Dealing with a job interview is a source of stress for everyone: our future could depend on the first impression we give to our potential employer. Obviously there is no universal guide on how to face a job interview, but today we will try to give you some simple guidelines that can help you to better face this fundamental moment for your career.
# 1 THE JOB INTERVIEW STARTS AT YOUR HOME!
Often, especially in larger companies, the interviews are fixed well in advance: take advantage of them to prepare yourself in the best way, especially by gathering as much information as possible about the company that has called you. The first secret is to make the most of the time that elapses between the call and the job interview :
- Study your curriculum vitae well: it may seem obvious, however many often find themselves unprepared as regards the questions that could be asked about it.
- Collect all the information about the potential employer and the job you are applying for.
- Think carefully about how your experiences and skills could be useful for the position you want to fill in the company.
One last thing: remember to prepare all the useful documents to bring to your interview, such as references, certificates and, of course, also your CV (it does not matter that the recruiter already has a copy).
# 2 DON’T “BEG” FOR A JOB, BUT OFFER YOUR SKILLS!
Always remember that, if it is true that you need a job, it is also true that the recruiter needs a person to hire. It is simply a question of supply and demand: if you have been chosen to take the interview, you obviously have certain skills that the potential employer needs .
Often many of us when thinking about how to approach a job interview, make a big mistake, and assume that they will be dealing with a recruiter who will do everything to catch them out. Nothing could be more wrong: those who interview us do it to understand if we are the right people for that place, and probably hope to find the right person as soon as possible.
# 3 INTRODUCE YOURSELF QUICKLY AND COMPREHENSIVELY!
The classic question “tell us about yourself”, apparently so easy and banal, is often the most insidious: yes, because, as the saying goes, it is the first impression that counts, and we must be ready, in a very short time to give a fair perception of who we are, what experiences and skills we have, and what we can offer to any employer.
All this we should do in a maximum of 1 minute, because there is nothing worse than boring our interlocutor . Let’s prepare this answer at home, remembering this rule: we must be exhaustive and concise at the same time, in order to give an idea of us and our skills in the shortest possible time.
# 4 THE INTERVIEW MUST NEVER BE ONE-SIDED.
The interview is not a “third degree” to which we are subjected and pressed as if we were being interrogated. Depending on how our chat is proceeding, we too can ask questions, related to the role we would like to occupy in the company, career opportunities, any company policies in the various areas.
Often, at the end of the interview, many recruiters will ask you if you have any questions: do not run away thank God that everything is over, but show interest, if you have doubts ask, show a healthy curiosity for the various aspects of the job for which you are proposing. This will positively affect your interlocutor.
# 5 DO AS MANY JOB INTERVIEWS AS POSSIBLE AND LEARN FROM THEM.
Regardless of their existence, every job interview is useful to gain experience and improve more and more. As they say: “making mistakes you learn”. After each interview, try to remember, perhaps by writing them down, the things that you think have positively influenced the recruiter and above all, those that you think did not go well , so as to avoid repeating them in the future.
Don’t be afraid to face many interviews, perhaps even for tasks that interest you less: each interview is a very useful experience for the following ones.
The pages of an encyclopedia would not be enough to explain well how to face a job interview, but we believe that following these 5 points is still a great start, in a world where skills and experience are the masters, but always accompanied by a dose of luck.
