Getting an interview is a huge achievement- 13 Steps to face interview

Getting an interview is a huge achievement

An invitation to an interview means you're well on your way to get job.

 But selling your skills face to face or on the phone is very different from selling your skills on paper. Here are the main steps to help you think on your feet and prepare for all eventualities.

Listen!!....Getting an interview is a huge achievement. However, you’ll be one of many candidates vying for the position.

Here you find step-by-step guide for successful interview .

1.      Find out what kind of interview you’ll face

a.       Telephone interviews

b.      Competence- or competency-based interviews,

in which you’ll be asked to match your skills to those needed for the role, eg communication skills, problem solving and teamwork.

c.       Panel interviews –

in which candidates are interviewed by several people such as HR staff and department managers – are also common in some graduate career sectors, such as teaching and public service.

2.     Research the employer again

a.      Look on the organisation’s website for details of recent work or clients that interest you and think about how you could contribute to what the employer does

3.      Think about yourself

a.      Recruiters want to know what unique skills you can bring to the role.

b.     Think through your work experience and the skills and interests you’ve developed at university and how these relate to the job and area of work.

c.      List your achievements and activities (such as work for university societies, interests and hobbies, internships or work placements, voluntary work or casual work) and make notes on the skills you learned and how you used them, and also what you contributed to different situations.

4.     Review your CV or application form:

a.       Think of how you can expand on any examples and skills and consider some alternatives. Which examples would be the best ones to highlight for the particular job?

5.     Prepare yourself:

a.       Interviewers will expect you to show a keen interest in their organisation

6.      Plan your day

a.       Good first impressions count for a lot.

b.      Plan for your interview day in fine detail - it will help you relax and shows employers that you are organised and committed.

7.     Dress:

a.       Make sure you know how you should dress,

8.     Travel:

a.       Plan how to get to your interview and book your travel tickets in advance.

9.     Charge Mobile:

a.       Charge your mobile phone and leave yourself time to read through your application again carefully.

10.Fresh copy of CV:

a.       Print out a fresh copy of your CV or make a new copy of your application form to take with you, and organise any supporting information you'll be taking with you

11.Be in control of yourself in the interview:

a.      It’s natural to be nervous in an interview, but if you know that you are prone to particular fear-induced reactions that could jeopardise your chances,

b.     When you are in the interview, remember that it’s fine to pause before responding to questions to gather your thoughts, and if you’re unsure about a question it’s also fine to ask for clarification.

12.Stay professional to the end:

a.       Recruiters will expect to you to be professional throughout the time you're meeting with them, including after you’ve left the interview room itself.

13.Learn from the experience:

a.      Spend some time after your interview thinking through the experience.

b.     Make some notes for yourself before moving on.

c.      This will help you prepare for the next stage of the process and get ready for interviews with other graduate employers.

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All the best ………….