Congratulations. You just got an interview.
The hard part begins now.
In the ever-changing world of the job market, acing the interview is getting tougher and tougher. Every year, the race for top positions grows more fierce. The people who make it are those who are prepared.
But, here’s the thing…
Most people are not prepared. They walk into interviews cold, wing it, and hope for the best. Bad idea. As a matter of fact…
LinkedIn recently revealed that a whopping 80% of job seekers are unsuccessful in their quest for a job interview. Yikes. That’s 4 out of every 5 people!
It doesn’t have to be that way. You can dramatically improve your odds of job search success with a few solid strategies. Whether it’s job openings in your hometown or nationwide opportunities, preparation is the key.
What you’ll learn:
- The importance of preparing in advance
- Body language tips to wow the hiring manager
- How to answer the most common interview questions
- The right way to follow up after your interview
Preparation is key
Ok, so, what’s the single most important thing a job candidate can do to land their dream job?
Stop reading for a second and think about it…
Got it in your mind?
If you said ‘prepare in advance’, then you’re exactly right.
In my experience, by far the biggest mistake made by job seekers is showing up to an interview unprepared. It makes no sense. Countless people spend hours searching for ‘tips for looking for work’ but then skip the hard work of preparing.
Looking for work online is just a first step.
It’s the home stretch of preparing that requires the real effort. Get to know the ins and outs of the job opportunity, target company and position description. Only then can you approach interviews with confidence.
Job seekers focused on customer service or call centre positions might find exceptional job opportunities with Afni. One can find top-notch AFNI job opportunities in Tucson, Arizona and a career pathway with a top-notch customer experience company.
Use sites like Afni careers as a great place to kickstart the job search and preparation process.
What does good preparation look like?
- Research the company, industry and the person you’ll be interviewing with
- Familiarize yourself with the job description and position details
- Have specific examples of your skills ready
- Practice common interview questions out loud
Paying attention to that last point is critical. You will speak much more naturally if you practice your answers out loud.
Body language
Did you know that body language can play a bigger role in job interviews than the words you say?
Gut reaction?
Not what you were thinking, right? After all, aren’t words what matter most?
It turns out that’s not the case. Consider this:
Body language accounts for 55% of communication in an interview. Tone of voice accounts for another 38%. Words? A measly 7%.
Say what?
For a hiring manager, where you sit and where you look and what you do with your hands speaks volumes.
Employers are watching everything. In fact, a full 67% of hiring managers believe that failure to make eye contact is the most common nonverbal mistake in interviews. Yikes.
So what should you be doing?
Maintain good eye contact. Don’t stare, but hold natural, comfortable contact when you’re speaking.
Sit up straight and lean in slightly. Show them you’re engaged and interested.
Use natural hand movements and avoid fidgeting or touching your face.
Smile. Let your facial expressions show your genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity.
Making these small changes can dramatically alter how the interviewer feels about you.
Answering difficult questions
Have you ever been in an interview where you’re asked one of those classic questions…
“What can you tell me about yourself?”
“Where do you see yourself in five years?”
“What’s your biggest weakness?”
These seemingly simple questions are where many job seekers lose their footing.
The biggest mistake here is being unprepared. These questions are not traps. They can be answered with some simple preparation.
The most popular technique I use to prepare candidates for behavioural-based interview questions is a simple framework called STAR.
Situation, Task, Action, Result.
For each question, follow these four steps to provide a concise and compelling answer. Tell the interviewer the context (Situation), your role (Task), what you did (Action) and the results of your efforts (Result). Interviewers love specific examples of achievements, not vague generalizations.
Something most people forget to do…
Allow yourself a few seconds to think before answering. Pause and take a breath. Thoughtful silence is not a bad thing. If you immediately start speaking to avoid an awkward pause, you risk rambling and saying something that hurts your chances.
Follow up
Interviews don’t end when you shake the hiring manager’s hand and head out the door.
What you do after that point can be the most important part of the entire process. The single most critical error most people make is doing nothing.
Do not make this mistake.
Send a follow-up email within 24 hours of your interview. Keep it short, sweet and personal. Reference a specific point from the interview. This will show you care and were paying attention.
Here’s a sample template:
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. It was great learning more about your [XYZ position] and how it contributes to your company’s growth. I’m excited about the opportunity to [specific goal or responsibility] and believe my skills in [specific area] will be a great match for your team. I look forward to the possibility of working with you.
That’s it. Keep it to less than 150 words.
You can even send a handwritten note in addition to the email. That’s fine for certain positions and industries. But the email is always safe, expected and acceptable.
Dealing with rejection
You might be one of the lucky ones.
After all, not every interview ends with a rejection.
But the truth is, most do. Even for the most qualified candidates.
The difference between the people who keep getting interviews and those who don’t is how they handle rejection. You can change the rules and make sure the next interview is your last.
Always ask for feedback when you’re not chosen. Most companies won’t provide it, but some will. Treat it as gold and learn from it.
Maintain a good relationship with the employer. The candidate they did hire might not pan out. There will be other openings in the future. You want them to remember you in a positive light.
And most importantly…
Don’t take it personally. Every rejection is one step closer to the right offer.
Bringing it all together
Acing job interviews is hard work.
No one becomes an expert overnight. But with consistent effort and the right strategies, job seekers of all levels can see significant improvement.
Here’s what you need to remember:
- Take the time to prepare thoroughly for every interview
- Practice your answers out loud
- Remember that body language is just as important as what you say
- Send a personalized thank-you email within 24 hours
- Learn from rejection and improve for next time
The job market is competitive. Hiring managers will receive dozens of applications for a single role. They want candidates who are willing to put in the work.
Job seekers who master the interview process, will master the job search.