We all know the common interview advice: dress to impress; be punctual; be prepared; shake hands; make eye contact… you know the drill. That’s all good and well, but how do you get the edge over the other 10 candidates sitting in the waiting room? Here’s some of the best interview advice you will ever receive.
- The interview starts the moment you arrive on the premises.
The moment you arrive assume you are being watched. Greet the secretary, hold the door for your future colleague, smile at your potential fellow colleagues as you pass them by, don’t fidget, look nervous, or have loud phone conversations in the waiting room – you never know who’s watching! - Interview the interviewer.
Research the company and ask questions. For one thing it’s important to know if YOU want the job, on the other hand, asking questions lets your interviewer know you are genuinely interested in the position and not there for the sake of getting a job (any job). - Be the person they want to take a coffee break with.
It’s one thing showing the interviewer you can do the job (that was done the moment they received your resume and set up the interview), it’s another showing them that you would be a great person to have around! Make your mark and don’t be afraid to show them what an awesome person you are. - Learn how to brush off rejection and move on.
So you didn’t get the job. That’s ok, it wasn’t meant to be! Instead of letting the desperation and rejection affect your next interview, let it go! This next one may just be the one (don’t sabotage it). - Get personal.
The “Tell me about yourself” question is not an invitation for you to recite your resume! The interviewer is looking to make a personal connection with you and gain insight into the type of person you are outside of work. Be real and open up about who you really are. - Never badmouth ex employers or colleagues.
Whatever you do, bad mouthing is never the right answer! Doing this will send out alarm bells to your interviewer – there are always two sides to a story. - The interview isn’t really about you.
It’s really all about them! Think about how you are going to benefit them and meet their needs. How will you be the solution to their problem? Work this into your interview and you will be heading for a home run. - Get into the right frame of mind.
Tell yourself you already have the job and this interview is just a formality, outside of this interview you have a ton of other job offers waiting for you. You can smell desperation a mile away, and it’s no bed of roses! Being confident in yourself will go a long way into making the interviewer believe they need you – and you don’t need them.