How To Make Interviews A Success Every Time

This article has been syndicated from Indian Girl in Germany, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

I vividly remember the first job interview I ever walked into. The hiring manager was a finance specialist who came to recruit, but I was interviewing for a job that I didn’t want in the first place. The interviewer asked me about why I wanted the job and I gave a vague answer. He then proceeded to ask me why my grades dropped in year two, and I gave a joking: I was having too much fun in college? I should have known then to give a better reply, but I just kept shut. What ended up happening? The hiring manager picked at my resume apart piece by piece. I walked out half in tears, humiliated. 

Fast forward one year, and I’ve nailed every interview since. Did I uncover a special job interview secret? No. I decided to learn from my first poor experience and do better the next time. I was going to nail every goddamn interview I ever encountered. 

So, because I believe in passing the wisdom, here are my interview tips that have helped excel time and again.

Rehearse the heck out of the “tell us something about you” question.

First impressions can make or break your interview.  Research has shown that the interviewer knows in the first ~five minutes~ whether or not she will hire you. If you’ve interviewed frequently, you know you will be asked this question 80 percent of the time. I have been asked this question more than I can remember and the best advice I can give you is to rehearse the answer to this question like its your favorite love song.

The more generic, boring and run-of-the-mill answer you come up with, the lower your chances of creating a kick-ass first impression. 

Determine your motivation for wanting the job AND what you bring to the table that no one else does.

Again, nothing generic here. You are probably not the only person the recruiter will have scheduled for the day – and definitely not the last in a string of many. Make yourself stand out by telling the recruiter exactly how and why you will bring value to this job and this company. 

Be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses. 

Even though self-confidence is monumental to nailing every interview, it pays to go over the board. Don’t say that your weakness is that “you’re a perfectionist”. Oh, come on, this is not realistic. The interviewer asked you this for a reason, and admitting that you are human will take you far. 

Have at least three solid questions that you want to ask the recruiter

Coming across as a sincere, curious and well-researched person during the course of a job interview is crucial. Before you leave, make sure to ask at least three strong questions about the position or the company. You can even use this time to get to know more about their role personally and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they love most about their job. This also makes the interview seem less like an investigation and more like a conversation!

Read the full post here.

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