Job Hunting Skills: How To Crack An Interview

Job interviews can be considered an important step toward career advancement. Interviewers allow candidates and job seekers to showcase their knowledge, skills, expertise, training accomplishments, and experience to potential recruiters. He or she can let the potential employers know about the know-how and proficiency that they have achieved through various practical hands-on training programs and how they are going use them for the overall betterment of the company. 

In today’s competitive age, this is exactly what an employer wants to know. They are interested in knowing the different ways by which the knowledge of the employee can prove to be helpful for their business venture.

How To Prepare For An Interview: Before The Interview 

Now the question might come to your mind – “How to crack an interview”. To begin with, job seekers and candidates need to approach a job interview with confidence, answer questions correctly, and provide relevant examples. It should also be kept in mind that preparation is the key to cracking any job interview. 

If a candidate knows important tips and tricks about how to prepare for an interview successfully, he or she can land their dream job and open up new doors of opportunity based on their aspirations and goals. They should always remember that an interview tends to act as a platform where a candidate can showcase their qualifications and assess the overall compatibility of the work environment. It allows job seekers to evaluate whether the business organization aligns with their values and if they can grow in that particular work culture. 

As a result, job interviews should not be taken lightly as it is an important stepping stone for career advancements. They are like a necessary evil- crucial to positively impact, showcase potential, and propel careers to a greater height.

Preparing for a job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience for a candidate. The success of an interview depends on how well he or she prepares for it.  One of the important tips to crack an interview is to research the job, the business organization, the company’s values, and the work culture, along with thoughtful consideration of answers to various interview questions especially the answer for tell me about yourself. 

Whether a candidate is applying for his or her dream job or just wants to improve their overall interview skills, there are a few steps they can take to make sure they are fully prepared and confident on an important day.

Some of the important tips on how to prepare for an interview are as follows –

• Know about the company

Before walking into a job interview, a job seeker should have a good knowledge of the business organization and the role he or she is applying for. A candidate should spend some time researching the vision, mission, values, and overall work environment of the business organization. In addition, they should also be aware of any recent developments or news related to the company that might hold significant importance in the interview.

All the above-mentioned information helps a candidate to tailor his or her interview answers accordingly which in turn will help to demonstrate their interest in the job role and the company. 

• Go Through the Job Description

A candidate should ensure that he or she has reviewed the job description and has fully comprehended the various qualifications and responsibilities that are essential for the job role. This in turn will help them prepare thoughtful answers that tend to match with the company’s expectations and showcase that he or she is fit for the role. One of the important tips on how to prepare for an interview is to align all the qualifications and skill sets with the job description. This in turn helps to grab the attention of potential employers and increase the chance of employment. 

• Revise the answers

“Practice makes a man perfect” is a famous proverb that tells us the importance of practicing regularly be it reading, writing, or painting – this proverb is true in every field.

A candidate is always suggested that one of the best and surest ways to crack an interview is to practice answers to some of the common interview questions such as answering Tell me about yourself. He or she should prepare impressive responses to questions that allow them to showcase their valuable skills, experience, and interest in the job. In addition, practicing will also help them feel more confident and comfortable during the time of the actual interview. 

• Give mock interviews

No matter how well a candidate is prepared, it is human nature to feel overwhelmed and anxious on the day of the interview. One of the important tips on how to prepare for an interview is to go for a mock interview.  During the mock interview, a real interview-like environment is created that helps to boost the confidence of the candidates. He or she can ask their family members or friends to conduct the interview. A candidate is also suggested to record the entire process to analyze the performance and improve as and when required. 

• Arrange all the essential documents

A candidate might have applied using a digital copy of their resume, however, it is always advisable that he or she should carry hard copies of their resume along with other vital documents during the interview just in case the interviewer wishes to see them. 

A candidate should take a printout of all the vital documents like the resume, certificates, mark sheets, ID proofs, photographs, etc, and put them in a folder. If HR has asked to bring any particular documents such as pay slips, bank statements, or relieving letters from previous employers, a candidate should ensure to keep them ready without fail.

• Keep social media profile updated

While talking about how to prepare for an interview, a candidate should always keep in mind that if he or she has a social media account such as LinkedIn, it should be updated. They should also include that in the header of their resume. You must be wondering why. 

Well, updating LinkedIn profiles when a candidate changes jobs will help them communicate their past job role, achievements, and responsibilities. In addition, it also helps job seekers showcase their transferable skills and increases their overall credibility in the eyes of their potential employers.

