Job interviews can be scary. Whether you are someone with a lot of experience or a fresh new graduate from college. People usually try to make you feel better about it by giving you advice on how they did things when it was their turn to have a job interview. But the truth is that every interview is different.
My first job interview was at a well-known fashion brand and honestly after it was over I thought, is that it? Well, I was rejected after 5 minutes into the interview because of my time availability. But this was definitely not the case with my second job interview, in which the human resources lady continued to chat with me for more than one hour.
So, it is a different case for every person and every job. But Still, I do think there are certain ways in which you need to prepare for a job interview that can apply to all of them. And this is what I would like to share with you today.
Arrive early
Punctuality is key. If you usually find it hard to get to places on time, this is a great chance to challenge that area in your life. Make sure you are at least 10-15 min early. This says a lot about you, it communicates that you value people’s time and also that it gives the company a glimpse of your work ethic and habits.
People who are late are usually not seen as reliable, and you will have to work a lot more to earn trust if this is the first impression you give. This is a habit that I am working on myself. And let me tell you it is a hard one to change, but definitely not impossible!
Dress according to what you aspire
I will never forget a simple but powerful lesson I learned from one of my leaders. A few years ago I was in charge of a stage design team for women’s event, everyone usually wore their smart casual best for this day. And I also did, but not that day, because I woke up late and ended up running towards the venue with a hoodie and sneakers on.
My job was to communicate with different departments and ensure that we were all in sync in what we were doing. But that day when my leader saw me, she approached me kindly and simply said this: “Always dress according to the authority that you have been given, because this will empower you to be heard and seen by people in a certain way. Not as a way of trying to impress others, but in a way that you will earn respect from your peers if you take the time to reflect outwardly, what you have on the inside”.
That day everything changed for me, and I never went back to work with a careless outfit. So this advice goes to you as well! Always dress according to what you aspire to be!
Read about the company you are applying for
The best thing you can do for a job interview is previously finding out more about the company. Find out about their vision, mission, services provided and maybe even type of customers they usually target. If you already entered the interview showing an interest for supporting the company’s vision, they will know you are someone who is on board heart and soul. And who wouldn’t want to hire someone like that? The more you know, the bigger the motivation you can have.
Be yourself
This is I think one of the best tips and easiest to do once you get over the nerves. Just be you! Show them what you are made of! Who can be a better version of you than yourself? And this is what a company is interested in: the real person who will get to work with them. So don’t worry, if they like you for you, then you know you belong straight away.
Whatever the outcome, don’t be discouraged
And last but not least, remember this is only an interview. An evaluation to see whether you are the best fitting for a job, and the other way around. If the outcome is positive, congratulations! But if it is negative, don’t be discouraged! Your value is not found in a job, or in what you do. You are valuable with both your strengths and weaknesses!
The best thing you can do if you were rejected is just to review, and keep moving forward. Keep applying, keep growing, keep challenging yourself. And you will certainly one day find yourself in the place you once could only dream of.
Hopefully these simple advices helped you a little when it comes to preparing for an interview. Tell us! What else do you think would be useful to have a successful job interview?
