Ever wondered why some people always seem to land the job they wanted? Why do they seem to be so lucky? The truth is …. They are not- they have just taken time and made the effort to be prepared. Just as an athlete trains for an event, or an actor rehearses before a play, to increase your chance of landing your dream job, thorough preparation is essential.
The internet is a brilliant first step in your interview preparation. With most companies having a website, put aside time to for some online research. This will give you valuable information about the company’s history, their corporate values and product range. Check for news regarding recent acquisitions, joint venture partnerships or major projects that the company may be associated with.
If the company has a retail presence, make the time to visit one of their stores, or a store which sells their products. Check for any advertising material that will give you clues as to how the company markets its products….and itself!
Get a close friend or family member to help with practicing your responses to behavioural questions. These are questions that directly target how you responded to certain situations. Broadly speaking they usually start with “Give me an example of how you….” and will typically be probing how you deal with difficult customers / colleagues; conflicting priorities in your workload etc. Always have a few good examples to share around a range of possible situations. Practice answering questions and listening to your answers. What is the tone of your voice? How confident do you sound? The more you practice voicing the answers to interview questions, the more natural they will feel to you and sound to the interviewer.
If possible, a day or two before the interview, drive out to the site. Check for any parking restrictions that may apply or any road works or other potential traffic delays. Make sure you make allowance for peak hour traffic if appropriate to your interview time. Get your “interview outfit” ready. Iron shirts/ blouses and polish shoes! If it helps to make you feel more confident, get your lucky socks or underwear out ready.
On the day of the interview, remember to be calm and breathe. If you prepared thoroughly, you will feel more confident, and this will shine through in your interview. Remember that the interviewer is interested in you- and that is a subject you should be able to ace!