{"id":24881,"date":"2024-05-16T03:28:47","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T03:28:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/?p=24881"},"modified":"2024-05-16T03:28:47","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T03:28:47","slug":"how-to-prepare-yourself-for-a-job-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/how-to-prepare-yourself-for-a-job-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prepare Yourself for a Job Interview?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I&#8217;ve worked in the recruitment industry for over 20 years across several Industries. In this time, I have learnt a lot from hiring managers in post-interview feedback as to what makes for a good meeting and what doesn&#8217;t.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview is dressing inappropriately, speaking negatively about a current or previous employer, and going off the topic being discussed. So, be careful about your caffeine intake prior to the meeting! Other common mistakes included not providing specific answers, not knowing anything about the company you&#8217;re being interviewed for, and not asking good questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, I discuss some things to think about in preparation before your interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #bccd30;\">1. Leave a positive impression<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s not just <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you say but <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you say it that reinforces the message. For people to create an overall positive impression of you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you arrive on time. If something unexpected occurs, make contact as soon as possible to explain you may be delayed. Arriving a few minutes early will give you time to gather your thoughts and absorb your surroundings. 10-15 Minutes is appropriate, but not too early.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the interview progresses, you will continue to make a positive impression if you:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listen carefully to the current question and try to give concise answers supported with actual examples.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid answering simply \u2018yes\u2019 or \u2018no\u2019.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask for clarification if a question isn&#8217;t clear.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speak clearly and loudly enough and try not to speak too fast. This can be difficult when you are nervous, but take a deep breath before you start to answer a question and work on keeping your answers concise.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #bccd30;\">2. Think about body language<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be aware of what your body language is saying and how to use it to strengthen your chance to make a positive impression.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shake hands with the interviewer firmly at the beginning and end of the interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good posture and a friendly expression will indicate that you have a positive approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relax into your chair, but without slouching.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain good eye contact. If you have more than one person interviewing you, look at the person asking the question when you reply but glance at the other interviewers to make them feel included.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try to smile from time to time where appropriate.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #bccd30;\">3 Have self-knowledge<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read your CV again, thinking specifically about the qualities the employer is looking for. Work out how you can best demonstrate these skills and how you can sell yourself at the interview. Remember that they\u2019ve shortlisted you for a reason. They want to meet with you because they&#8217;re prepared to spend time finding out more about you. Think about how you match up to the job description. Remember the people you&#8217;re competing with for the role will probably have very similar backgrounds to your own, so you need to make the most of your unique experiences and achievements. Don&#8217;t undersell yourself as there&#8217;s stiff competition out there. Always:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prepare your answers, but avoid sounding as if they are scripted. Then be aware of your attitude-enthusiasm; a positive outlook and honesty are the best policies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prepare your questions to ask. This is your chance to find out more and to see whether the company matches your needs. Clients are happy for you to bring written prepared questions as it shows that you are thorough and organised.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to organise your thoughts, you could ask yourself questions such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does the job involve and why do I want it?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What qualities do I have that make me suitable?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are my key strengths and development needs?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How would I like my career to develop?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What skills will I need and what skills have I gained from my work-related and extracurricular activities? <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of actual examples.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #bccd30;\">The ultimate tip<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put yourself in the interviewers place, what would you ask, how would you be convinced you&#8217;d found the right person for the job<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have to remember that a resume is just a flat piece of paper, it&#8217;s the meeting that&#8217;s going to elevate who you are. Let them know what your capabilities are and why you&#8217;re the best person for the job. Then you will see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/how-can-you-tell-if-an-interview-went-well\/\">how you can tell that an interview went well<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you would like more coaching on how to prepare yourself for an interview, please feel free to reach out to me on <a href=\"tel:0477013709\">0477 013 709<\/a> or email me at <\/span><a href=\"mailto:jenny@lawsondelaney.com.au\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">jenny@lawsondelaney.com.au<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ve worked in the recruitment industry for over 20 years across several Industries. In this time, I have learnt a lot from hiring managers in post-interview feedback as to what makes for a good meeting and what doesn&#8217;t. Some of the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview is dressing inappropriately,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":24884,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"92","footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-candidate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24881"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24886,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24881\/revisions\/24886"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/24884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lawsondelaney.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}