As far as we know, our country has gone through a period of economic recession, which has not yet been totally overcome; as a result, the unemployment rate, although currently decreasing, has reached historical highs.
Looking for a job is not always an easy task. And it is hardly possible for you to work on something that you really like. But when you present yourself in a job interview, there are basic rules that must be fulfilled in order to have a better chance of success.
Tips for a successful job interview
We will present 10 tips for you to succeed in your next job interview. We do not guarantee (of course) that you take the job, yet it will make a great first impression.
1 – Do some research
You were called for a job interview at a company that you know nothing about. So you know what the first thing to do?
You should do a research on the company to have a better understanding of what the company does and how it operates or whether or not it is a multinational; in general, you should be getting to know it and the employers expect you to understand their business. This knowledge will be essential if you are asked why you submitted the resume, or questions like “Why are you interested in this position? Why do you want to work here?”
2 – Be prepared for a practical case interview
Interviews that relate to specific positions (information technology, marketing, communication, etc.) may require a small practical (or theoretical) test. When you go for an interview, always be prepared in case you are asked to put into practice anything that is related to your area. Do not be nervous; the interviewers will know the differences between being nervous and being lost of what to do.
3 – Do not make up skills you don’t have
This is a very important point in a job interview, i.e. do not make things up. It’s one thing to make a little flourish on your resume regarding your personal and organizational capabilities and another to indicate that you have some technical skills on subjects that are really never heard of but that were essential for the candidacy to certain vacancy.
4 – Be careful with your appearance
Anyone who has been to job interviews knows that there would be several candidates for a single position in a company. If the resumes are similar, the employers will choose the person who made the best first impression, i.e. who dressed carefully and had a coherent speech. You should always adapt the clothing to the type of the company it is; however, it is obviously a bad option to wear a t-shirt for a tennis interview.
5 – Punctuality is crucial
The job interview is the first contact you will have with the organization, so being late is not going to be a good impression at all. Interviewers like punctual people (however you should not arrive one hour in advance – 5 to 10 minutes earlier is the ideal).
6 – Smile and be nice
You are perfectly normal if you feel anxious and nervous during an interview. However, you should try to be as nice as possible (do not obviously overdo the sympathy) and smile, because the more nervous you appear to be, the more suspicious the recruiters will be about your abilities for that job.
7 – Pay attention to your posture
When you are comfortable in a place, our posture would change and reveal how you are feeling. Remember: the position is something that will be evaluated, albeit rather subtly, by the human resources manager in a first job interview . Try to be as relaxed as possible without ever overdoing it.
8 – Be prepared for inevitable questions
There are questions that are unavoidable in any job interview. You should be prepared for the answers in the first place so as not to make a bad performance. Here are some examples for your reference:
- Why should we hire you?
- Why did you apply for this position?
- How do you see your career in the next 5 years?
- Are you applying to other companies as well?
- Do you have experience in the area? What have you done?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Do you think you can work under pressure?
- There may be times that will have to work more hours, are you willing to do this?
9 – Be careful with what you ask
There are many people who ask questions that should never be asked in the first interview. Following are examples of what you should avoid to ask at your first interview with a company:
- What are the company’s plans for the future?
- Will I have to work on some weekend?
- At the end of 1st year, will I be able to move up?
- What is the time?
- What’s the salary? Can it be negotiated?
- Will I be able to do training while working with you?
- Will I have a specific project in hand or will I jump from project to project?
- Are there any extra benefits to the salary?
10 – Say goodbye
When an interview ends, do not ask when you will receive the feedback (yes, this is the typical question that most people would ask when the interview ends). Smile and note that you are waiting for a response contact.
We hope that these 10 tips will be very useful to you when you go to your next job interview . We also wish you all the best of luck for your job search.