- Job Description
The grave sin candidates usually commit when they are clueless about the job they applied for. The rule of thumb for applying to any job–no matter how many jobs–is to do the research. You might think that this mistake is only made by younger job seekers, but that’s not true. It is often also made by people who are desperately looking for another job so they can switch in no time, or by people who are applying for every job that comes their way. These people not only waste their time, but the time of job recruiters as well. On top of that, they make a bad impression in the initial minutes of the interview, when they are clueless about the nature of the position because they applied without reading the job description.
- Matching Skills
After reading and understanding the job description, make a list of the skillsets they are looking for, then write down your own skills to see how they match their requirements. Compare them with one another, contrast, and analyse. This exercise will make you confident and prepare you for all the expected questions in the interview.
- Study the Company
The best time to research about the company is during the application process. That way, you aren’t shocked when you receive a call for an interview. Such surprise could leave a bad impression. Peruse the official website of the company, research online about the nature of their business, find their clients, and follow them on social media.
- Get to Know the Employers
Do this after getting the call for an interview. At this point, you probably know the name of the interviewer(s), and you might have undergone an initial screening over the phone. Start with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a place where many professionals are reachable, and can be viewed with their online CVs. You can also check out the CEO’s profile. That’s how you can prepare for the interview to be more confident.
- CV Tweaking
Whether you are freshly graduated with no professional experience or you have plenty of work experience, it’s essential to proofread your CV before sending it anywhere. You may realize that you need to add or remove something, or fix your timeline of education and prior experience. You can go online to find CV samples, and then use the templates they provide. Some companies may ask for documentation to match with elements of your CV, and have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to discrepancies.
- Self-Introduction
The strictness of the interview depends on the type of job and the experience you have. Interviewers typically decides what to ask from candidate to candidate, and how tough they can be on you. Even if they plan to take conduct a test to evaluate your technical abilities, there should be time when they will ask you to give your introduction. Be very well-prepared about giving your self-introduction, because even though it may sound just like an ice-breaker or filler, it could have much greater influence on your entire interview than you might expect.
- General Knowledge
No matter how highly qualified and well-experienced you would are, a lack of general knowledge about the world could deter you from getting the job. You may be an Ivy League grad, but someone who can speak eloquently about anything always grabs extra attention in a room full of nerds. The ability to speak and to carry on the conversation helps the interviewers to evaluate your communication skills, which always gets you some additional points.
- Get Directions
Before you leave for the interview, confirm the location of the office where you are supposed to go. Plug that in your maps on the phone using Xfinity internet, and ask them about the nearest landmarks for more assistance. This is usually the reason people can’t don’t make it on time. When you know how far the location is from you, you know when exactly to leave so you can be there on time. It might sound cliché, but interviewers find it annoying when you call and tell them you are lost somewhere minutes before your scheduled time.
- Overconfidence
Say you have religiously followed all the preparation points discussed above. Perhaps you match the required skills to a tee, and everything looks and feels right. Don’t get this into your head and get overconfident. According to recruiters, even if they think a candidate is 100% fit for the job, they might not hire that candidate if they sense overconfidence. Why? Someone who is too confident about themselves and their abilities is often not approachable when it comes to rectifying mistakes. They may not this is the last point in my list, but it is the most significant one while making career choices.
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