You have just landed that dream job interview. What is the best way to prepare?
Workplaces are changing, and so is the hiring process. Preparation is key.
Here are 3 key areas of focus to help you prepare for a job interview:
1. Workplace culture fit.
Workplace culture fit is very important, in some instances this is equally as important as skills and experience. There is more of a focus than ever before on your behavior in the workplace, or your ‘work style’.
Tips on preparing for work style or behavioral questions:
-Be prepared to explain your role and responsibilities within it. Practice explaining your role and responsibilities with emphasis on relevancy to the role you have applied for.
-Situational questions like ‘what would you do if’ or ‘tell me a time when’ are almost always used. Prepare by writing down possible examples.
-In the digital space, many interviews simply begin with ‘tell me about yourself’. This can sometimes throw you off-guard. It is an excellent opportunity to lead with your elevator pitch or a short version of your work story. This is also an ideal time to showcase who you are and your personality.
-It is common for the interviewers to want to ‘get to know you’, not just at work. There is a fine line here, as you do not need to discuss anything about you personally, but…. almost all workplaces are looking for someone to be a part of the ‘work family’, someone who is involved and contributes to the team. Sometimes opening-up a little can build more trust, it can be as simple as discussing the rugby on the weekend, or the latest café you visited.
2. A lengthy interview process.
The interview process can be lengthy. Hiring is such an important part of any business. Companies are investing more time into the process and involving more stakeholders. This can feel slightly drawn out for candidates, but in the end the candidate and client can be sure it is the right decision. Please be prepared for more interviews and to invest more time.
Tips on preparing for multiple meetings and different stakeholders:
-Be prepared for any scenario at an interview. The interview could be with a panel, one on one or even with a group over coffee. It is a good idea to mentally prepare for any interview scenario, so you are not caught off guard.
-You will be likely to meet many people in this process, make sure you do your due diligence and research their profile online before meeting them. Some may be potential colleagues, some many be your boss, either way its good to know more about who you are meeting, so you can find it easier to build rapport.
-Greet each person with a hand shake and a smile, or by name. Eye contact is also important.
-Why do you want to work with the company? Yes you must be prepared for this question.
– What do you want to know about the role or company? Make sure you come prepared with a list of questions. Note: save the hard-hitting salary questions for round 2 interview.
3. Example of success.
How do you measure success? Whether you are in sales, digital campaign management or in a client services role, it is important to be prepared to share success stories. Being able to not just communicate articulately what you can do within your role, but be able to articulate results can be key. This shows competency and accountability.
Tips on discussing work or project success.
-Be prepared with some project or campaign examples. Ie; what the project was, how you managed/contributed, and what was the outcome (it’s okay to just use % with sensitive information). Not only will this mentally prepare you better for the interview, but it is also a great way to showcase your ability.
-Be prepared at this point to answer any questions about the example.
In short, treat each interview as an opportunity to showcase your skills, but also to build rapport with the stakeholders. Take pride in preparation. I use the 5 P’s’, ‘Preparation Prevents P#%s Poor Performance!’.
Candidates always feel less stress and perform more naturally if they are well prepared.
If you have any further questions regarding interview tips, please feel free to contact us. analogrecruitment.co.nz