How to Prepare and Present Yourself for an Interview

If you’ve been invited back to an interview it means you have already impressed the potential employer on paper. Interviews are about “selling” yourself and your skills. It is imperative that you exceed their expectations, to make a good and lasting impression. This will make you stand out from your competition. Follow these steps on how to prepare and present yourself for an interview and you will be able to make a good and lasting first impression.

First Impressions
Succeeding in an interview is mostly about your professional appearance and the interviewer’s impression of you. The old saying that goes “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” and that’s always the case meeting people for the first time, especially for an interview. The first point of the meeting MUST be positive, if not, it will be difficult to change the hiring manager’s mind during the rest of the interview. Arrive five to 10 minutes early, it demonstrates that you respect their time and also proves that you are taking the position seriously. Acknowledge each person you encounter with respect and professionalism. When you shake hands, make eye contact and match the interviewer’s grip, you don’t want to seem aggressive. Don’t be concern about being nervous. It’s normal to feel that way during the interview. Keep in mind the purpose of the meeting is to fully evaluate your personality, qualification and your best interest in the profession. Many interviewers begin with “small talk” to help you relax but bear in the mind that are still being evaluated. Maintain a positive attitude.

Plan to Articulate
Preparation is the key to mastering a job interview. Plan ahead, systematize your thoughts and gather materials such as, cover letters, resumes, and any credentials that will help you land the job. Now that you have gotten the interview, review the job description and focus on its responsibilities and duties. Identify the employer needs. As the applicant, you should prepare anecdotes of specific times where you have used the required skills. Explain how useful those abilities can be for the company, and emphasize your ability to solve problems like the ones the employer might have.

Dress Professionally
Interviewers pay attention to every detail. Your apparel, demeanor, and mannerisms are all elements influencing what they think of you, whether in a job search or even on work. What you wear creates a significant initial impression that can affect the employer’s ability to take you seriously, or consider you for the position. Formal dressing allows you to “sell” and plan better which promotes productivity and camaraderie. It re-affirms your dedication to professionalism in both your work and your appearance. This allows you to exude confidence and self-assurance that recruiters are looking for. So dress for success!

Research the Company
It is always wise to conduct research on the company before the interview. Whether its product and services, opportunities and its competitors, is information will enable you to properly articulate your values and skills to match the organization’s needs. This also authenticates your enthusiasm for the job during the interview, it will likely impress the interviewer that you are fully informed and updated about the company. With this type of preparation, you will also have the opportunity to determine if it’s an organization you will want to devote yourself for the next few years.

 

Leslie | DBPC Blog

How to Answer the Most Difficult Interview Questions

In a period where everything seems to be fast-paced, we have to be assertive enough to endure any challenges. Success comes with preparation and consistency. For interviewees, nothing is as intimidating as an employment dialogue. Passing it means possible career and stability. Everybody aims to stand out with their resumes and ace the thought-provoking meet up. Consider the following in order to be able to answer the most difficult interview questions:

Employers are definitely looking for candidates with critical thinking talents. Since this stage is demarcated as an elimination process in hiring, interviewers are set to put you in a hot seat and throw challenging queries. Now that you are given the opportunity to prove yourself, you want to prepare and guarantee a good chance of getting into the organization.

When you are asked with situations that make you divulge a weakness, you are probably into the route of saying you have no mistakes or you are a perfectionist. Obviously, you want to impress.
However, even the person you are talking to knows that it is not the truth. Even when this is counter intuitive, you should be truthful. The questioner does not really care about the faults. Rather, he/she wants to see how you succeeded the circumstances. Was it solved systematically? Did you have methods of tracing the cause of the problem? Were you mindful of any consequences it could possibly have on yourself as a team player and on the establishment?

“Tell me something about yourself.” is an overused inquiry. It’s either you have mastered your answer by simply repeating what is written on your portfolio, or you are suddenly caught off guard because it feels awkward to discuss about yourself. Avoid giving dull and expected answers. Share your greatest personal advantage as well as aspirations. Ambitious individuals are known to be assiduous. In addition, state something personal that will make them remember you. Keep it short though. They do not want to hear what happens in your house.

Mentioning about salary on the initial conference is not advisable. It is better to wait for them to do the offer than giving them the impression that it is your most imperative factor. It is a fact that remuneration matters. Nevertheless, be professional and wait for the right timing. When they ask, do not undersell yourself as this gives them an impression your capacity is tantamount to the pay. Give them a figure in the meridian range or slightly higher. A manager who sees the exceptional skills will not be held up by numbers.

Normally, executives will assess you through topics like value that you have added to your former company. They would also want to know the time-frame you could do the same, or even better to their corporation. Give a detailed account of how you were able to escalate the profitability of operations. Disclose any proposed procedures that was adopted and eventually increased savings. Your evaluator is waiting to hear statistics that you can back up. If you are not sure when you can do it for their firm, inform them of any plans that you have in mind instead. They are not expecting that you can provide positive modifications in a month in case they hire you. However, convince them that you have actual plans and you are definitely worth a try.

Now that you have idea on what happens inside those boardrooms or offices during job discussion, organize your thoughts and be ready to land on your dream job. Don’t forget the basics. Do the STAR method (situation, task, action and result). Research about the position and company. Make proper gestures like handshake and eye contacts. Last but definitely not the least, arrive on time.