Congratulations! Your resume and covering letter coupled with a LinkedIn contact’s great referral did indeed, fetch you that job interview you had always wanted. But let’s face the truth. No matter how much we try, sometimes it is simply not humanly possible to be the perfect candidate that every recruiter wishes to onboard. But at least, it is worth the effort to be fully geared up to face an interview and stand tall as the most well-prepared job applicant the recruiter had interacted with.
Here is what you can do to come as close to the ideal job applicant the recruiter or hiring manager is willing to bet on.
Examine the job description
Understanding the job description is of utmost importance if you hope to ace your interview. Examine your resume and decide which elements of it are compatible with the requirements of the job. You need to then map your existing skills with the requirements mentioned in the job description for only then will you be able to express why you are keen about taking up the job if given the chance.
Address gaps in education or career
Create a list of everything in your resume or background that makes you a wee bit nervous, such as a gap in your education or career progress. Come up with sincere explanations that present you in the best possible light. If there is a gap of time in your résumé when you weren’t employed, think about what you gained during that time. Perhaps you learned important life skills or experienced personal growth, which you can present as assets.
Also, be prepared to fill in any areas of your knowledge that are not covered in your experiences. If the description of your job includes something you're not entirely familiar with, research on the topic until you're comfortable talking about it in detail. If there are specific requirements that are in the description of the job that you don't have prior knowledge of, consider the things you've done in the workplace or elsewhere in your life to show that you possess the necessary skills.
Practice self-promotion
Practicing is the only thing that makes you perfect. Practice self-promotion by creating an exhaustive list of the reasons you are perfect for the position. If you are unable to find someone to practice with, do it in front of a mirror or make an audio recording of yourself. If you're not one to talk about your own accomplishments, try to communicate clearly and effectively how your experience and skills satisfy the specific requirements of the job. Practice helps you identify any distraction or deviation from the main point of what you wish to communicate.
Be authentic
An April 2020 study revealed that those who act authentically in an interview fare better than those who meet the interviewer's needs and requirements. This is due to the fact that it requires an enormous amount of mental effort to try to appear like someone you're not, which in turn increases anxiety and can derail your efforts to make an enjoyable, authentic connection with the person you are interviewing.
Do your final interview preparations
Note down some thought-provoking questions. Be prepared to address them during or after your interview. Make a plan of how you're going to appear for the interview. Dress in a classic manner - simple, neat and comfortable - so that the focus remains on the essence of your interview.
Continue the conversation following the interview.
A thank-you note after an interview can distinguish you from the other applicants. This also gives you an opportunity to explain why you'd be the ideal candidate for the job. If the interview went on well, the hiring manager would certainly appreciate your gesture of gratitude.
HiCounselor makes career dreams come true for job seekers as well as recruiters. While job seekers benefit from HiCounselor’s career accelerator program along with the coaching services from industry leaders employed at FAANG companies, recruiters join hands with HiCounselor to empower their hiring strategy and zero in on the best candidates. Learn more about HiCounselor here and reach out to us on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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