How To Prepare For An Interview: During The Interview

A candidate should follow a few easy tips to crack an interview such as –

• Dress Appropriately  

The quote “First Impression is the last impression” means that the initial impression someone has of you will be the lasting impression they have of you and that it will not change easily over time.

One important tip on how to crack an interview is that a candidate should dress appropriately for an interview keeping in mind the company’s culture and dress code, if any. It is always advisable to be groomed and well-dressed professionally for an interview rather than too casually. A job seeker should ensure that his or her clothes are clean and ironed, hair should be neat, and makeup if applied should not be too loud.  

• Reach The Venue Early

A job seeker is always advisable to reach the interview venue a few minutes before the scheduled time. It gives them the time to rest, relax, and collect their thoughts. If the candidate is staying in a far-off location from the interview venue, the travel journey can be tiresome. He or she can use that extra time to freshen up, use the washroom, drink water, etc.  In short, reaching before the time helps to reduce stress and anxiety and gives time to the candidates to mentally prepare themself for the interview.  

• Follow Professional Etiquette

One of the biggest tips to crack an interview is to be polite. The way a candidate holds themselves during the interview tells a lot about their personality. It is interesting to note that many business organizations tend to recheck CCTV footage to analyze the personality of job seekers. 

As a result, they are always advised to sit patiently in a good posture and put the phone on silent or vibration mode while waiting for their interview turn. Loitering around in the office would give a negative impression. If a candidate is required to take any urgent call, they should speak in a low and soft voice.

 In addition, a candidate should be polite with the people they meet such as the receptionist, security guard, and other candidates. In addition during the interview also,  they should follow professional etiquette such as greeting the interviewer with a firm handshake, maintaining appropriate eye contact, and avoiding interrupting or talking over the interviewer.

• Be Confident 

While talking about how to crack an interview, a candidate should always keep in mind to project a calm sense of self-confidence during an interview. They should be confident and firm while speaking to the interviewer. In addition, a candidate should try to speak slowly and address each interview question one point at a time with clarity. They should listen carefully to the interviewer’s questions and make sure they understand them before answering. He or she should take a moment to gather their thoughts and give a clear, concise response. 

If a job seeker feels like they need a moment to compose their thoughts, feel free to say, “That is a good question. Let me think about that for a second.” a candidate should not be afraid to ask the interviewer for clarification if he or she is confused regarding any questions asked.

• Proper Body Language

Candidates are always advised to maintain good posture during an interview because it tends to convey professionalism and confidence. He or she should sit up straight with shoulders back and feet firmly on the ground. They should also avoid fidgeting or slouching, which shows a lack of confidence and nervousness.

Tips To Crack Interviews By Tailoring A Resume  

During an interview, an interview generally spends only a few seconds reading or scanning a resume from front to back.  As a result, one of the tips to crack an interview is to create a tailored resume with an easy-to-read professional format. 

Tailoring the resume for each job application allows a candidate to demonstrate how they can leverage their existing skills while highlighting previous experiences, and accomplishments to meet the position’s specific requirements. This helps to grab the eyeballs of the employer and increase the chances of employability for the candidate.

A few tips to tailor a resume are – 

• Check the job description

A candidate should review the job description and tailor their resume accordingly. By showcasing important skills, accomplishments, and experiences that are relevant to that particular job role, they can grab the eyeballs of potential employers 

• Be specific with the resume header 

A resume header consists of vital information about the candidate such as their full name, contact information, and link to their professional LinkedIn profile, if any. A candidate should have a comprehensive resume header for better job opportunities.

• Highlight relevant skill sets 

A job seeker should not shy away from highlighting their accomplishments, skills, and successes in the resume.  This helps to increase their overall credibility and the chance of hiring.

• Give a clear job title 

While talking about various tips to crack interviews by tailoring a resume, a candidate is always advised to give a  clear job title highlighting the current and previous job responsibilities of a candidate.

• Do not give false information

A job seeker should not highlight any skills or experience that you lack as it can trigger a bad impression.

Wrapping Up

Preparing for a job interview requires research and planning, but it is well worth the effort. By following the above-mentioned tips to crack the interview, a candidate can highlight their expertise, and experience and ultimately land their dream job. He or she can also take the help of a reputed educational institution with placement assistance and take their career to greater heights.