DURING THE INTERVIEW
Before you begin the interview, try and calm your nerves. It is inevitable to get anxious during an interview, but channelling those emotions in the right way could help you be at your best. Do not look at the interview as a personal interrogation but rather as a professional conversation.
They say first impressions count, and so you need to sell yourself from the moment you walk in. Confidence should be your main attire so avoid looking standoffish or unapproachable. A study by Albert Mehrabian, a professor of communications, found that the relative importance of body language when conveying a message is 55 per cent, compared to 38 per cent of tone and 7 per cent of words.
Some studies indicate that interviewers make up their minds about the candidate in the first five minutes of the interview, so be sure to score a success within that timeframe. You can start with a positive comment about the company and the contributions you would like to make to certain fields.
Clarify your selling points, and do not bury them in long-winded stories. Pick about three to five strong points telling what makes you the best candidate and give examples to back them up. Employers will not go for an average applicant when the competition for the vacancy is high, and that is why you should present your most outstanding skills.
Be mindful of the statements you make, as one bad remark is enough to mess up the whole interview. Most interviewers will ignore the achievements one had highlighted and easily reject a candidate for one negative comment they made. Instead, be positive and talk about the good experiences.
Intently listen to avoid the interviewer repeating questions, and do not be in a rush to respond, otherwise interrupting your potential employer. Being a good listener shows that you are respectful and have great interpersonal skills.
Remember not to speak ill about your former or current employees, regardless of the experiences you have had. This is normally a huge red flag for any candidate and questions their professionalism as the interviewer might assume that you will do the same to them.
Lastly, do not give false information. For instance, if you are probed on an area that is not your strong suit, be honest about it and let your interviewer know that you are willing to learn and how you can gain the skills for that particular area, say a short online course. However, follow this up with another strength you could bring to the table.