Convey Warmth During The Interview
The crisis has made people more eager to connect with colleagues on an emotional level and your interviewer may have a higher expectation about how much warmth you convey during the interview. Markman recommends that you follow the lead of the interviewer on small talk, but it may be appropriate to ask the interviewer how they and their loved ones are doing right now. And you should have a good response prepared for the same question should it come back to you. He suggests something like, Thanks for asking. Im doing as well as possible under the circumstances. You dont need to go into unnecessary detail.
How To Nail A Behavioral Interview
Behavioral interviews focus on a candidates past experiences to assess how theyve navigated specific situations and utilized skills relevant to the position. Rather than asking theoretical How would you handle ___? questions, your interviewer will focus instead on concrete How did you handle ___? prompts.
Loving your job is an important step in living a good life. Begin your adventure with Allstate to get the resources you need to bring your vision for success to life.
Prepare Your Salary Number
Yes, this is might come up, especially if the phone interview is an initial screening call with HR. So youll want to have a smart answer ready.
Figure out what youre worth by using a salary calculator and reading this article and this one. Then practice how youll convey that request by reading this article on discussing salary requirements.
And check out this article if you find yourself being asked the question, Whats your current salary?
You May Like: Where Can I Watch The Meghan And Harry Oprah Interview
This Position Requires You To Keep Track Of Multiple Projects How Do You Keep Yourself Organized And On Task
I am a list maker. I get a huge amount of satisfaction from crossing tasks off my to-do list. To that end, I keep an electronic organizer on my phone that is synched up with my computer and digital calendar.
Every task Im responsible for is entered into my program, given a priority level and a due date. The best part of this entire system is the fact that I can set alarms and reminders. By assigning priority levels and alerts, Im able to complete tasks in the most efficient order possible.
I can know, at a glance, whats been accomplished and what remains to be done. I start out each day with my list and every night mark off what has been completed.
Do Research On The Company
Before an interview, make sure you do a good amount of research on the company itself.
Go to their website and write down their mission statement, any products/services they offer, their pillars, etc.
If you can find history on the company or shareholder information, that will be helpful as well. Write down as much information as you can find.
You will take this information with you to your interview and try to incorporate a few of those things into the interview.
For example, you can say something like I feel Id be a great candidate for this role because I emulate the companys pillars of honesty, responsibility, and trustworthiness in everything I do.
Basically, use the information you find on the company to make sure they KNOW that you did your research. I always like to include a few talking points about the company and relate them back to why Id be the best candidate for the job.
You May Like: How To Get Ready For Interview Questions
When Were You Most Satisfied In Your Job
The interviewer who asks, “When were you most satisfied in your job?” wants to know what motivates you. If you can relate an example of a job or project when you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of your preferences. “I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the customers and their problems that is an important part of the job for me.”
Practice Good Manners And Watch Your Body Language
You must be confident but not overconfident. To help you to do this, pay attention to your body language. Ensure that you stand straight with your shoulders back. Remember to lean in when being spoken to and display active listening body language.
Before the interview starts, settle your mind. Assure yourself that you are ready for the interview and have the necessary skills to successfully land the job. Having a positive mindset will settle your nerves and ensure that you look confident when you enter the interview room.
Be sure to maintain eye contact and have a smile on your face when offering a handshake to the interviewers. Your handshake should be firm, but not to the point where you make the other person feel uncomfortable or hurt their hand.
Also Check: How To Answer It Interview Questions
Answer Open Interview Questions Carefully And Concisely
The usual interview starts with a simple and generic question like Tell us a bit about yourself. The question means that you explain why youre an ideal candidate for this position. Things like your degree, past experiences, any certified courses, and the reason why went for this career will suffice. Keep it brief.
These questions are to just know your background and past experiences, dont take them too informally as first impressions are incredibly important.
How To Master The Star Interview Technique
If you want to master how to nail interviews using the STAR interview technique, youll need practice, specificity, and consistency.
