You might have a stellar CV and your prospective employer may be impressed with what you have achieved, but presenting yourself in the right way during an interview is as important as the CV itself. While many are better at having conversations and cracking interviews, others are often a bundle of nerves when it comes to nailing an interview.
What will be the questions, how much should I talk about my previous job, and how much is too much when it comes to revealing about my personal life are a few things that come to your mind while preparing for interviews. If you are the kind who gets anxious, here are a few quick tips to get everything set before you walk through the doors of your dream organisation.
Learn a few details about the company
While no one expects the candidate to know intricate details of the company, such as the contents of the annual report and its quarterly revenue, it is good to know about its products and services, its employees, a little background and the latest instance the firm made news.
Be punctual
Punctuality not only shows that you would fulfil your roles and responsibilities in time, but also indicate you are disciplined and value yours as well as the employer's time. Hence, it would be a good idea to find the exact location of the company beforehand and decide how to get there on time.
Dress to impress
While people may often argue that what matters most is the kind of worker you are, first impressions always make a difference. While the firm may not have a very formal environment, it always makes sense to dress in a crisp and neat manner in smart, well-tailored and ironed clothes. Clean, well-polished shoes are a big plus.
Think of some good anecdotes
Apart from the technical details, employers often ask fun and light questions to know the real you. These questions not only tell a lot about your lighter side, it also gives the employer an idea of how you handle different situations and people and how you keep your calm during a crisis.
Be concise and upbeat
While answering questions as well as talking about the said anecdotes, make sure to be concise and not go on a rant, just to sound confident and intelligent. While you might think that you have spoken really well and expressed your ideas perfectly, you might be beating about the bush. Answer to the point and talk only about what is asked instead of going on and on about a topic.
You could prepare for the generic questions in advance so that you know exactly what you are talking about instead of rambling on and making hardly any sense.
Also be upbeat during the interview. A laid back response might give the interviewer the impression that you are not serious about the job and may even look like a don't-care attitude.
