3 Things You Must Do Prior To The Job Interview

What 3 Things You Must Do Prior To The Job Interview

As an Online Interview Coach, I’m always surprised by the lack of job interview preparation that most interviewees undertake.

If you only prepare for a job interview for 45 minutes or under then this is the reason why you fail a job interview. Successful interviewees, from my research, on average spend around 4-5 hours on interview preparation.

But even the interviewees who spend a longer duration on job interview preparation often prepare badly. This article will give you a few tips to advance your job interview techniques.

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Pre-Job Interview Preparation 1

Clarify your selling points.

The job interview is a 45-minute sales pitch. As with all sales techniques, the key strategy to sell anything is to give a solution to a problem. What does the employer require from you? What is the essential criteria for this position? What unique value can you add to the team?

The first preparation task you should always undertake prior to the job interview is clarifying what your sales point is? This sales point has to be something the employer requires, needs or can’t do without.

In addition to having sales points, you need to create real examples of how you have used this skill, quality or experience.

Pre-Job Interview Preparation 2

Anticipate the Interviewers concerns.

Even if you had a list of key selling points, you will only be employed if the employer 100% feels that you will fit in with the team and if they believe you will make a real impact within the organisation.

If the employer has any doubts, you are likely to miss out on the exciting opportunity. Think about your application; your work history, qualifications and skills. Also, review your prepared job interview answers. On reflection put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer – what concerns would they have about hiring you?

Maybe you have a gap in your CV, maybe you lack essential qualifications or experiences. You need to prepare answers to any potential question or doubt the employer may have. In the 73 rules for influencing the interview, we use techniques such as re-framing the interviewer’s negative opinion.

It doesn’t matter how you change the interviewer’s mind as long as you leave the interview with the interviewer being full of desire instead of doubt.

Interview questions and answers

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Pre-Job Interview Preparation 3

Create a powerful induction.

When you met anyone the human mind will within milliseconds create an impression about the stranger in front of them. In a job interview, this impression can be the reason for the successful or unsuccessful interview outcome.

You need to prepare for this first encounter.  Prepare your body language, posture, clothes, stance, smile, your opening induction including the words, tone and volume of your key communication.

Even go one step further, plan your small talk and prepare everything to help increase likability.

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How to Create Job Interview Success In a Few Easy Steps

How to Create Job Interview Success In a Few Easy Steps

Everyone I meet believes that the job interview is this scary, hard, difficult situation.

In fact, the job interview, is easy – easy to manipulate, easy to sell yourself and easy to secure a job offer.

To be successful in the job interview follow these 3 easy steps:

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 Job Interview Success 1

People purchase items only with the desired criteria.

If you wanted to go on holiday, you wouldn’t choose any old destination. Instead you will have a list of criteria; a beech, warm weather and a good night life.

Interviewers act in the same way. They want to purchase an interview with certain criteria. This isn’t simple experience or a qualification. Often interviewers recruit a certain persona, temperament or attitude.

Research the type of person the employers wants, and explain and show how you meet this particular criteria.

Job Interview Success 2

Charm

Why is that some people get all the girls (or boys)?

Even the individuals who aren’t that good looking, time and time again, get the dates. What is this strange phenomenon? What is the secret?

People like, no love, others who are confident and charming, those that ooze charisma

Believe in yourself, sell yourself and be totally confident and charming…and the interviewer will fall in love with you.

Job Interview Success 3

Create emotional responses

Interviewers (and people in general) make choices based on their emotions.

Turn the interview into an emotional roller-coaster; use examples filled with intrigue, create suspense and design your interview answer with a  Disney style happy ending, where you eventually, after the odds were against you, have a happy ending

Tips to Prepare a Career Emergency Plan

One of my friends called me some time back completely panicked. The reason? She was about to be laid off by her employer and did not know what to do! I tried to calm her down and asked, “Do you have a career emergency plan?” But she had no idea about what this career emergency plan is! Well, do you know, and do you have a back-up plan for your career emergency? If not, read more…

Why do you need a career emergency plan?

Just as emergency plans are made to meet crisis such as an earthquake or fire, our career plan also needs an emergency plan to meet the last minute changes or situations.  Many people continue with their current job for years without getting an idea of where they are heading in their career.

Nowadays, one can come across one or the other news about job cuts, companies planning to downsize, etc. This could certainly raise a question- “Is your job at risk?” In fact, no job is 100 percent secure. Companies hire when their business demands and cut some jobs when required. In that case, a career emergency plan can help you not to hit the panic button during a layoff, career change, or finding a better opportunity.

