HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW

An interview is like a selling call where you are selling your services to an employer. When you are going for the interview is like you are going to a sales meeting where you are going to sell your services to a potential buyer. You have a valuable service to offer, the service that the hiring manger needs. An interview is an opportunity for the seller (you) and the buyer (hiring company) to engage in a conversation where you discuss you’re the job, your fit with the job and if there is mutual interest.

Since it’s the conversation, you can ask questions, ask for clarifications and make comments. Having conversation makes any job interview less stressful, more productive and more successful.

The following are some of the techniques to prepare for an interview

1.     Research about the Company

You need to research about the company, the industry, the trend, the position or even about the people who will be at the interview if you can. This will give you the information and the insight for your due diligence/ need analysis

2.     Do your due diligence/ need analysis

Find out all you can about the job. You might be very experienced and you may make some assumptions out of your experience on what the interviewer are looking for or what they need out of the person they are looking for, but the problem is you don’t know it from their perspective therefore you need to find out and understand what it is from their point of view.

3.     Anticipate the questions you will be sked

Think about the interview from the interviewer’s perspective. Ask yourself if you were in the interviewer’s position what would you want to know? Go through possible questions and write out your answer to them.

4.     Prepare to answer interview questions.

There are thousands of interview questions and you don’t know which one you will be asked and you don’t have the answers to them all. Since you can not prepare for all possible questions, learn the basics of responding to any interview question. Always be positive and always focus on what you can contribute to the company and when possible, use examples of your previous experience to demonstrate your ability to do what’s required for the job

5.     Prepare to provide a strong closing.

The interview will definitely come to an end, so prepare to provide a strong closing by offering the interviewer a short, concise summary of your qualifications and stressing your interest in the position. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. Keep the process going by asking about the next steps in the interviewing process and when and how you should follow up with them 

6.     Manage screening Call

You may receive a screening interview call at a totally unexpected and very inconvenient time and probably you are not mentally prepared for the call. Defer the call until later. Let the caller know this is not a good time and schedule a time to speak with them latter. You will not lose the opportunity.

Before the scheduled time, prepare for the call. Review your cv, the job description, research the company, and think through the answers for the questions you can predict

7.     Avoid getting lost or late on the day of the interview

Make sure you know the exact location where the interview shall be held. Don’t assume even if you know where the offices are. Ask the person who calls to invite you for the interview on the specific time and location where the interview is going to be held. Ensure to physically know the interview location before the day of the interview to avoid getting lost or arriving late. Try to arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview begins so that you give yourself time to cool down.

8.     Appear neat and organized at the interview

Try to research about the company culture and identify dress code. Some accept the smart casual and some allow strictly official dress code depending on the nature of the job. In any code, try to appear simple and presentable but not shabby.

9.     Don’t surprise your referees.

Your referees are going to be called once you have been selected as the best candidate. Reference check is done to see if any red flags are raised. Provide your referees with your resume and let them know each time that they may be contacted by a company to which you are applying. Brief them about the job for which you are applying and brief them about any specific issues to mention or to avoid

10.  Know yourself.

An interview is about presenting your strengths, talents, skills, knowledge, values and what you will contribute to an organization. Knowing these things about yourself will make you more convincing and focused candidate. Make a list of your positive characteristics. Once you know these characteristics, you can speak confidently about your strengths and the benefits you can bring to the organization

11.  Prepare Questions to ask.

Interviewers likes to be asked job or company related questions. Focused questions reveals that an applicant has prepared for the interview and is interested in the position. prepare a list of questions and take them with you. When asked if you have any question, take time to review and ask the questions that have not been answered 

12.  Write down the reminders

Write all the things that you might forget when you are nervous on the pad in the portfolio that you carry to the interview e.g., the Questions you need to ask, the success you want talk about, the things you want to avoid etc.

By

Nakundwa Sengoka

Manger, Staff Pool