Are you appearing for a life-changing interview soon? It can be for anything, a dream job, or your dream school for higher studies. According to a statistic of the USA in 2019, it was seen that the national unemployment rate has fallen below 4%. So, if you are looking for a job and have interviews lined up, this article will help you with the last-minute preparation for these interviews.
Setting the right temperament for the Interview
When you are preparing for your interview, every little thing matters. So, in this part of the article, we will showcase the things that you need to focus on to have the correct mindset for the interview:
1. Preparation of CV
The CV is the most important document for your interview. It can either make or break it. When you are working on your resume, it is better to divide it into the following segments:
- Introductory Statement: This highlights your scope of work, your personal details, a short summary about yourself and your interests and accomplishments – all in a nutshell.
- Academic Qualifications: This segment will focus on your academics, and showcase the school, college, and university you have been to for your education, the grades you have achieved, and also your specialization subjects.
- Work Experience: This will highlight the work that you have done to date. You must also mention your internships along with the domains in which you have worked. Give a short description of your job role, so that the recruiters are aware of your skills.
2. What are you wearing for the interview?
When you are going for an interview, you need to be at your best self. This requires you to look presentable and professional. Apart from wearing presentable clothes, polished shoes, etc, there are a few more things that you must keep in mind:
- The body language also communicates to the recruiters
When you are going for the interview, you should know that even if you remain silent, your body language speaks loudly to the interviewers. So, you will have to be confident with your approach, and you cannot make the mistake of wearing your nervousness on your sleeves.
When you are talking about your achievements, or they have put you in a difficult situation, you still have to be confident. You cannot resort to fickle hand movements, or gestures showing frustration. You can also check out Interview Kickstart for some more tips.
- The preparation for the interview will decide your future
When we talk about the preparation, we do not necessarily mean the probable “questions” that will be asked. We talk about a holistic approach that will fetch you the desired results. It starts with researching the company and the job description of the vacancy, which is there.
Once you have made progress with that, you will have to showcase how you are the right person for the job and what “new” you can bring to the table.
For instance, if it is an opening about coding and tech development, you should showcase your innate knowledge in the same field. You can talk about the codes you have written and the applications that you have developed. You can also shed some light on the number of programming languages you know.
- Stay Away from the Clichéd Responses
There are many clichéd responses that the interviewer panel is used to; like “Being a Perfectionist is my Weakness” or “I will do anything which the top management commands me to do”.
So, if you want to stay in the good books of the interviewer, say no to these clichéd answers, and be yourself. That will be enough to get you the job.
Some of the most frequently asked questions and their responses
Now that you have prepared your CV and are all suited up to step into that dreaded doorway, here’s a list of some probable questions that will move you an inch closer to your dream job.
Well, in most of the interviews, the questions asked may not have a correct answer, but they are asked to check the preparation of the candidate!
1. Tell us something about Yourself!
When an interviewer asks this question, they do not want to know a summary of the CV, or what is already presented to them. They prefer knowing things that are either not on the CV or show a new perspective to it.
It can be anything, like an insight into your hobbies or ambition, or you can pick up an anecdote and talk about it. This will make it relatable and draw the attention of the interviewers to your academic or work experience.
2. Why do you want to work in this company?
You should not boast about the company, and speak about the opportunities it presents to its employees. Instead, you should talk about what you bring to the table and how you are the right person for the job. This will instill some confidence in the minds of the interviewer panel for You.
3. Why should we hire You?
This is a trick question that interviewers love to ask. They expect you to show how desperate you are for the job.
Instead, add on to your notion about how you are the right person, and talk about how you will adapt and help the company grow. While you are at it, also, talk about the vision you have for the company, and the position you are being hired at.
4. What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Many candidates feel that showcasing one’s weaknesses may not be the right thing to do. All of us prefer talking and adding on to the strengths, but fail to talk about the weaknesses.
However, if you are a strong candidate, you should also know your weaknesses and be willing to work on it. This will make you appear as a strong and transparent personality, who is not afraid to talk about his/her weaknesses.
Closing thoughts!
A recent survey showed that for every corporate job post, close to 250 resumes are received. So, if you want to make a difference, read and follow this think-iece, well, and you will surely achieve positive results.