How to Prepare for an Interview

This Months Guest Post comes from Chris from Zazzle Media

Getting a job is incredibly difficult for people of all ages and abilities at the moment, with more and more people finding themselves out of work as firms look to save money. However, should a job come up that you feel is perfect for you, it is important that you make it yours and stand out from all of the other candidates.

While you can present a fantastic CV filled with essential qualifications which meet or go beyond the necessary criteria, you could be just one of a number of potential candidates for the job so it is vital that you perform well in your interview – if you’re lucky enough to get one of course!

To help you to standout in your interview, here are five of the most important tips that will enable you to impress your potential employer and, hopefully, earn you a job!

First impressions count. It sounds quite obvious, but first impressions really are the most important in an interview. Employers can take an immediate liking or dislike to someone who turns up looking unprofessional, i.e. dressed informally, unshaven, covered in make-up or wearing too much jewellery. For men, dressing in a suit or at least a shirt and tie is a must, while women should favour a smart dress or blouse and skirt, which will give a professional look, but don’t go showing too much leg or wearing insanely high heels
Do your research. If you walk into an interview unprepared, you won’t get the job. It’s a harsh fact, but it is a fact. Do your research into the company, such as the name of the founder, the year they were formed, the name of the boss, a number of their other locations, and, most importantly, what they actually do. Don’t turn up to an ICT interview thinking they just work on computers all day, they do far more than that so find out what it really is and why you can do it better than the other candidates.
Answer the questions. A common interview mistake is to start “waffling” and moving away from the topic by saying what you think the interviewer wants to hear. In some cases, they just want you to answer the question they asked. If it’s a short, to the point answer, so be it. Don’t feel the need to pad it out with irrelevant comment
Be able to demonstrate why they should employ you. If a job description asks for a good communicator, be confident and give good quality answers, don’t clam up and go quiet. Similarly, if it asks for experience with certain computer software, explain how you’ve used it, why and your thoughts on it, maybe even explaining how it can be used more effectively.
Have a positive body language. While it may be your most comfortable way of sitting, a slouched position in the chair will give the impression of someone who isn’t interested. If you sit up straight and look the interviewer in the eye as much as possible, smile and laugh, then it will make them think you could be the one for the position.

Having landed yourself an interview, the most important thing to do is to come out of it feeling as though you’ve done your best. If you’ve answered the questions to the best of your ability and shown them what makes you the perfect candidate, you can do no more. Good luck!

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