The sad reality is, no matter how qualified you are for a role that you’ve applied for, you’re not the only one in the picture.
There may be candidates your equal, or even more qualified than you.
You’ve been in the job hunting process for a while now, and you’ve applied for many jobs and attended a countless number of interviews. Somehow, you find yourself out of luck, never making it to the final interview stage or landing any job.
But you know you’re perfect for this role - you know it inside out. You’ve worked in similar roles before, and you were good at it. Finally, you get an interview. Still, you know there’s competition and you need to do whatever you can to get the job you want.
What steps can you take to ensure you’re the ripest fruit of the bunch? Take these tips into account.
Plan your interview strategy
Prior to the interview, imagine yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. Predict what questions you’ll be asked, how you’ll need to be seen and think about other additional comments you’ll want to hear. Make a list of things to mention to the interviewer so you cover all areas of your skills and prior experience. Read through them again and again, until they’re ingrained in your brain. It’s alright if you don’t get to mention all of them come interview day - you can only mention so many in the small time frame of an interview - but if you’ve read your notes enough, the answers will flow naturally.
Make an effort and show your brightest colours
This includes everything from arriving on time, dressing for the part you want, learning how to shake hands properly, and speaking in the right tone throughout the interview. Every little step counts when you’re up against a number of other people - ensure that, as much as you can, you impress at every stage of the recruitment process. Going above and beyond can only do you good, and if you’re unsuccessful for this role, perhaps they’ll remember you for future opportunities.
Provide proof
It’s all well and good that you’ve previously worked for renowned companies and that you have impressive titles; however it all means nothing if you don’t have the facts and figures to back it up. Talk about difficult scenarios that you’ve found yourself in and impressively got yourself out of. Bring print outs of statistics that prove your previous employer benefitted from your presence there. Prior to the interview, send your interviewer a link to your portfolio which details previous projects you’ve worked on. Don’t be afraid to include everything of note, as this could only do you good.
Express future ambition
There’s noting more attractive to an employer than to hear a candidate’s plans to stay on with the company long-term. Mention the positions you intend to land within the next few years and how you plan on getting there. Mention your ambition to succeed within the company, and if successful with the interview, the employer will start to factor you into the equation.
Ensure the interview maintains a positive note
This involves a lot of body language. Use the correct posture, use the right diction and right facial expressions throughout. Convey to the interviewer that you are interested in what they are saying and that you are very happy to be there. Make frequent eye contact and smile, but of course, don’t overdo it. Follow the interview up with a friendly email, mentioning how it was a pleasure to meet the interviewer.
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