You sent off your application weeks ago and now you've finally landed an interview. Here are 12 tips to ensure that you give the best possible account of yourself.
- Research the company, look at annual reports and scour the web for related articles and news. Think about the company's strategy, study its competitors, brainstorm opportunities and possible threats to the future of the organisation. If you're working with a recruiter, read up about the background of everyone who will interview you and discuss the feedback other candidates have received. The better prepared you are, the more comfortable the hiring manager will feel about your candidacy.
- Asking the right questions can put you miles ahead of the next candidate. This helps the hiring manager assess your thought process and ability to comprehend the company's issues. More often than not, asking the right questions proves that you have an understanding of the position and the company and are ready to take on the role. Before walking into the interview, have two or three strategic business questions ready.
- Study the job description and determine where your strengths lie. The most common negative feedback we hear about prospective candidates are their inability to articulate past accomplishments and how they can relate this experience to a new organisation. Brainstorm what you have done and how you can apply this experience to improve a different organisation.
- Be prepared to defend your lack of experience in a particular area. If you're working with a recruiter, ask him/her what limitations the client may see in your candidacy. This will help you to prepare your approach to overcoming objections.
- Look your interviewer in the eyes and enter the room with confidence. Companies want someone joining their team who understands what needs to be done and has the passion to make it happen.
- Always dress in full business attire unless you are specifically asked to come casual, and no matter how stylish your penny-loafers are, always wear socks (not white). Don't wear cologne or perfume, but if you must, never apply it with your hands. After shaking half a dozen hands, the last thing you want someone to remember you for is your smell.
- Use specific examples of your accomplishments whenever possible, making sure to articulate why you thought this was the best way of reaching your goals and how you got there. Explain the research behind your actions and the outcomes of each situation. Whenever possible, make correlations between your current organisation and the company that is interviewing you.
- Think about some of the challenges you have faced with each of the companies you have worked for. Refer to situations during which you were able to resolve problems when others were not able to do so.
- Hiring managers frequently complain that a candidate lacked the energy or enthusiasm for the job. Less-qualified candidates may often have a better shot at your position because they "want it more". Hiring managers respond to a positive attitude and the candidate's desire to get the job. However, keep in mind that there is a fine line between showing enthusiasm and acting desperate. Don't overdo it, confidence is the key.
- Timely follow up with a "thank you" to the hiring manager is important. Go through the job description and, in a follow-up e-mail, reiterate the value you would add to the company. Once again, combat any weaknesses that may have come up during the interview process and position yourself as the best person for the role.
- Put your all into the interview. Even if you're not sure about the company or the position from the beginning, you won't be able to make a choice without an offer in your hand.
- Rehearse articulating your experience in a clear and concise manner well in advance of meeting the hiring manager. The best candidates are able to describe their style and to present specific examples of how this has helped them be successful in their current role. If you describe your management style as "hands on", you should follow up with a real example.