Did your awesome resume just get you invited to a job interview? Cool! But don’t be too quick to think that everything is already won.
The next challenge is to pass your job interview. How to do so?
Firstly, you should master the basics like dressing properly, being on time, or turning your phone on silent. These things may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people fail at them. So, take this as a little reminder.
If you nail these basics, the next step is to nail the interview itself. Here’s how.
1. Know everything about the company
If you understand the company, your answers will sound more competent. You should know who is its founder and CEO and be vaguely familiar with its history and market positioning. You can usually find this information on Wikipedia or Glassdoor.
It’s usually easy to research the company via social media, check their sites, or learn more about their product. You can also read a couple of their most recent blog posts, or read what other people are saying about it (you can use Glassdoor for this).
2. Research the job position
Research the competencies and duties that belong to the position you’re applying for. Be ready to fit your skills and expertise to the job and tailor your answers so that you appear perfectly suited for the job.
Each time, think of a specific example of how you demonstrated these duties and skills in your past volunteer roles, school projects and activities, or internships.
3. Prepare to answer the most common questions
Even though you cannot predict what they’re going to ask you, there are several commonly asked questions that you can prepare for:
1. Can you tell me a little bit more about yourself?
2. What makes you the best person for this position?
3. Why should we hire you?
4. How did you hear about the position?
5. What do you know about the company?
6. What are your strengths?
7. What are your weaknesses?
8. Can you tell me about the last time that you faced a difficult situation and how you solved it?
You will appear much more confident if you prepare your answers in advance. Also, be ready to talk about all things related to your studies – whether it’s your extracurricular activities, interesting school projects, or your final thesis.
4. Prepare your own questions too
By the end of your interview, you’ll probably hear: “Do you have any questions for us?” Remember that this part of the job interview is super important and you should never answer with a “no”.
Why? By asking questions you show that you care about the job and are curious about it.
Moreover, it can help you convince the employer that you’re the right candidate for the job. Even
better still, it can help you figure out whether it’s the right job for you.
Try asking these five questions:
1. What do you enjoy the most about working here?
2. Do you offer any additional training?
3. Can you tell me something about the team I’ll be a part of (if I’m hired)?
4. What will be the greatest challenge for me if I’m hired for this position?
5. Do you think I lack any skill needed for this position?
5. Send a thank you note afterwards
Once your interview is over, there will be one more thing you should do – send a thank you email to the hiring manager. Do that within two hours of the actual interview.
Thank them for their time and try to sum up your conversation. Emphasize all the positive moments that came up during the interview. Here’s a useful template.
Why is it so important? It’s a great way to make yourself more memorable and stand out from the competition. Remember, the job market is very competitive and it favors the bold!
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