Quick Tips for a Job Interview
July 11, 2017 |
| Photo via WeHeartIt |
Okay so tomorrow I'm going to have another job interview at one of the biggest banks in the country. The position is no big deal though, but I don't want to dwell too much into it since it might get jinxed (this always happens okay).
Instead, I'm going to list some tips I've learned through different interviews I had in the past. Remember I graduated in 2015, and since then I've had quite a number of interviews - not too many to brag, but enough to give me the feel of how it is to be interviewed by different kinds of companies. I'll try to make this as personal as possible and not make it too generic because, come on, there's already so many "tips to ace that job interview" posts out there. My version will be based on my experience. Plus I never mentioned the word "ace". ;)
1. Before going to the interview, do a little research on the background of the company and the position you applied for.
This sounds generic but it's true. One of the things the company will surely ask you is if you know what they do. Make sure you do! Because then they might think you're just playing around. More importantly, research about the position you've applied to. Make sure you know its key responsibilities. Sometimes the job title sounds so fancy but when you read the job description, you're simply a secretary. I nearly screwed up one time at a Japanese company because the position sounded really technical and all - but I had no idea what it actually was. The interviewer asked me what do I know of the position and I stuttered! It was so bad lol. So it's very important to know these things.
Here's a tip: align the job description and requirements to your skills or vice-versa. For example, the job is customer service-related. You possibly could then tell the interviewer that you're an outgoing person or you have a very long patience. Something like that. That way the interviewer will know that you know what you're applying for.
2. Bring 2 copies of your resume/CV.
Again, another generic tip but very useful. When I arrived at my interview at that Japanese company, they didn't state in their email that I needed to bring a copy of my CV. But since I've been doing that ever since, and that's what they taught us in school, I still brought 2 copies (always have an extra because what if it gets wet lol or sometimes when the interviewer asks for a copy, you still have one for yourself to review before the interview - I do this a lot lmao). Then there was a girl with me who was also applying. They asked for her CV and she said, "Oh but they didn't tell me in the text to bring a CV." The interviewer frowned. I mean, I'm not being a goody-two-shoes or anything, but it was kind of common sense to always bring a copy (or two!) of your CVs during an interview.
3. Don't let the interviewer see you're nervous. Show some personality!
It's normal to feel nervous during an interview, especially if it's your first time. These are professional people (some of them old, literally) you'll be facing, so there will really be that fear of being inferior to them. Don't be! Or at least, don't show them. Because it will only lead to two things: either the interviewer gets turned off or he/she will feed on your fear and keep throwing you with pressuring questions.
Try to be cool about it! In fact, try to show them some spunk. Interviewers love candidates who stand out with their personality. During one interview I had couple of months back, the hiring manager asked me a lot of questions - most of them trick questions (watch out for these, because this is where they will see your real personality). One of the questions he asked was, "Why should we hire you?" Typical, right. So I gave a typical answer. Then he followed up with, "Why should we not hire you?" I froze for 0.5 seconds because I've never encountered that kind of question before. Realizing it was a trick question, I simply answered with a laugh, "Umm, I think you should hire me." The panel ended up laughing lol. (Just a sidenote, I was almost accepted to that job but the shift was not a regular day shift so I turned it down :( sad.).
4. Don't be afraid of rejections. And don't keep your hopes too high either.
This one is really personal for me. Earlier I mentioned I didn't have too many past interviews. This is because despite all the hundred applications I've sent, I've only heard back from very few. For example, if I sent 10 applications in a month, I would literally only hear a call back from one company. Most of them never even reply at all if you were not shortlisted. And to make it even more painful, most of the time when I make it to interviews, I don't get accepted. I only get shortlisted and make it to the first step then that's it.
Last month I was almost accepted at one of my dream companies. I was really so excited I told my family and friends that finally, I'll be having a job again after three months! And at my dream company! Guess what. The following week I received an email from them saying that someone else took the post. I was really devastated. Everything about it was perfect: the company, the position, the location, the pay, everything! But I lost it. It wasn't for me. I learned from then on that until you actually shake the hand of your boss and sign the contract, nothing is ever sure. This is one of the most important things I learned from applying and going to interviews, and boy I learned it the hard way.
5. Be yourself.
As cliché as this sounds, it's true. Companies will always ask you, "What is your selling point?" "What makes you different from other candidates?" "Why should we hire you?" And trust me, the best way to answer this is by being yourself. You can't put up a mask during the interview just to win the interviewer over then show your true colors once you get accepted. In the long run, you won't be able to be comfortable with what you're doing. I've always believed in the saying "Do what you love and love what you do." And honestly, you won't be able to do this if you aren't your true self. You can't pretend to be an outgoing person just to apply for a client-serviced job if you're an introvert. Like I said, it's not going to work in the long run.
And of course, by the end of your stay in that particular job, you should still be the person you were when you started. If you feel like you're being changed by your job, then quit. I resigned from my last job because the principles of the workplace was no longer aligned to mine. I didn't feel comfortable working in a place where I'm no longer happy, and so I left.
Best examples of this tip is Anne Hathaway's Andy from The Devil Wears Prada and Emilia Clarke's Louisa from Me Before You. Give these a watch before your interview, it might help! ;)
And there you have it! My five quick tips on preparing for a job interview. It's really all up to you if you want to ace that interview. You can be called in for one but it's not really what you like, so you can just wing it lol. And never believe in the idea of settling for just any job. Maybe in the beginning, sure. But as you progress on in your career, start picking jobs you really really want. Remember, "Do what you love and love what you do."
♥, Murgaloo
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