Do you have an interview for your dream job? Here are some tips to make sure you ace it.
1. Don’t be late; if possible arrive at least 15 – 20 minutes early for the interview. Find a place to gather yourself and check your appearance, make sure your clothes are neat and not wrinkled, check that your paperwork is in order, and get your thoughts together.
2. Make sure that your cell phone (or any other electronic device) is on silent mode.
3. Don’t bring anyone with you. If someone is giving you a ride, they should wait in the car.
4. Don’t introduce yourself with a shaky voice; this implies that you lack confidence. Give a confident handshake and a big smile. First impressions go a long way, so make sure you give a great one! First impressions are usually formed in the first 10 seconds of an interview, and hiring decisions are often made in the first few minutes. That is why it is important to get off on the right foot and build an instant rapport with the interviewer. When you have a good rapport with the interviewer, it enhances your ability to connect with them on a deeper level.
5. Don’t project negative body language. Sit up straight and look interested.
6. Avoid looking away; maintain eye contact with the interviewer as much as possible. If you are being interviewed by more than one person at a time, try as much as possible to maintain balanced eye contact with all parties.
7. Don’t ramble. Make sure you give the interviewer all the information they need to assess that you are the right fit for the job.
8. Avoid asking interviewers to repeat questions. Paying close attention to your interviewer’s questions, saves you from wasting your their time and also shows that you are a careful listener.
9. When the interviewer refers to your resume, don’t focus only on your job duties. Remember to emphasize your accomplishments. This will distinguish you from other candidates.
10. Don’t give any negative answers or speak badly about your current/past employers, managers, or experiences.
11. You might be asked “Why do you want to join this company?” People often say, “Because I can benefit a lot from this company and gain more exposure.” However, it is better to answer with how the company can benefit from you. A good answer would be, “I want to add more value and innovation to the marketing department of this great organization, and I believe I can use social media marketing tools to gain more clients and reach a wider spectrum of people.” Make sure you do your research into the company so you can answer with a lot of detail.
By Michael K. Ofori, Country Manager, Uniemploy International
Uniemploy International is a multinational Human Resource Consulting firm with offices in Ghana and the United Kingdom. Around the world, we help clients drive performance by providing effective and efficient HR Solutions such as Corporate and Domestic Recruitment, HR Outsourcing, Payroll Administration, Salary Survey and Training for corporate bodies and individuals to relieve them of daunting employee-related issues and enable them focus on their core business function.
