How to prepare for your interview
How to prepare for your interview
So you’ve sent out your CV to a hundred companies and you’ve waited… waited…. waited. Finally, when you least expect it and you answer the phone ‘Yebo’, you discover it’s someone from one of the companies you applied to inviting you for an interview.
Don’t make this mistake or the many others interviewees make…
Follow these tips to ensure you have a successful interview!
- Telephone etiquette: Make it a habit to answer the phone professionally when you don’t recognise the number. The best way to answer the phone is to say ‘Hello, [your name] speaking. This way, the caller knows exactly who they’re speaking to. Another very important tip is to speak loud and clear. Cellphone reception is poor in South Africa so it’s difficult to hear the other person so make an effort to speak up and speak clearly. This will also portray an air of confidence and professionalism which is important to employers.
- Make sure you write down all the information: As soon as you’ve composed yourself from answering the phone ‘Yebo’, be sure to write down all the details for your interview. The address, date, time and who you will be meeting with – and who they are, for example, will you be meeting with the CEO or the HR manager. Ask for the person’s telephone number in case you need to verify anything or if something really terrible happens on the day, you can cancel the interview.
- Make sure you can make the interview: An interview is something really important and you should move things out for it, but sometimes, it’s just not possible. For example, if you have an exam at the same time. Ask for another suitable time. Politely explain your circumstances so the person on the phone understands your reason for wanting a new time.
- Don’t not pitch: This is really not cool to do. The person you’re meeting with has made time to see you and has probably shifted their priorities for the interview. It’s extremely rude if you just don’t pitch.
- Research the company: The next step is to prepare for the actual interview. Look the company up on the internet and understand exactly what they do, who their customers and suppliers are, and what their business model is. Jot down some questions to ask, but make sure they are relevant to your position. Rehearse the information you’ve just learned so that you can use it in conversation during the interview.
- Review the job advert: The interviewer will ask questions like, why did you apply for this position? So you need to refresh your mind on what the job ad was about. Also think of relevant questions you can ask about the position, based on the job advert. Review the advert line-by-line and rehearse answers to questions you think they’ll ask you. For example, if the ad says you need to have two years’ experience in X, be sure you can say how many years exactly you have experience and which companies you did X for and for how long and be able to explain X thoroughly.
- Take a drive: Before the day of the interview, take a drive to the company to make sure you know the route and how long it will take you to get there. Try and go during work hours so you can park outside and get a feel for the company culture.
- Plan what you’re going to wear: From the dress code of the people walking in and out, is it a formal or informal environment? This will give you a good clue on how to dress for the interview. If it’s an informal environment, wear smart-casual (chinos and shirt for guys, or skirt and blouse for girls) to the interview. If it’s a formal environment, wear a suit.
- Prepare for the usual interview questions. If you go to a number of interviews, you will start to realise that there are a few questions all employers ask. They’re used as an ice-breaker (to make everyone feel comfortable) and to get a feel for the type of person you are. Rehearse them at home and make sure you have a slick answer for each of them. Remember to be genuine, modest and diplomatic when answering questions. These familiar questions include:
- ‘Tell me a little bit about yourself.’
- ‘What interests you about this job?’ Or, ‘Why did you apply for this job?’
- ‘What experience do you have doing X?’ Or, ‘Tell me about an experience when X happened.’
- ‘What do you know about our company?’
- ‘Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses’ (TIP: Don’t say that you’re a perfectionist when they ask you what your weakness is. Be honest, find something that you can improve on, for example, empathy and say how you’re working on it, eg. ‘I try really hard to see the other person’s viewpoint before I react but I have need to keep working at it’).
Now, you’re ready for your interview, take a look at these tips to help you succeed in your interview…
And if you’re not getting any invitations to interviews, and you’ve put in a good effort (sent out dozens of CVs for relevant positions), this may be why…