You’ve got yourself an interview, congratulations! Having the opportunity to speak about yourself and show who you are is great. However, there are some common traps you can fall into during the interview process. We have put together five key things to remember when heading in for an interview:
EVERYONE HAS ROOM TO IMPROVE
There is always the opportunity to learn, no matter where you are in your career or what you are applying for, you do not want to come across as someone who knows it all. Employers are looking for someone is able to adapt and grow with their organisation. If you are only talking about your achievements, you might not be able to articulate you’re willingness to grow.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid talking about things you are proud of, but it is just as important to explain where you are going. Link your achievements back to the role, show how your knowledge can help their business grow, will give you an edge.
YOU CAN ASK FOR HELP
Being the person who says yes to everything might seem like your showing willingness to an employer, but that’s not always the case.
For example, if there is something which sits outside your current skillset, saying yes could demonstrate that you haven’t read the job description fully and this could come across as uninterested or even a bit desperate which is not something you want to do.
You should always be honest about your skills and expertise when relating it back to any role. Whenever there is a time you do not have the skill set, you can demonstrate you interest and intention on learning more.
BE YOURSELF
While preparation may be key, you should feel comfortable to be yourself. You don’t want to hide your personality behind well-rehearsed scripted answers when it comes to the interview. Part of the process is getting to know who you are, get to know your personality and have a genuine two way conversation.
So while you should be able to bring examples forward clearly, being able to hold a conversation about yourself and your skills and letting conversation flow is just as important.
KEEP IT RELEVANT
When the conversation is flowing well it can be easy to forget that you need to keep things on track. Being able to talk about your experiences and include stories of how this came about is brilliant, but following it up with what happened down the pub on a Friday is not OK.
Bringing up your personal life during an interview is not going to demonstrate your professional side and could end up framing you in a more negative point of view. You may be asked about your personal life and that is great, but this should be light-touch compared to talking about your professional skills and experience.
ASK QUESTIONS
Interviews should work both ways. You want to know if the job is going to be a right fit for you as well as if you are a right fit for the company. Do some research around the business and ask anything which you haven’t been able to find out easily at the interview. Go in prepared to ask two or three questions will demonstrate to your interviewer
Remember that while this is a professional setting, allow room for your personality to come though when talking through your relevant experience.
READY TO START YOUR SEARCH?
If you’re ready to look for your next role why not speak to one of our consultants about how we can help you find what you’re looking for.
