Even if other contenders have more impressive resumes, better qualifications and more experience, employers are invariably swayed by the person who has obviously done extensive job interview preparation and impresses most on the day.
Even if other contenders have more impressive resumes, better qualifications and more experience, employers are invariably swayed by the person who has obviously done extensive job interview preparation and impresses most on the day.
Proper job interview preparation involves taking the time to focus on the position you have applied for, and be convinced in your own mind that this really is the job you want. Any doubts that you may have about the job in question need to be dispelled as the first part of your job interview preparation. This is very important because as hard as you may try to disguise your doubts, any competent interviewer will be able to detect your reticence about the position and immediately disregard you as a serious prospect for the job.
Having established that you really do want this job, the next stage of your job interview preparation is to conduct some research about the company you are applying to work for. The Internet in particular provides a wealth of information in the form of company reports, press releases and the like that can be used to show your knowledge of the company at the interview.
In a similar way, if the company you are hoping to join is in an industry that you know little about, it will pay off for you to do some further industry investigation. Find out who your competitors are likely to be, and get a feel for the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the industry. This information will help you to present as a knowledgeable and well read candidate at the interview, setting you apart from most other applicants.
Your job interview preparation should also include a thorough understanding of the position you are interested in obtaining. You should be able to obtain from the recruiter a detailed job specification so that you can assess the skills and expertise the company is looking for. Then you can match this to your own strengths and core competencies, and be prepared at the interview to explain how you are an excellent match for the position.
One final piece of job interview preparation is to obtain a referral from a company employee. Whilst a typical company may receive hundreds of job applications for a specific position, usually 35% to 60% of all vacancies are filled by a referred candidate. If you do not know an employee, try networking groups such as alumni, trade organizations, professional associations and social networks. A lot of this networking activity can now be completed online so there is a good chance you can uncover a good referral that will maximize your chances of landing the dream job.
So the best job interview preparation involves being convinced yourself that this is the job you want, researching the position applied for, the company and the industry, and find a referral. With all of that done, the dream job is yours for the taking – good luck!