Firstly, you have to dedicate time to learn how to tackle common interview questions using the STAR technique. Secondly, when answering interview questions using the STAR technique, you need to be specific with your answers. Refer to real-life situations, and explain how your actions impacted work outcome. Finally, be consistent with the technique. Dont only feel pumped to use the technique during your initial interviews. Practice and consistency births mastery therefore ensure you consciously stick to this method during your interviews.
You May Like: How To Code Interview Transcripts
Know Your Resume By Heart
Make sure you know the dates and the other information perfectly. Theyll ask you specific questions about your experience and qualifications, dont make silly mistakes!
You need to be very familiar with each and every bullet on your resume. For each bullet on your CV/resume, write out the story or a few examples outlining how you performed or achieved that particular bullet. Be able to succinctly and articulately communicate the story behind each bullet.
Also, prepare stories about challenges, failures and difficult situations that are not on your resume. These types of questions always come up. Embrace this fact and be ready for those questions.
Things That Can Help You Nail A Job Interview
Do you know that you have about seven seconds to make a good first impression at a job interview? There are few things more nerve-wracking than job interviews. If youre a generally introverted person, they probably make you incredibly nervous, making your introversion a weakness for job interviews.
We get it job interviews seem like make-or-break situations. Employers are picky, and job candidates often make easily avoidable mistakes that end up getting them rejected.
Lets talk about some of the most common mistakes job candidates make during interviews, so you can steer clear of them for your next interview!
You May Like: How To Crack Amazon Data Scientist Interview
Why Are You Leaving
Why they ask it: This is probably the universal question thats asked in an exit interview. The company wants to know if youre leaving for money, a better title, a partners job transfer across the country, family reasons, etc. They are trying to figure out if theres something the company can do better or if your leaving is something out of their control.
How to answer it: Be honest and strategic. For example, if youre leaving for more pay, you may want to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my work and team at this company, but it was also important to me to be compensated closer to market value, which ultimately didnt seem like a possibility here. You dont have to reveal your new salary level unless you feel comfortable doing so.
If its for personal reasons, feel free to share what you feel is professionally relevant about your situation, and consider providing feedback the employer could use productively to help retain other employees in the future. I have to care for a relative and so flexibility is very important right now. Unfortunately, the company wasnt able to provide the level of schedule flexibility I needed.
Imitate Behaviors Of Your Interviewer
This may sound strange, but if you pick up on the interviewers actions and reflect them , it can help you make a connection. An article from The Muse says, For example, if your interviewer has high energy and gestures while he or she talks, strive to express that high level of liveliness. And vice versa: if your questioner is calm and serious, tame your energy down a bit.
You May Like: How To Prepare For Cyber Security Interview
Practice Your Answers To Common Questions
Before your interview, youll want to practice what you will say if certain questions are asked to you.
For example, employers love to ask about your biggest weakness.
This one can often make people look like a deer in headlights. Nobody wants to share their actual weakness. However, if you can be prepared in advance to share a weakness that you can transform into a positive thing, they will be impressed.
Practice with your family or friend beforehand and have them ask you difficult questions. Ive done this with every one of my clients and they were so prepared for the interviewers questions, they nailed them with ease because they knew exactly what to say!
How Was Your Manager
Why they ask it: Theres a saying: People dont quit jobs. They quit managers. And this is exactly what HR is trying to find out. Did you quit because of your manager?
How to answer it: If your manager was fantastic, say so. Thats a time for open praise and honesty. If, however, you and your manager didnt get along, that could be a time to keep things more general. You can go with something like, We didnt always see eye-to-eye, but we managed to succeed on multiple projects.
Recommended Reading: How To Prepare For Google Interview In 6 Months
How To Help Your Student Nail Their Job Interview
Educators are considered one of the biggest investors in a students early career, and that role tends to extend beyond the classroom and into the workforce.
But how do you help prepare former and current students for this critical transition into a career? How do you help them land a solid role with a reputable company? How do you make sure theyre not part of the 53% of recent college graduates who are unemployed or the 43% that are underemployed ?
