How to Get Ready for a Job Interview, Interview tips for Candidates
Interview is your unique opportunity to show your employer what a talented worker he can get, if he invites exactly you. Therefore you should be well prepared.
Preparing for the Interview and Interview Questions
1. Analyze your future position
Write out all the duties and known information about the position and put it to scrutiny (ACA Worldwide Consultant will provide you with such information).
Ask yourself:
- Do I really understand the requirements for a person, holding this position?
- What are the goals of this position?
- How can I achieve these goals?
If there are unclear aspects of the post, write questions that will be asked later during the interview.
It is very important to try to analyze this position, to define which of your professional and personal qualities, experience indicate that you are suitable for thisposition.
2. Assess yourself
Consider the following questions:
- What are the strategic goals of your career?
- Do they accord with the goals of your future position?
- Why are you interested in this position in this company?
- Can you prove that your qualification correspond to this position?
- Which personal and professional qualitiesindicate that you are suitable for thisposition?
- Do you need this work in deed and not in name?
- Why the company should employ exactly you?
3. Study the information about the company
You need to collect as much information about the company, its business, as possible.
It will help you:
- to decide whether you really want to work in such company
- to prepare yourself to concrete questions you may be asked
- to make an impression with your knowledge of the company (and it points, that you are really interested in this position).
4. Questions you will most likely be asked at the interview
Take time to review the "standard" interview questions you will most likely be asked, and questions that you will ask your employer, prepare your answers with your friends or ACA Worldwide consultant. Use concrete examples, figures, but not just the general phrases!
- Why are you interested in this position?
- What would you like to tell about yourself besides the information in your resume?
- If you get this job, what would be your first action?
- Why do we have to offer this job to you?
- What do you think will be the most difficult for you in this job?
- What do you think is the most important in this job?
- Tell us about the errors that you committed at your previous work and which you don’t want to be repeated in the future.
- Give an example of when performing a certain job you have done more than it was expected.
- What will be your actions if one of our competitors will offer you a job?
- Which product of our company you like most of all?
- Describe your perfect career.
- Why didn’t you get a promotion at former job?
- How would your former employer describe you?
- What are your major achievements?
2. Questions to ask at the job interview:
You must be ready for the possibility to ask questions, and you should use this situation for your own benefit.
Questions to ask at the interview:
- Could you tell me more about the company?
- Is this a new position?
- What do you expect from a new employee in this position?
- What are the criteria of new worker’soperating efficiency assessment?
- What are the company's, or the department’s long and short term goals?
3. What does employer expect from you?
It is useful to know what the representative of the company expects to hear when interviewing a candidate. Your answers will help him to make a decision about your job. He will probably ask himself the following questions:
- Personal impression
Will this person become an efficient representative of our company?
Will he show himself serious and professional?
Will he be able to contact people well, win client’s favor?
- Competence
Is this person able to do such work?
Has he appropriate experience and knowledge?
Communication ability/ability to please
Would I like to work with this person?
Will he get on well with other employees?
Motivation/enthusiasm/commitment
How much he wants this job?
Is he as much hardworking, as he tends to show now?
Will he work in our company long enough to be of real benefit?
- Leadership
Is this person able to take responsibility for our company?
Can he become an example for other employees?
- Matureness and stability
Is this person able to handle stressful situation?
How would he behave in difficult situation?
You are invited to the employer’s company
A strategic career move is something you are committed to. Your resume is updated. With our consultant you have summarized you're past achievements, key features and the benefits to a new employer with our consultants, and you have identified your goals and aspirations in a new career.
Remember you are on show, you should demonstrate honesty, enthusiasm, integrity, reliability, confidence, drive, energy and motivation.
Your communication skills will be tested; rehearsing how you sell yourself beforehand can be useful so make time for an interview preparation call with our consultant before the interview to inform that you are ready for an interview.
The interview is your opportunity to showcase your talent, skills, achievements, goals, aspirations and ability. This is your stage, your chance to shine.
Relax and be confident. Good luck!
- Dress yourself comfortably and strictly, after all, first impressions are everything.
- Be at least 10-15 minutes early. You will have time to brush up, explore the surroundings, compose and relax.
- A smile and a confident handshake will be an excellent start of your acquaintance with a representative of the company.
- Bring a pen and notepad to take notes during the interview and record the answers to your questions.
- Ask the representative of the company questions (which were prepared at home) to find out all the confusing aspects of the post.
- Remember that such questions as salary and other compensations are usually discussed after the official job offer.
- Show that you want that job. If they made you an offer, meet it enthusiastically.
- Do not try to find out what the interviewer thinks of you. You will put him in an awkward situation. You can tell that you want that job and ask what you need to do to get it.
- Do not put a lot of pressure on the company's representative, for himtomake a decision as soon as possible. You should ask a company representative when you can inquire about his decision. But do not try to use "I have other job offers" – it annoys your conversation partner and indicates that you are not really interested in getting this job.
- Discussing your previous jobs do not criticize your former boss and colleagues.
- Do not discuss your personal and financial problems, unless you’ve been asked about it.
- Avoid “WE” describing what you did at work, say “I”.
- Don’t be afraid to sell yourself. You should not be aggressive, however, you need to convince a company representative that you are the just the person that is needed for this job.
- After the interview is overit is important to leave a positive impression about you. Thank the other person for his time, tell that it was very interesting for you and nice to meet him, and you hope to meet again showing interest to work. Confidently shake hands with the interviewer, smile and leave.