Hence, it is always advisable to prepare yourself for a ‘pink slip’. Here’s how you can create your perfect career emergency plan:

How to prepare for it?

  • Keep looking for new opportunities

The simple rule is to stay in an unexpected game. Do not stop exploring new or better career opportunities even if you are comfortable in your current job. A plan ‘B’ is always recommended in the form of a continuous or a passive job search.

  • Maintain your emergency fund

Save on your unnecessary expenses and save a major amount from your paycheck to maintain an emergency savings fund. Proper financial planning can help you to meet your expenses in case of any critical situation like a sudden layoff.

  • Keep updating your resume and online profiles

It is always good if you keep updating your resume and online profiles on professional social networking sites like LinkedIn. Keep on adding your latest accomplishments, skills, projects, career plans, etc.

  • Compile a list of your dream companies

A clear focus on your preferred employers/companies makes it easier to search a new job. Hence, prepare a spreadsheet and include important details such as company name, website, contact details, and job page links.

  • Build your network

Maintaining a strong career network helps a great deal in finding a new job and circulating your resume in the right hands. Social networking platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter offer a great place to connect with people across the geographical boundaries. Hence, if you are looking for a job abroad or in your own country, your career network can play a vital role in updating or referring to a relevant job. All you need to do is to keep your network informed about what you are looking for.

  • Stay in touch

Creating profiles on social media platforms and joining groups is not sufficient to get great results. It is vital to manage your network regularly and reach out to all your contacts. Retweeting posts, inviting others to join various groups, complimenting them on their accomplishments, etc. are some ways to stay in touch with your network.

  • Identify your career ‘Non-Negotiables’

In situations like layoffs, it is natural to get panic and tempt to take up any first job that comes your way. However, this might turn up to be worse when the decision taken in a hurry makes you search your job again after six months. Hence, prepare a list of the factors that you prefer in your new job.

The best way to sail through a bad stage in your career path is to have a ready action plan. Take out some time from your daily work schedule for all the above-mentioned points- social networking, profile updating, looking for new opportunities, and maintaining an emergency savings fund.

Good luck!

Becoming an Asset for Your Organization

The greatest of companies were formed by hardworking and dedicated team members. An organization is nothing without its people.

The treatment and the attitude of the employees speak volumes about the culture and ethics of the company.

These things are usually established by the company founders and year and year, the same ethics are passed down to each department and each team member. Once a certain set of rules and regulations are established and the organization has been around for a while, it can be quite difficult to make big changes.

Also, the company code of conduct cannot be implemented on other levels without it being followed religiously at the top.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; an organization that doesn’t have its policies in place, will probably not do a great job at creating future leaders and great managers.

And great team leaders are not born; they are created. With the right amount of discipline, gratification, motivation, hand holding and discipline, the freshers of today can turn into highly successful department heads at chief executive officers of tomorrow. It is not as easy as simply doing courses in MBA; though a degree or diploma from the right institute can definitely speed up the process.

However, great organizations will not be able to sustain testing times unless they have the full commitment and dedication of their employees.

Young professionals, who only think about how they will benefit from the stint in a particular company, will probably not get too ahead in the race. Take the example of a FMCG giant.

Everyone from the research and development team to the product team to the marketing team to the branding team has to put in loads and loads of hard work for a particular product range to succeed.

It could be coming up with an anti aging cream – it takes understanding everything from the target audience’s point of view – the price point, the packaging, the application, the availability, etc. It cannot be executed by a self-centred brand manager, only concerned with his targets.

Any good company has to function smoothly like a well-oiled machine. It is a proven fact that employees that are looked after, respected and motivated perform better than the ones that are under constant stress of displeasing the superiors. On the other hand, it is also true that companies that have tried to run their operations like a family have failed miserably. The key here is obviously finding the right balance.

Team leaders and managers need to define the processes and deadlines better and the employees need to put in more of an effort in the task instead of simply getting involved at a periphery level.

A lot of new age companies are adopting the horizontal structure and choosing offices without walls and cabins.

While this type of management may suit some employees, in some cases it may just fall flat on its face. There are people who perform best in a group – they love to brainstorm and work till the wee hours with their team members and giant pizza slices.

However, some people may simply detest the idea of sitting with a bunch of people and a white board. They may be great when it comes to interacting with teams, but as far as their work goes, they may prefer to work in solitude.

When it comes to becoming indispensable to an organization, there is no one formula that makes sense across the board. Showing your enthusiasm and commitment may mean different things to different people. But hard work, dignity and the right attitude are common ingredients involved in the making of a successful person.