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| Maximise
you own potential |
Once
you've got your interview lined up it is important that you are
prepared for it. You must think
what it is that the potential employer is looking for. You
must prepare and organise yourself.
Below we have listed below some key areas for your
preparation.
Your
previous work experience, accomplishments;
both at work and on a personal front, Education, Personality,
Work motivation, Likes/Dislikes about current role, Working
relationship with current and previous supervisors, Your
communication skills, Your goals and objectives both in work and
in your personal life.
Using
the above it is a good idea to put together a short presentation
detailing your career history, what you have achieved, areas you
are proud of, an analysis of your strengths and what you want to
achieve. When talking about you goals and objectives it is
important to talk about personal goals as well as business ones,
as this will demonstrate a balanced view on life and how you see
your career fitting in with other parts of your life. Such a
presentation will give you control of the interview situation,
because you will be able to lead and not be led. You should look
to prove to the interviewer that you possess the following.
Professionalism,
Organisation, Communication
Skills, Analytical Skills, Confidence, Desire
You
will also find that different companies adopt different
interview styles, with some companies adopting multi level
interviews, each level designed to test for a different set of
skills. It is therefore important to find out what the interview
structure will consist of, as this will help you do the correct
level of preparation for each interview stage. The
main interview can be demanding. Take time to weigh up what
approach the person interviewing you is taking.
Are
they intent on relaxing you? If so they probably want to find
out more about your personality and what motivates you.
Are
they being aggressive? It could be that they want to test your
ability to handle pressure. Examples of how you have excelled in
such situations will be of importance here.
Are
they intent on asking you what you would do in certain
situations? Here they are questioning your problem solving
skills, your creative ability and overall judgment.
This
is not an exhaustive list, but you do need to be aware of why
the interviewer is taking the approach you are being subject to.
Understanding the interviewer's motivation is the key to
successful interviewing!
There
are many qualities that employers look for in successful
applicants, but here is a quick reference list of the most
common :
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Reliability
- time spent in jobs, a stable home life, sickness levels
reaction under pressure.
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Enthusiasm
- body language, gestures, smiles, eye contact, voice levels.
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Determination
- past achievements, overcoming problems, reaction under
pressure.
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Ethical/professionalism
- organisation, punctuality, appearance, personal standards,
integrity.
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Communication
skills - listening skills, relevance of answers, no waffling,
body language.
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Desire/ambition
- short/long goals, career planning future plans, questions
asked about position/opportunities/financial package, past
achievements.
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Flexibility
- quick thinking, previous examples, coping with change,
awareness of interview tactics and subsequent reaction.
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Personality
- sense of humour, social graces, ability to make small talk,
body language.
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