Are you searching for or a new job, trying to be scouted by top headhunters or have an interview coming up? Job interviews can be a stressful time and so it is important that you try to take away as much stress as possible by making sure that you are fully prepared and it is never too early to start doing this, even if you don’t have your dream role lined up yet. Spending the time preparing for an interview will help you to secure your dream job, so carry on reading to find out more about what your top tips are that will help you to be prepared for your interview.
Study the Job Posting
One of the first things that you should do when you are preparing for a job interview is to take the time to study the job posting. As you are analysing the job posting, you should be taking notes of what it is that the company is looking for in candidates. Make a note of what knowledge, personal qualities and skills they are looking for and that what you will need to display in order to show that you are going to be successful in that job.
Match Your Skills to the Job
After making a list of what the job post is looking for, you can then make a list of what your main skills are and match them to the job post. We would recommend that you choose up to ten skills, certifications, computer skills, and qualities. Then, when you are in your job interview, you will be able to explain to the employer why you are a perfect fit for the job. It is also a good idea to think about any work experience that you have had that displays you have these skills. You will tend to find that in a lot of interviews you will be asked to describe a time when you used a specific skill, so make sure you have some answers prepared for this.
Research the Business
Not only will employers be looking to see what skills you possess that match the job role, they will also want to test how much you know about their business. Try to find out as much information as you possibly can about the company as this will help you to answer these questions plus it will also help you to prepare your other interview questions. What is also important about researching the company is that you can see whether or not they offer a company culture that you feel you could fit into. We would suggest heading over to the About Us page of the business website to take a look at their history and how they compare to their competitors.
Have a Test Run
You will probably have a good idea of what questions you are going to be asked and if you have followed our previous points, then you will have made a list of the skills and past experiences that you can use to answer these questions. So, now it is time to put these questions into practice with a few test runs. Spend time practicing your answers as this will help you to calm your nerves and you won’t be trying to think up answers on the spot. Your friends and family will be rooting for you to do well in your interview, so have them help you prepare by getting them to ask you the questions as the interviewer.
Know Where You’re Going
This may sound like an obvious one, but you would be surprised at the number of people who get lost on their way to a job interview and make a bad first impression by turning up late. Before going to a job interview, you need to make sure that you know exactly where it is that you are going. If you have the time, it may also be a good idea to do a practice run of getting to your job interview to give you a sense of how long it will take you to get there.
Follow Up Your Interview
While it is important that you put in a lot of preparation for your interview, what you do after the interview is equally as important! Follow up your job interview with a thank you note and reiterate your interest in the role. This is also the perfect opportunity to mention anything that you maybe forgot to in the interview and that you feel is important for the employers to know.
For your next job interview, make sure you follow these top tips in order to help you secure the job of your dreams!
