INTERVIEW SKILLS YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEEDED
The interview skills you didn’t know you needed
- Plan for success. That means get your affairs in order, We want to be showered, clean, hair looking well kept and teeth brushed. But most of all we want to be dressing for the job we want NOT the job we have. This will help your interviewer to think you will fit in well in the workplace and focus more on what you are saying than what your appearance is!
- STUMPED AT AN INTERVIEW QUESTION? We’ve got you covered! Here are some safe replies for top two interview questions people get asked (and stumped with) all the time!
What’s your biggest weakness?
Go with something light-hearted here or turn the question around into a positive light i.e
“I’m a bit of coffee enthusiast, so I’ll definitely be bringing in some for you to try!” (light-hearted, fun and already an invitation to have a friendly, workplace coffee)
“I used to think my biggest weakness was my ability to speak publicly but I decided to face my fear and take some classes, although I am still in the process, I really do feel as though I have come a long way” (turned a weakness into a positive about yourself, win/win)
What’s an accomplishment you are most proud of?
Try to think of the answers to these questions beforehand that way you will have some personal experiences to attached to these templates. Most people would be stumped and say, their children, their marriage, their home etc. I would suggest taking this down a more business-related path i.e
“I was struggling to understand the management (insert thing you struggled with here) side of the business in my last job so I decided to do XYZ about it”
“I won a major contract for my previous company by thinking outside the box and winning over a client”
“I implemented a think tank into my last position so my co-workers ideas for the business could be heard on a larger scale”
3. DO. YOUR. RESEARCH. I can’t say this loud enough, some companies social media/internet presence will be minimal and that’s okay but if they have a presence, know what you’re stepping into. Find out what the company does, what their main market saturation is, if they have information on where they are going next, write it down, remember it. You would not believe how great a candidate looks for having done their research.
For example, if you were going for a job in Accountancy for a Race Horse Company, you could research this year vs last year turnover, the latest big deal they made, if they have any *superstar* horses that are dominating their field. These are all things that are going to make people put a little mark next to your name and remember who you are from the sea of interviewees.
4. PROACTIVE LISTENING – ASK QUESTIONS BACK.
Okay, I have been guilty of this one too. The interviewer asks “Do you have any questions for me?” and you answer with the “Ummm, no, I don’t think so” it’s always nice for someone to take an interest in the discussion and by asking questions back you are showing that you have listened and taken in what has been said to you. Something as simple as “What’s your favourite part about working here?” or “Can you tell me more about the team I would be working with?” can open the door to you being remembered and at the top of their list.
Side note: It’s also great to do this while you are being given information about the role/the company.
