Theoretical overview
On the day of Interview
Good Timekeeping is Essential
Travelling to the interview can be stressful, especially if you’ve to commute a long distance. Try Arrive at least 10 minutes early. Showing up a little bit early to the interview shows that you’re punctual and that you really care about your job. Remember, arriving late for whatever reasons is totally inexcusable. Plus, if you rush in there just before it’s time to begin, you won’t have time to decompress and get into a relaxed state of mind.
Dress professionally
The way you dress makes a statement about yourself. Avoid bright colours and loud jewellery. Regardless of the job that you are applying for, it is a good idea to wear a neat and clean suit, even in a casual business environment. you have to start off by dressing professionally to make a good impression in front of formally-dressed interviewers. Here are few tips.
Make sure to groom yourself well and to pay attention to your hygiene, too. If you don’t put time and effort into your appearance, it will show.
Try on your outfit at least a few days before to make sure that it’s flattering and that there are no problems with it.
Facing an interview
Introduce yourself with confidence – “Self-introduction?” Prepare your Introduction & Key points. The introductory speech is your two minute opportunity to enlighten the interviewer about yourself and what you have to offer. When you walk into the room, stand tall, make eye contact, put a smile on your face, and give your interviewers a firm, confident handshake when you introduce yourself. Walk with confidence and avoid fidgeting or looking around the room; remember that you only have one chance to make a first impression, and you want it to count.
Smile, be natural and speak with confidence.
Even if you don’t feel confident, act as one emanating confidence. Your body language should be accurate and you should be making a positive impact during the interview.
Sit straight on the chair and look into the eyes of the interviewer. Remember, you’ve nothing to lose and go with that mind-set. This causes less palpable stress.
Be articulate when you answer the questions – Speak as clearly and confidently as you can and make eye contact when you share your thoughts and ideas. Try to avoid saying “like” or “um” too much and focus on getting your points across, even if that means pausing to think. The most important thing is that you deliver your words with confidence and sound like you really mean what you say.
Practising saying what you have to say aloud can help you gain the confidence to be articulate during your interview. That said, you should make sure your words sound natural, not rehearsed.
Identify Achievements – Employers want to know how hiring you will make their organisation better and contribute to their overall success. (Assuming you did your homework as suggested in point 1 you can offer examples of innovations, process improvements or revenue saving ideas that may be of interest).
Be Open and Honest – When responding to the employer’s questions, tell the truth! If you made a mistake, say it in a positive way, accept responsibility for it, and explain how you have benefited from the experience & what you have learnt. Do not pretend to be something that you are not, it will not work!
Avoid sharing overly personal information. – Though you may feel like your interviewers really like you and that they’re getting buddy buddy with you, you should avoid mentioning anything overly personal about yourself. Don’t talk about your significant other, your kids, or your personal problems at home; this shows that you’re not focused on the job and that you’re unprofessional. Of course, if you see that your interviewer has a big poster of your favourite sports team in his office, you can mention the connection in passing if it comes up, but don’t get much more personal than that.
Make sure to thank your interviewers in person.
When the interview is over, show that you’re grateful for the fact that your interviewers took the time to meet with you and to get a chance to talk to you about your skills and qualifications. As you leave the room, shake your interviewer’s hand again and make sure to look her in the eye and give her a sincere smile and a real thank you; this shows that you’re considerate and that you’re really grateful for the opportunity.
Just say something simple like, “Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. This has been a wonderful opportunity and I really appreciate it.”
As the conversation wraps up, you can also ask about a time frame and next steps. They should tell you when they’ll get back to you and what the next steps would be.
Points to remember
- Dress properly while going for interview
- Introduce yourself with confidence
- When you walk into the room, stand tall, make eye contact, put a smile on your face, and give your interviewers a firm, confident handshake when you introduce yourself. Walk with confidence and avoid fidgeting or looking around the room; remember that you only have one chance to make a first impression, and you want it to count.
- When the interview is over, show that you’re grateful for the fact that your interviewers took the time to meet with you and to get a chance to talk to you about your skills and qualifications.