You start by helping them nail a critical component of the job application process the interview. Contrary to popular belief, interview skills arent merely inherent. They are developed. The interview isnt just about intuition its also about preparation. There are all sorts of ways to help your student develop these critical soft skills, but weve found the three methods outlined below work best when it comes to leading students toward a victorious interview.
Print Out Other Relevant Documents
In addition to your cheat sheet, it might help to also print out a copy of your resume and cover letter, as well as any other information you think you might need to reference . As Muse writer Aja Frost points out, the interviewer may bring up points you made in these documents, and youll want to know what theyre talking about.
Also Check: How To Email Someone After An Interview
What Are Your Goals
When you’re asked, “What are your goals?” sometimes it’s best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future. For example, “My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility.”
Consultative Interviewing: How And Why It Works
Consultative interviewing, or going into your job interview as though youre a business consultant, armed with questions about the business and how your expertise might fit in, allows you to steer the conversation toward areas where you excel. And, as we all know, thats not the way typical job interviews go.
Think back to your last, or last several, job interviews. They usually go something like this: Youre led into a room with a hiring manager or a team, and they ask a series of questions designed to ferret out information about you with the goal of determining if youre right for the position, the culture, and the team. You are not in the drivers seat. They are. It can feel a little like an interrogation. Sound familiar? Were sure it does. Everyone has been there.
But if you go into it thinking of yourself as a consultant who is interviewing a new client about his or her business to determine if youre the right person to take on whatever challenges theyre facing, suddenly the whole experience transforms. Its more of a conversation about possibilities and opportunities, and less of an interrogation with you in the hot seat.
Interviewing like a consultant means taking a step back and asking questions about the company while remaining confident in your skills. It shows youre business savvy and willing to take charge to influence change. Ultimately, it gets noticed and is memorable when it comes to decision time.
Read Also: How To Do A Video Interview For A Job
Answer Questions With Examples
Instead of telling the team and the company how you would bring improvements and ideas, show how you would do it. Sketch out an idea of how youre going to solve a problem. Not only is this an unexpected way to show off your skills, but it demonstrates your capacity to think on the spot. People remember tales better than facts, and using examples is one of the best ways to make a story that will appeal to people.
Get To Know Your Interviewers
This step starts in prep. Before you shake a single hand in that interview room, its a good idea to know ahead of time who youre meeting.
If at all possible, ask at the time youre invited to the interview if they can provide you with the names of all the people who will be interviewing you. Keep in mind that the panel will always be subject to last minute changes and dont be surprised if there are substitutions or additions, but its still nice to go in with a good idea of who might be there.
Once you find out who is interviewing you, do your research. Look them up both on the company website and through . Learn a little about them and their history with the company and career overall.
Dont over-stalk themyou want to impress them with your attention to detail but you dont want to concern them with obsessive digging or revealing too much knowledge about personal details.
Having a little background information on each person can also help you break the ice, especially if there is common groundand that can help make the entire process feel less like an interrogation and more like a friendly conversation between friendsand potential coworkers!
Also Check: What Language To Use For Coding Interviews
What Is The Star Interview Technique
STAR interview technique is a way of answering interview questions by highlighting specific situations explaining what was expected, what you did as a result of the expectation, and the outcome of your action.
The STAR interview technique is applied for the behavioural and situational type of interview questions and its an acronym for
S Situation
How To Nail An Interview In 2021
Now that youve nailed the interview, youll want to write a post-interview thank-you note. You can read exactly how to do that here: How to Write a Post-Interview Thank You Note That Will WOW Any Employer
This post was all about the 11 best tips on how to nail an interview to land the next step in the process.
You May Like: How To Act During An Interview
Prepare An Interview Tool Kit
Being prepared for your interview is the best way to ace it. Putting together a job interview kit is a great job interview strategy. Not only will you want to have ample copies of your resume in your kit, but you can also include other items you will need like directions to the office, a bottle of water, eye drops, pens, and a notepad. Put the copies of your resume in a neat folder and keep the other items in a small bag in your car.
