume. Our highly skilled and knowledgeable consultants are able to help you through your preparatory stages. Contact us today to receive an free quotation or to call us directly to speak with one our experts on 1300 694 635.
