Being a recruiter I spend a lot of time speaking with job seekers, people who are putting themselves out there to find their dream job. Most often I speak with those I have set up interviews for. Teaching them good interview techniques is my job, but I also learn new techniques that they are using. I get to see first hand what works and what don’t.
Over the years I have built up a reliable stack of tricks used to put the job seeker above the rest and take advantage of the opportunity an interview gives.
So here are my top 3 tips to take with you in to your next interview and hopefully bring you that job offer you have been waiting for.
1. The Research
Right, you have your interview date and now as everyone know’s its time to do the research. This is a basic rule of interviews however, anyone with access to the web can read the company profile and you know that your competition has read the same as you have.
Don’t use your research so you can spend time in the interview stating facts about the company and its competitors. Anyone can do that, and most will. Its time to set yourself apart from the rest by digging into the most recent history you can find on the company. You need to find recent earnings reports if it is a public company. Go find the most recent press release and facebook stalk them. Check out their social media profiles for information, look at statuses and mentions of them on twitter. As for the industry news, you can find the most up to date articles on the web and find out what is truly going on and impress them at the interview with information they have only just learned themselves. Even better if you know something they haven’t come across yet.
It is still important to find out the most recent direction the company plans to go so that you can align that with your skills and provide ideas of how you can help them.
2. Cues From The Interviewer
A good interviewer wants to get the best from a candidate and so to do that they will provide cues to the information they want to hear from you. When getting feedback on successful candidates I often get told that they followed the cues given to them and provided the information that was sought.
This is done by listening and watching your interviewer to see what they are trying to get from you. For example, you could be asked about a new piece of technology for the industry. Instead of giving a 10 minute recap on what the technology does, the answer they could be looking for is you are aware they have signed a contract with the developer and will be heavily pushing for its use within the sector.
A candidate with all the best qualifications and experience can be beaten by someone less than perfect that engaged with the interviewer on a more interpersonal level.
3. Make The Interviewers Your Clients
The way you approach an interview can make all the difference. If you treat your interview process like it was a client facing project, you give yourself a great deal of extra tools to use to impress and be noticed. You wouldn’t end a meeting without thanking your client for their time; you also would make sure you follow up with them soon after. So do the same with interviewers too.
It’s natural to ask clients what priorities they have for the project you are working on, the project in this case is the job itself. You would also ask about challenges that need to be worked on from the vendor’s side, except instead of being the vendor you will be the employee.
Show your potential employer how you intend to approach the job by showing them how you approach the interview. Use the skills you have in the interview. This stands out in an interviewers mind and standing out is the aim of the game!
Final Thoughts
No matter the job you are going for, be it an entry level worker or an executive role, these are some important steps you can take to shine, and to do the best you can with the opportunity you have been given. The interview is your time to be the best you can be. Don’t waste it.
The interview process can be daunting and nothing is set in stone, but using the tactics I have laid out here will most definitely get you to the top of the list!
Recruitment Avenue prides itself on helping people get the job they deserve. We have some resource material you can access by clicking here.