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Knock that interview out of the park
Remember the Leaving Cert? You’d probably rather not, but indulge us for a sec. It wasn’t so many butterflies, as it was pterodactyls of dread that were flapping around in your stomach. Your whole future hung in the balance as you sat down in the school hall that day.
Job interviews can make the best of us nervous, but if it’s making you feel Leaving Cert levels of fear then there’s probably a flaw in your preparation.
We’ve taken the time to list some suggestions for how you can make your life easier in the lead up to a job interview and give you the best chance of success.
1. Research
Scour the company’s website and go through their social media pages. As you read, take notes on stuff that might pertain to the job you’re gunning for. You could even start drafting up potential questions to ask in the interview.
more prep you do, the more confident you’ll feel going in.
2. Get everything ready days in advance
Have your clothes washed and ironed the day before. Have your CVs printed and for God’s sake time the bus to give yourself enough time to get there.
You’ll have enough to be thinking about on the day of your interview without the drama of realising you’re out of printer ink or there’s a stain on your suit jacket.
Removing all those needless distractions will give you the space to get in the zone.
When it comes to getting ready for the interview itself, give yourself a few days in the lead up to think about what you want to say. Obviously, there will be a degree of variation in what you’ll be asked in any given interview. Nevertheless, as long as people will be interviewed, there are some questions that are just guaranteed to come up.
If you prepare answers for “Tell us about your previous work experience” and “What are your strengths?” you will get the opportunity to use those answers in some form.
Take the time to perfect these answers so that they’re ready to go once you walk into the room.
3. Blare tunes
Whether you’re someone who needs to get fired up or calmed down before you step into the interview room, music can help.
Music can focus your mind, keep the nerves at bay and eliminate negative thinking (unless you’re listening to a particularly grim Radiohead song).
So stick the earphones in for the journey and blast some ‘Lose Yourself’ or maybe just a lovely bit of Enya, depending on your needs.
4. Visualise it
In the very cheesy words of Walt Disney, “If you can dream it you can do it.” Imagine some of the questions that might come up in the interview, then picture yourself knocking the answers out of the park.
You needn’t imagine anything too outlandish. Stay within the boundaries of reality and you should be able to achieve what you visualise.
5. Sell yourself
It’s a cliche but remember that you’re literally trying to sell yourself in an interview. You’re the product. Come up with your unique selling point, distil it into a minute long pitch, rehearse it, and have it ready for the big day.
Even if the opportunity to use it doesn’t present itself in the interview, it’s a good way of focusing your mind on exactly what you should be talking about. You can expand on certain points where relevant when speaking with the interviewer.
6. Be inquisitive
Pretty much every interview will end with the opportunity for you to ask some questions. It’s important to use this opportunity to show you’ve done your research.
If you can, tailor your questions to what has been discussed so far, it will show that you’re switched on and engaged.
7. Take notes afterwards
If it’s an introductory meeting, it’s worth your while writing down some of the main points of discussion as soon as you leave and typing them up when you get home. Try to remember particular things that went over well with the interviewer.
If you’re lucky enough to get called back for a second interview, you can go over these notes as part of your preparation. Having the ability to draw on these points will stand to you. You’ll know what areas to emphasise this time around and also what areas to avoid.
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