While job interviews can be nerve-racking, they are a crucial part of landing a job. An expert reveals the best ways to excel in your meeting.
Job interviews can be one of life’s great stresses as many interviewees fret over how to best answer questions the employer throws at you.
Research from employment marketplace SEEK found that 21 per cent of job seekers get stressed before interviews because they don’t know what questions will be asked.
While interviews can be nerve-racking at times, they are a crucial part of landing a job.
So, how do you excel in a job interview?
PREPARATION
SEEK Career Expert and spokesperson Leah Lambart told news.com.au preparation is the key to a successful job interview.
One of the best preparations includes understanding the job requirements.
“Carefully review the job ad and/or position description to identify the key experience, skills and attributes that they are looking for,” she said.
“This is the key to determining what questions might be asked by the interviewers and allow for efficient preparation.
“This key step will help reduce stress and anxiety leading up to the interview.”
Another helpful tip is preparing responses to the general questions such as ‘Tell us about yourself?’ and ‘Why are you interested in the role?’
Ms Lambart recommends jotting down three key points per question or areas that you wish to highlight to keep your responses succinct and memorable.
For behavioural questions that ask you for a specific example of when you’ve used a certain skill or overcome a challenge, Ms Lambart suggests using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result).
“These questions are very tricky to answer on the spot unless you’ve done adequate preparation beforehand and developed examples using the STAR method,” she said.
“If you don’t know this method - you need to learn it fast!”
Jot down three key points per question to keep your responses succinct and memorable. Picture: iStock
RESEARCH
Ms Lambart’s other top tip is to research the organisation so that you have an excellent understanding of their business.
She suggests starting with the company’s official website to explore theirAbout Ussection, mission statement, values, and company history
“Take note of their products, services, and any recent news or press releases - if you can incorporate some of this information into your interview responses, it will go a long way,” she said.
“Check out the company’s profile on social media platforms, in particular, and recent updates, customer case studies or engagement with customers.
“Search for news articles and press releases for recent news about the company to understand its current challenges, projects, and achievements.
“This information can help you form relevant questions and also demonstrate your interest during the interview.”
Ms Lambart adds it is worth exploring the wider industry and getting familiar with their competitors and other industry trends that may have an effect on the organisation.
“Understanding the big picture will show a depth of understanding that other candidates may not have during the interview process,” she said.
Research the organisation so that you have an excellent understanding of their business.
PRESENTATION
The career expert advises job seekers to present themselves in a way that would be compatible with the job that they are hoping to get.
“If you are unsure what would be appropriate, then it is always totally reasonable to ask if there is a particular dress code when you are invited to the interview,” she said.
“This might seem awkward but it may be less embarrassing than getting it completely wrong.
“However, regardless of the role, I would recommend that all job seekers appear at an interview looking neat and well-groomed.
“This means wearing clean clothes and shoes, and neat hair (not covering your eyes or face).”
If you’re applying for in-person customer-facing roles, such as hospitality, retail or sales, Ms Lambart recommends taking extra care with your appearance as you’re likely to be representing the company to the public.
She said employers might be less worried about presentation for a behind-the-scenes role, but she would still encourage a neat appearance in the interview.
Job seekers should present themselves that would be compatible with the job that they are hoping to get.
BODY LANGUAGE
Body language for in-person and video interviews should be sitting up straight, leaning forward, keeping arms uncrossed, and most importantly, good eye contact with the interviewers.
According to Ms Lambart, many job seekers make the mistake of looking at the person on the screen instead of into the camera in video interviews. They also look into the wrong screen if they are using multiple screens.
“This means that they are making zero eye contact with the panel for the entire interview which doesn’t create a great first impression,” she said.
COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
For job seekers to prepare, here are the most common interview questions across all industries and levels.
·Tell us about yourself?
·Why are you interested in the role?
·What can you bring to the role?
·What are your key strengths?
·Do you have a weakness?
Many job seekers make the mistake of looking at the person on the screen instead of into the camera in video interviews. Picture: iStock
TOP MISTAKES
Ms Lambart said the one of the most common interview mistakes is interviewees not listening to the question properly.
“You can overcome this issue by not rushing in and answering the question immediately,” she said.
“It is perfectly acceptable to pause, take a deep breath and think first about how to answer the question before responding.”
Other mishaps include job seekers not doing research or preparation, not using the STAR method and letting their guard down.
“Another common trap, especially in less formal interviews, is that you may get too familiar with the hiring manager and let your guard down,” she said.
“This might include bad-mouthing a previous boss or organisation and/or revealing too much about yourself that may not be appropriate for the interview setting.
“Even if the interview is casual, you still need to keep professional.”
Another common mistake is interviewees not asking questions or showing any interest in the role/organisation.
“You need to demonstrate your curiosity and interest in the role by asking the hiring manager questions,” she said.
“If the hiring manager doesn’t allow time for questions, then I would see this as a huge red flag!”
Another common mistake is interviewees not asking questions. Picture: iStock
BEST ADVICE
Ms Lambart said the best advice is to prepare appropriately by researching the role, the organisation, anticipate the questions and prepare responses.
“Practise saying your responses aloud before the interview and ask friends or family to conduct a mock interview (or several) before the actual day,” she said.
“The more you get used to talking about yourself in that way, the better you will perform on the day.
She also recommends working with an interview coach or an experienced recruiter if jobseekers feel that they need some feedback and expert advice.
“An interview coach can help you interpret your transferable skills and experience and how you can package it up in some compelling career stories,” she said.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/experts-top-tips-to-excel-in-a-job-interview/news-story/67eba49194eded6ca2c940f79efd1662
