Interview Tactics

So, for someone in university one very important thing you need to know when finding a job, whether it is part-time, full-time, internship or volunteer work is how to do a successful interview. This of course means cultivating your interview skills.

First and foremost, always reach on time for an interview. It’s a terrible first impression to get to an interview late, even if its five minutes. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should reach too early. This can also make a bad first impression because employers may not necessarily be prepared for someone that comes too early and this can result in employers feeling rushed.

Research, research, research! Always make sure to research the company. Do research on any and everything related to the organisation. View content they have produced, go on their website, check out their Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn pages. Check Wikipedia for an overview on the company’s profile. Get familiar with the employees at the company by viewing there LinkedIn pages so that you get a chance to know the people who may be interviewing you.

It’s also important to think of possible questions that they may ask you in the interview and come up with good answers. Especially, questions related to the type of job you’re interviewing for. One common question that usually pops up in an interview is “Tell me a little about yourself.” There are also usually a lot of questions regarding personality traits, skills and experience that are asked, so it is a good idea to consider possible questions and answers to the questions.

Now an interview may be primarily about a company getting to know you, however, it is also a chance for you to get to know the company. So it’s fair game for you to ask questions, lots of them, to get to know the employer and assess whether you would like to work with the organisation.

Another important point is the way you look. Always ensure to be properly dressed in business attire for an interview. The organisation you are interviewing with may very well be a laid back “jeans and t-shirt” type of organisation, however, you want to make a good first impression and show them how much you want the job. Also important to the way you look, is the way you carry yourself. The way you walk, sit, stand, and your mannerisms. It is important to be confident, but not over-confident.  Strutting into an interview may not do well to impress your interviewers.

Now these are not all the things to consider for an interview but they are the things that I have found most important when interviewing. So, go brave and self confident!

Nikita