Rule No.10 Cheat the Interview
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
* Mae West
You don’t even have to be an expert to win job interviews you just need to come across as an expert – what is an expert anyway? It is just someone who can remember more about one subject or niche than others, so all you have to do is show you have this in-depth knowledge (don’t worry you will learn how to remember vast amounts of information later using the Memory palace technique)
If you’re passionate about the career and the industry you have chosen or you just want to pass your job interview, you need to become an Industry Expert and you can become an expert or sound like an expert in just one week.
An industry expert will have extensive knowledge about your career sector, the leading companies in this industry and the industry jargon employers use.
7 Quick Steps to Cheat the Interview and become an Industry Expert in just One Week:
- Use A Search Engine: Open a web search engine such as Google and in the search box write “Your industry name” and “Job profile” example “Web Designer Job Profile.” Once you open a Job Profile, go down to the bottom of the page, as you will find links to industry websites such as the sector skills council websites. These websites are valuable and record a large amount of information and can be used to research the industry and future job trends.
- Match Your Skills to Your Career: The job profile will also record the job duties, skills and qualities often required by employers. Highlight the skills and qualities you already possess and the duties you would enjoy undertaking if you were employed in this role. If you have highlighted at least 80% of these, you have found an industry that you should excel in, as the job duties already match the motivational part of your personality. While answering interview questions give examples of the skills you possess that are recorded on the job profile
- Set up Industry Alerts: Set up Google alerts to receive relevant daily news feed, blog articles and website updates on the industry you are interested in applying for. You need to search for the following on Google Alerts then read and quote interesting and relevant aspects during your interview.
[Insert Job Title] News
E.g. Marketing Assistant/Accounts Manager/ Graduate Internship News
[Insert Job Industry] Industry News
E.g. Marketing /Accountancy/ Publishing/ Hospitality and Catering Industry News
[Insert Job Industry] New Contracts and Funding
E.g. Social care/Financial Services/ Beauty/ Public Services New Contracts and Funding
- Twitter: Follow “Industry” tweets to receive industry news feeds, industry job adverts and updates. Set up an “Industry” list. After a while Industry twitterers will search and add to you. Use twellow to search for twitters by industry. Don’t be afraid to ask tweet questions to these people – even asking answers to potential interview questions, twitterers love to reply to tweets, they will feel flattered that you have picked them.
- Social Network Sites: The social network sites for businesses is growing, join 3 of these such as LinkedIn and join industry forums, discussions and join in asking questions around the industry growth and decline and learn the meaning of industry jargon. Set up your own online industry profile-this needs to be a professional, polished page.
- Ask Facebook: On Facebook search for “Friends” under “Co-workers”, searching for them typing in their company name. You can befriend people working in your industry and then ask them questions or ask them to complete a questionnaire or poll – social networkers are normally keen to respond to this.
- Network: Attend industry network events, always dress smart and be prepared to distribute your business card to other professionals. This is a great chance to update your industry information and meet industry leaders. Many job hunters establish productive links in this way and gain offers of employment or inside knowledge of when recruitment is upcoming.
With your research completed, and an increase in your industry knowledge and are now heading down the road to becoming an industry expert, to convince the interviewer of your new-found expertise you need to communicate using the interviewers secret language…
