Five Essential Points to Remember When Presenting Yourself During an Interview

Introduction

Hello, Happy Holidays to everyone, and Merry Christmas Eve. I’m bringing this week’s post to you today since many will celebrate Christmas tomorrow. Know that my and my family’s hearts are with those who are finding this holiday season especially difficult.

Challenge

So, a job seeker asked, “What points do you keep in mind while presenting yourself for an interview?”

Strategic Plan

While there are many things to keep in mind during an interview, these five are the most important to your interview success: 1)Relate responses to the position; 2) Connect with the interviewer; 3) Do not speak negatively about your employer; 4) Ask questions; 5) Close the deal.

Strategy in Action

• Relate your responses to the position that you are interviewing for. So, you should analyze the job description and match examples of your work products to the position’s duties. You’ll perform better on interview day.
• Connect with the interviewer. Establishing a connection with each member of the interview team is imperative. So, search for them on social media, professionally and personally to learn about what you have in common with them. Then, find a way to mention those common points during the interview. This informs you of how their professional life has progressed. You may even learn about their interests outside of work. If you can’t find much about them online, connect during the interview by referring to them by name. Also, remember to connect with all interviews if you meet with a panel.
• Do not speak negatively about your current or former employers. Doing so can take your take your awesome interview down the drain very quickly. You must present a positive spin for leaving even unfair employment circumstances.
• Ask questions of the interviewer(s). Interviewers perceive candidates who do not ask questions as being nonchalant about the interview. So, distinguish yourself from other candidates by developing critical questions that arise from your research.
• Close the deal by with strong follow-up. Don’t forget to say “thank you” within twenty-four hours of your interview. Remember, the employer did not have to interview you. So, show your appreciation for their consideration.

Conclusion

As you can see, preparation sets you up for interview success. When you prepare in advance, you become a high-performance job candidate who is informed, composed and authentic. Exhibit these qualities during your interview to help the interviewer envision you doing the job that you’re interviewing for.

Invitation

Wherever you’re viewing this, please scroll down and leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

As always,

Career Search Success to You! Go Get Your New Job!