Nail the interview

Yesterday I was invited to what I believe was one of the best interviews of my life. I have been to plenty so allow me to share some insight on the minds of interviewers and how to properly prepare and have fun while being interviewed. Some background on the company: It’s a communications company that offers a wealth of services from PR, web development, media training, exhibitions, and journalism to name a few of their services. They have an extraordinary list of clients given their eight years in business. Basically if I get this job, I’ll be one of those extremely happy people who just love going to work. I will be most annoying, but guess what? I’ll inspire you to do something you love, are passionate about, and get paid for it.

So below are my top tips for nailing an interview, these are based on my experiences:

Confidence boost. You have been invited for an interview. Give yourself a pat on the back because it means your cover letter and CV has impressed them so much they actually want to meet you in person.

Appearance. You only have one chance to impress your interviewers, so everything you do must be thought out because you won’t get another opportunity. Dress up for the occasion. Neaten up your whole appearance, i.e.; tie you hair, if you have an afro- comb it out,  don’t wear too many accessories, get rid of anything that might distract your interviewers (that could be anything from a noisy bangle or hair that’s in your face), groom your nails, etc.

Be polite. From the minute you enter their premises, put on a huge smile, and greet everyone you meet. If you are offered anything while you wait, go for water, it’s the safest option because you won’t have any dirty spills or accidents waiting to happen.

Show enthusiasm. Once you are in the interview room, look excited to be there. Be a complete pleasure to interview, do whatever it takes not to bore the crap out of them. Being nervous is completely natural but don’t let it take over your interview. Remember they are looking to see what you are really like in person and if you would fit in their environment.

Keep calm and be authentic. Obviously you won’t ace every question they throw at you. If a question is a bit tricky, calm down, have a sip of water, and think back to your past experiences. For example, if you are asked what you would do if faced with a difficult client, reference a past experience and walk them through what you did to get out of that sticky situation. You are not just there to show face, you are there to be memorable so make sure you give them something they haven’t seen or heard from other candidates. There’s no way you could have an exact experience as the previous or next person.

Your interview is headed south if this happens.

Be bold. Okay, this is very important. In an interview situation you might feel a bit intimidated, it’s normal. The trick is to not let it show. Maintain eye contact, smile, be spontaneous, there’s nothing wrong with being prepared, but part of that is preparing for the unknown. What makes yesterday’s interview so memorable is that as much as they appreciated the fact that I came prepared and had thought out answers, they really didn’t want that. They wanted to get to know the real me, what makes me tick, my childhood memories and other light hearted stuff. It’s good to completely prepare for facts and serious stuff, but also walk in with some personality and light heartedness.

Unleash you inner sales representative. Listen, if at any time in my life I feel I hate writing or media, I have a bright future in sales! It is of utmost importance that you know how to sell yourself and to establish a need for your product (in this case it’s yourself) in their business. Have a clear list of your goals, why you would thrive in their environment, believe in your own hype. There’s one thing I’ve learnt from sales or marketing people: even if their product or service is crappy or just too common, they will give you reasons as to why you still need it in your life. Their passion and confidence is infectious and you need that to nail an interview.

Ask and follow up. The last part of an interview is asking questions and knowing when to expect feedback. Don’t be shy to send a follow up email if you still haven’t heard from them. If you don’t get the job, write back and ask that they keep you in their system should anything come up.

Maintaining good relationships. If you don’t get the job, don’t go on a Twitter or Facebook rant, part of seeking work is maintaining good relationships with potential employers. You might get a call because someone recommended you for a job, so be careful not to burn any bridges.

That’s it from me. Go out and nail those interviews!

Love,
K