People will hardly argue that an interview is a stressful test, which only the most persistent and confident personalities can pass. But even if you think that you have answered all the tricky questions of the HR manager brilliantly, this is not a guarantee that you will get the dream job. Geniusbeauty.com reveals the secrets of how to adequately pass the test and make the pickiest employer “fall in love” with you.
Learn a little more about the company where you were invited
It is considered a good signal to find out in advance about the organization where you were invited to an interview. If this is a company with a history, do not be lazy and remember a few important dates that your potential employer is proud of. Thus, you will show that you are interested in cooperation, respect other people’s traditions and are ready to become part of the team in case of a positive decision. This approach works flawlessly and is able to change the decision in your favor, when it comes to choosing the perfect candidate.
View the list of requirements and the work conditions
For example, if experience in this field was required in an ad, you shouldn’t say that you’ve been doing something else all your life and then you suddenly realized that you want to try yourself in this particular field. If it was indicated that the candidate must be fluent in a foreign language, you should not try to get employed with your elementary level, explaining that “in fact, you are able to use an online translator, but hope to someday learn a foreign language.”
Firstly, your ignorance (or inability) will be revealed almost immediately, and the employer will be disappointed that you have tried to “make a fool out of him”. Secondly, you yourself will not feel comfortable asking the rest of the staff to teach you to do what you have never done before. This is a loss of time and quality (because until they train you, they will not be able to do their job perfectly).
Therefore, carefully study the requirements and evaluate your capabilities (if you can really show a high level, if you are invited to work, or if you slow down the whole process). If you understand that your experience (or knowledge) is not enough for this vacancy, just look for something else – this will save your time and business reputation.
Brevity is the soul of wit
Try to give concise answers without getting into long explanations about how exactly you decided to connect your life with a particular profession, how hard it was for you to study at the university, and how hard it was for you to find your first job. Remember that time is money, so learn to deliver your thoughts correctly and concisely. This will distinguish you against the background of other candidates and increase the chances that you will get the dream job.
Think ahead and focus on your talents
In order not to blush and not to turn pale at a meeting with an HR manager or a company leader, think over the answers to the most common questions in advance. Otherwise, you will remind a schoolboy trying to say something meaningful at the blackboard. But if it happens that you cannot remember anything suitable (and worthy) as an answer, you can wrap everything up as a joke, which in no way turns into rudeness. This will help get rid of a tense situation and show that you are responding to stressful situations with humor.
In addition, try to concentrate on your own talents and reveal those that have anything to do with your future work. Thus, you will be presented before the employer in the right light and, perhaps, they will offer you a more interesting (and high-paying) position than the one you applied for initially.
Explain how you can be useful to this organization
Even if the listed responsibilities in the new company do not entirely relate to what you did before, you can tell about your achievements, that you dream to develop and improve not only in your professional field, but also in related ones. Be sure to speak about the moments that you think will be beneficial for the organization (increasing sales, attracting investment, expanding the sphere of influence, optimizing the work process, and so on).
Do not be modest when talking about your talents, but do not “boast” beyond measure. The employer tends to prefer candidates, albeit with little experience, but with “burning” eyes and a desire to do everything possible to bring the company to a new level and to prove that he/she is capable of much more.
Do not speak badly about your previous employer
Regardless of how tricky (and straightforward) the questions of the HR manager (or even your future immediate supervisor) will be, do not get misled by the provocation and do not talk about any conflicts that occurred at your previous workplace. Even if you didn’t agree with the bosses, employees, or someone else’s protégé replaced you, the HR manager (and especially the potential boss) does not need to know about this.
This can adversely affect your professional reputation by showing that you are a brawler and a gossiper. Therefore, it is better to answer that you would like to develop, but they could not make this happen at your previous company.
Designate the minimum and maximum expected salary at a new workplace
This will be especially correct, if the job ad did not initially indicate a specific figure and the employer said he would come up with the salary after communicating with the most suitable candidates. In any case, be prepared for the fact that you will be asked to voice the minimum and maximum payment. This may surprise you – even if the initially estimated amount of the salary was indicated during the interview, it may change up or down depending on your knowledge and skills.
Thus, the company is making a decision if it can “afford” you and interest you. You can safely add 15-25% to the salary you received at the previous job (this is considered an optimal increase).
