Now, we all know that going to an interview is one of events in life that we all hate. Nobody queues up for the chance to sit down at a table with some people who are going to drill you with questions and try to make you slip up. To take your career to the next level, you need to meet the needs of the interview puzzle. There are three basic elements to a successful interview preparation strategy - Preparation, Presentation and Positive Thinking. Let's start with the beginning: the introduction...
The interview debut can be a slippery customer and one that might easily get away from you. Once you enter that danger dungeon normally addressed as the interview room, youre on your own, never sure if youre articulating or exercising the correct thing. The harder you endeavour to relax the more distressed you appear to feel. Just threading a rational sentence together seems like one of the labours of Hercules. Of course the room is unbearably hot and your mouth is unusually parched so your tongue swells, cutting off the air supply to your mind. Panic grips you. Finally, just as youre about to turn on your heels and make an ridiculous dash for the nearest emergency exit, the sympathetic interviewer extends a friendly hand and welcomes you. Now what do you do?
Don't worry. It really isn't going to be that bad. You will survive! Try to stay cool and approach the task sensibly. Take your time as you realise that you have complete control over how you portray yourself to this group of individuals. You will be meeting them fresh and will not be hindered by any preconceptions generated through gossip or tittle tattle. Arrive on time. Ensure that you are clean and tidy in your appearance. Practice the delivery of your answers to standard interview questions in the quiet of your own room. Once you are confident at this, go on and ask a family member to conduct a mock interview to further boost your self esteem.
Once you have got over the initial introductions, be prepared for them to offer you something to eat or drink. Be wary of accepting their generosity, which may be meant with kindness. Practically, the more variables that enter the picture the more potential there is for things to go wrong. Even holding a cup of coffee may reveal your nerves in a tremor and if you were to spill it... I know that you will be extremely thirsty as your salivary glands will seem to be on strike, but I would suggest that you politely decline any offer of a drink.
It appears that after you have gone through the initial pleasantries, you have about 120 seconds to cement your initial impression in the minds of the interview panel. After they have formulated their initial view of you, they are unlikely to want to deter from the position of either wanting to hire or reject you. Stay calm. In your preparation, you will have determined what your key messages and sales points are. Stay targetted on delivering those messages confidently and clearly.
You may not believe it now, but interviews aren't that bad. In fact - they can actually be fun. The interview panel consist of human beings who may even be more scared than you! They have just as much to risk on the outcome of this interview process as you do. It is an expensive task to get rid of an employee once they are in post, so the selection phase is crucial to the company's future - no matter how senior or junior the post.
Typically, just as you start to relax and feel youre building a rapport with your interviewer youll find the whole torturous process suddenly coming to an end. And its now, at the end of the interview that you face your biggest challenge. As your confidence levels climb its tempting to drop your guard and divert from your original interview strategy. Resist this impulse. Technically known as end-of-interview euphoria you must fight the urge to say something witty or clever. In the intoxicatingly thin air of your newly found confidence the chances are that your wit and cleverness will be interpreted as glibness or even rudeness. Take it from someone who has suffered this fate; fight your urges and keep your mouth shut without youre asked a direct question.
Maybe not the big finale you imagined or rehearsed, but safer by far to conclude your interview with a thank you, a smile and a gentle reminder of your contact details. Before you stand up to leave, especially if youre one of that daredevil breed who recklessly accepts liquid refreshments, make sure that everything spillable is out of harms way. Now, all that remains for you to do is get out of there. At this last delicate stage of the proceedings its advisable not to run. Hazards are everywhere and tripping over the wastebasket, upsetting the coffee table or ripping the telephone line out of its wall-socket will usually go against you. Whenever possible its best to leave your potential new employers office building, fixtures and fittings just as you found them. Play by the rules and youll walk out of there with a new job in the bag. Congratulations. Alternatively, tomorrows another day and another interview.
The interview debut can be a slippery customer and one that might easily get away from you. Once you enter that danger dungeon normally addressed as the interview room, youre on your own, never sure if youre articulating or exercising the correct thing. The harder you endeavour to relax the more distressed you appear to feel. Just threading a rational sentence together seems like one of the labours of Hercules. Of course the room is unbearably hot and your mouth is unusually parched so your tongue swells, cutting off the air supply to your mind. Panic grips you. Finally, just as youre about to turn on your heels and make an ridiculous dash for the nearest emergency exit, the sympathetic interviewer extends a friendly hand and welcomes you. Now what do you do?
Don't worry. It really isn't going to be that bad. You will survive! Try to stay cool and approach the task sensibly. Take your time as you realise that you have complete control over how you portray yourself to this group of individuals. You will be meeting them fresh and will not be hindered by any preconceptions generated through gossip or tittle tattle. Arrive on time. Ensure that you are clean and tidy in your appearance. Practice the delivery of your answers to standard interview questions in the quiet of your own room. Once you are confident at this, go on and ask a family member to conduct a mock interview to further boost your self esteem.
Once you have got over the initial introductions, be prepared for them to offer you something to eat or drink. Be wary of accepting their generosity, which may be meant with kindness. Practically, the more variables that enter the picture the more potential there is for things to go wrong. Even holding a cup of coffee may reveal your nerves in a tremor and if you were to spill it... I know that you will be extremely thirsty as your salivary glands will seem to be on strike, but I would suggest that you politely decline any offer of a drink.
It appears that after you have gone through the initial pleasantries, you have about 120 seconds to cement your initial impression in the minds of the interview panel. After they have formulated their initial view of you, they are unlikely to want to deter from the position of either wanting to hire or reject you. Stay calm. In your preparation, you will have determined what your key messages and sales points are. Stay targetted on delivering those messages confidently and clearly.
You may not believe it now, but interviews aren't that bad. In fact - they can actually be fun. The interview panel consist of human beings who may even be more scared than you! They have just as much to risk on the outcome of this interview process as you do. It is an expensive task to get rid of an employee once they are in post, so the selection phase is crucial to the company's future - no matter how senior or junior the post.
Typically, just as you start to relax and feel youre building a rapport with your interviewer youll find the whole torturous process suddenly coming to an end. And its now, at the end of the interview that you face your biggest challenge. As your confidence levels climb its tempting to drop your guard and divert from your original interview strategy. Resist this impulse. Technically known as end-of-interview euphoria you must fight the urge to say something witty or clever. In the intoxicatingly thin air of your newly found confidence the chances are that your wit and cleverness will be interpreted as glibness or even rudeness. Take it from someone who has suffered this fate; fight your urges and keep your mouth shut without youre asked a direct question.
Maybe not the big finale you imagined or rehearsed, but safer by far to conclude your interview with a thank you, a smile and a gentle reminder of your contact details. Before you stand up to leave, especially if youre one of that daredevil breed who recklessly accepts liquid refreshments, make sure that everything spillable is out of harms way. Now, all that remains for you to do is get out of there. At this last delicate stage of the proceedings its advisable not to run. Hazards are everywhere and tripping over the wastebasket, upsetting the coffee table or ripping the telephone line out of its wall-socket will usually go against you. Whenever possible its best to leave your potential new employers office building, fixtures and fittings just as you found them. Play by the rules and youll walk out of there with a new job in the bag. Congratulations. Alternatively, tomorrows another day and another interview.
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To learn more about how to prepare yourself for your interview have a look at this video on Consultant interview
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