Going to a job interview? Prepare for it!
An invitation to an interview is a chance to present your best side to your future employer. What should you do to convince them that you’re the right person for the position?
- Get to know your potential employer
Show that you’re interested in the company you’re applying to, and gather information about it. The best source is the company’s website. Get to know its operating profile, its range of products or services, its history, mission and values. It’s also worth looking at the company’s financial reports. Another good way to get to know a potential employer is to follow its profiles on social media. In this way you’ll gather knowledge that you can use during the interview, demonstrating your motivation to work in the structures of this company.
- Prepare a list of potential questions and answers
You can’t foresee every question that will be asked during the interview. But there are areas that always interest potential employers: a candidate’s professional experience, skills, qualifications, education, and strong and weak points. So it’s worth analyzing your experience thus far, and your skills, and preparing yourself with a view to the position you’re applying for, and on this basis to choose the information that will be the most valuable from the point of view of the recruiter. It’s also very important to answer the question of what direction you want to develop in, where you see yourself after a few years and what motivates you to work. By drawing up a list of potential questions and your answers, you minimize the risk that something will surprise you during the interview. Thanks to good preparation, you’ll feel less stress, which will allow you to present your best side.
- Behave professionally
A job interview is about the evaluation not only of a candidate’s substantive preparation, but also their behavior and skills. That’s precisely why it’s so important to show your enthusiasm and friendly attitude toward your interlocutor. It’s worth showing your interest in what the other side wants to communicate, and not interrupting their statements. In answering questions, take care that your answers are factual and to the point, and supported by examples. If the recruiter asks you to explain a gap in your resume, do it in such a way that the other side won’t get the impression that you’re trying to hide something. It’s also very important to maintain eye contact with the person you’re speaking with.
- Ensure good presentation
Business attire is required at a job interview. By your elegant dress, you stress your respect for the person you’re meeting. It’s worth remembering this, particularly as the first impression plays a large role in evaluating the candidate. For such a meeting, it’s best to put on a suit in a muted color (e.g. black, gray or navy), with a white or blue shirt, and elegant, closed-toe shoes. Men should wear a tie, and women should make sure their skirts are long enough and their shoes are closed. It pays to present yourself neatly and elegantly. This is the first step to building a professional image in the eyes of a potential employer.
- Prepare questions for the employer
After looking over the information about the company that’s available online, ask yourself what else you want to know about your potential employer. Choose the subjects that aroused your interest the most, and prepare questions. The point is not to drown the recruiter in questions that are too specific; it’s enough to ask three thoughtful questions, to show your interlocutor that you’re interested in the company and the position. In this way, you show your engagement and make a good impression on the recruiter.
- Cancel the meeting if you can’t make it
If you have a date set for your interview, but something happens and you can’t attend, inform the recruiter of this early enough, and ask for a new date. Moving the meeting doesn’t disqualify you from taking part in recruitment, unlike not showing up for an appointment without advance notice. If in the meantime you decide to withdraw from the recruitment process, tell the recruiter about that, too. This is dictated by the rules of politeness. Besides, you never know when you’ll meet again, and in what circumstances.
