This article is part of the “Interview tips” series.
Jobhunting is not fun. It’s nerve-wracking. It’s competitive. At times, it can also feel insurmountable. There are scores of applicants applying for jobs, and it’s daunting. Jobseekers can be forgiven for feeling lost at sea when scouring seemingly endless rabbit holes on the Internet in search of positions that may or may not be suitable to one’s skills. It’s safe to say that many of us apply for jobs that we are not necessarily qualified for. But we need to work so we take our chances and hope for the best.
As a jobseeker, you know all too well about fine-tuning your curriculum vitae to meet the requirements of the position you’re applying for. Often, it feels like a soul-destroying endeavour. Only a small percentage of applicants receives a response. Most applications are weeded out, and summarily dismissed by a combination of algorithmic sorting controls and human resources personnel. If you, like so many others, have ever been down on yourself, take a breather. You’re not alone. It’s tough out there – that’s for sure. For every door that closes, your trajectory becomes a little clearer.
Getting to the Interview Stage of Your Job Search
Picture this: You’ve sent out hundreds of CVs to no avail, but then an email notification pops up on your screen. You’ve been invited to interview for a position. Congratulations! Getting to the interview stage is certainly an achievement worth patting yourself on the back for. But you’re not out of the woods just yet. Interview readiness is important. If you’re going to try and wing it, hoping to hit your straps, you will be disadvantaging yourself. Remember two things:
- Chance favours the prepared mind
- You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression.
These age-old aphorisms are truisms, and they work supremely well in expectation of an interview. You may consider yourself a really lucky person by nature, and that’s good and dandy if you want to play Luck O’ the Irish Fortune Spins slot game at Casino.com. This approach is great for fun-filled entertainment, but it’s not going to bode well for a structured interview. Once you make it through to the interview stage of the job-seeking process, you can rest assured that your CV was good enough to warrant additional attention. Now, it’s your physical presentation, whether in person or on camera, that needs attention.
Depending on the type of position that you are seeking, the interview stage could be formal, or casual. For example, in the high-tech sector in Silicon Valley, many interviews are conducted with people wearing shorts, shirts, and sandals. These tech experts live in a different world to the rest of us, and can be considered outliers. For everyone else seeking employment in education, sports, finance, industry, manufacturing, engineering, and other sectors, it’s a good idea to clean up and dress up. How you comport yourself, answer the questions, and present your perspective will determine whether the job is yours for the taking.
Can you Get Training for Job Interviews?
Absolutely! Interview preparedness is a critical component of the job search. There are things you should say during an interview, and there are things you should not say during interviews. It’s always a good idea to get as much interview preparation as you can to feel comfortable when you’re put into the hot seat. Sometimes, it’s just a single interviewer, but you may be confronted by several people firing questions at you, and monitoring your responses.
Interview training will serve you well now and in the future. Among others, you get to learn how to answer questions correctly. Provide just enough interesting information to entice the interviewer to push your application through to the next stage. Fortunately, the Internet is awash with interview webinars, seminars, training tutorials, expert guides, and professional interview assistance to help you make a fantastic first impression. Remember, prompt, professional, and polite behaviour will get you plenty of brownie points in your quest towards your next paid position.
