How to improve your interview skills? Each day, you come across with many opportunities of new job prospect and career advancement. In some other times, you may experienced conducting interviews in our current jobs. Now, when you are going to attend an interview, you would better equipped yourselves with some crucial skills and techniques. Here are some tips that you should know to increase the chances of success in your job interviews.
1. Understand the job requirements
Learn how to related your experience to the new job requirements. You may not match A to Z of their requirements but you may impress them of your closest skills to that they expect and mention to them if you plan to sharpen your skills like attending courses.
2. The 3W
Who are the interviewers? Know how many persons will interview you, whether is a one-to-one interview or panel interview. Understand their backgrounds and prepare for the questions they may pose to you.
Where is the interview being held? Know how to get there accurately.
When is the interview? Arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier.
3. Appearance
Choose conservative colors for your attire, such as black, grey. Avoid strong Cologne and perfume. For ladies, avoid too many accessories. Get your hair-cut done two weeks before the interview. Clean shave and hair-cuts give you a very young look but also make other people feels you are young in terms of experience. So, avoid wearing brand new shoes, shirt and slack altogether.
4. Research
Check out the background and basic information of the company. Review the details and correspondence you received, print out a copy for reference if they are delivered online. Know and learn about the business and organization chart.
5. Headhunter
Maintain good rapport and keep in touch with the headhunter who approach you for jobs. You can get a lot of information from them, such as,
Why this position is created, vacant?
What is the company culture?
How badly the company want this position get filled up?
What kind of emphasis on experience, skills etc that the company wants?
6. Resume
Make extra photocopies of your resume, academic and professional development certificates in case of other additional interviewers join in. Avoid colorful folders. Focus on the latest achievements of your career and education.
7. Questions from interviewers
Expect common questions asked by the interviewer. For example,
How would you solve this situation if ...happened?
Pause and think about the question carefully. If you had encountered the same incident before, the best answer is based on your very own experience, when and how it happened, the action you took to resolve it and the result. If not, prepare a standardized answer to possible situation.
8. Questions for interviewers
Prepare some questions about the job. In between the interview, you may ask,
1. Understand the job requirements
Learn how to related your experience to the new job requirements. You may not match A to Z of their requirements but you may impress them of your closest skills to that they expect and mention to them if you plan to sharpen your skills like attending courses.
2. The 3W
Who are the interviewers? Know how many persons will interview you, whether is a one-to-one interview or panel interview. Understand their backgrounds and prepare for the questions they may pose to you.
Where is the interview being held? Know how to get there accurately.
When is the interview? Arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier.
3. Appearance
Choose conservative colors for your attire, such as black, grey. Avoid strong Cologne and perfume. For ladies, avoid too many accessories. Get your hair-cut done two weeks before the interview. Clean shave and hair-cuts give you a very young look but also make other people feels you are young in terms of experience. So, avoid wearing brand new shoes, shirt and slack altogether.
4. Research
Check out the background and basic information of the company. Review the details and correspondence you received, print out a copy for reference if they are delivered online. Know and learn about the business and organization chart.
5. Headhunter
Maintain good rapport and keep in touch with the headhunter who approach you for jobs. You can get a lot of information from them, such as,
Why this position is created, vacant?
What is the company culture?
How badly the company want this position get filled up?
What kind of emphasis on experience, skills etc that the company wants?
6. Resume
Make extra photocopies of your resume, academic and professional development certificates in case of other additional interviewers join in. Avoid colorful folders. Focus on the latest achievements of your career and education.
7. Questions from interviewers
Expect common questions asked by the interviewer. For example,
How would you solve this situation if ...happened?
Pause and think about the question carefully. If you had encountered the same incident before, the best answer is based on your very own experience, when and how it happened, the action you took to resolve it and the result. If not, prepare a standardized answer to possible situation.
8. Questions for interviewers
Prepare some questions about the job. In between the interview, you may ask,
Do you want to know more about what I haved mentioned in my resume?
Towards the end of the interview, ask some questions that show your interest in the job. For example,
When will I be notified successful for the job?
Who shall I report to?
Is there any second interview?
When will I start working?
How many people will I be working with?
