Job interviews have to be as pleasurable as buying a car. Everyone has to do it at some point, but no one wants to deal with the hassles. They take a long time, they can be nerve-wracking, and you may not know why you didn’t get offered the job. Of course, there is no perfect formula for getting a job, but there are ways to ensure you of at the top of the pile. By utilizing the tips in this article, it should be much easier for you to master your next job interview.
1. Prepare For The Typical Questions
• Tell me a little about yourself.
• Why do you want this job?
• Why should we hire you?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Why are you leaving your current job?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
Those are just six questions that you are almost guaranteed to hear in your next interview. In fact, your last interview probably included most, if not all, of them. These are standard interview questions, but you should prepare for them.
An interviewer is primarily looking to see who you are, what your experience is, whether you are a good fit, and how you adapt to odd-ball questions. This is where the interviewer is able to see if they connect with you, how they think you’ll connect with their employees, and decide if you are a good candidate or not. If you stumble and stutter through the questions, you may lose your connecting factor, and they may move on entirely.
So, take the time to know how you’ll answer the questions that you know the interviewer is going to ask. You can look up the most common questions in an interview through any major search engine. Once you have the list, take the time to write down your answers. After you’ve finished writing them out, read them aloud over and over until you have them memorized. If you have them memorized, then you are ready to master this portion of your next job interview.
Side Note: If you are at the interviewer table, you meet their minimum qualifications. You are no longer proving you are qualified; you are showing that you are a good match.
2. Bring Data That Backs Up Your Claims
Most every interviewer is going to bring up your “claims to fame” or “measurement metrics.” These are the claims you made stating that you increased productivity by 33% over a two-year timeframe. Unless your interviewer knows your previous company intimately, they are not going to be able to validate this claim and will have to take your word for it.
How do you prove it?
You should bring some data presentation that proves your measurement metrics. If you bring up a measurement metric that is not verifiable in the interview, then provide something to show that you are honest and that you can back up what you are saying. Your proof could include charts and graphs, spreadsheets, awards and even written evidence from your previous employer.
Having your backup data proves that you are organized, well-prepared, ready for anything and honest. That can impress your interviewer and be the icing on the cake.
Side Note: If you can’t prove your measurement metric, then don’t include in on your resume. It will get brought up, and you don’t want to look like an untrustworthy employee.
3. Read Your Interviewer
If your interviewer isn’t part of the Human Resources department, then there is an excellent chance that they are just as uncomfortable doing this as you are. In fact, they probably haven’t had the time to prepare for this interview like you have, which is why they perhaps are asking you the same typical questions that every other job interviewer has asked too.
In most cases, you will be interviewed by someone who supervises the department to which you will be applying. In this case, you should take the time to create a connection with them. However, do not let the interview stray over into personal territory as this has a significant chance of blowing up in your face, and ruining your chances of mastering your job interview.
Side Note: Even if your interviewer is uncomfortable, they do not want to be taken advantage of. Treat them with respect or risk the chance of losing the job before you ever had it.
4. Ask Questions That Cause Pause
Do you have any questions?
That is where you will get put on the hot seat. Almost every interviewee will get flustered here or bumble off something about where is the company going in five years. Getting flustered will show a lack of preparation and bumbling off a common question shows no creativity.
Instead, include tough questions that put the interviewer on the hot seat, such as:
• How do you measure success for the person in this position?
• What goals do you expect me to meet within the next sixty days?
• Why are you truly better than your competition?
When you ask questions like this, you show that you are prepared, ready to interact, and expect the same level of professionalism from them as you were required to prove.
Side Note: There are times when these questions can backfire on you. Be prepared to explain your reasoning behind the questioning or do not bring them up.
5. Be Ready To Negotiate
Almost every interviewee gets a little nervous when salary comes up. Except, there is no reason to be. You already know what you are worth (or you should), so when they bring up salary expectations, you should be ready to go.
For example, you should be able to say: “I have a solid understanding of what this position requires. Based on my previous salaries and experience, matched with my continued education, and using current market data in this region, I believe that $95,000 annually is fair compensation for what I will be doing in your company.
That shows that you understand your worth and it dramatically reduces their ability to negotiate you down too far. Of course, be prepared for someone to try and lowball you. If that happens, show why you are worth more than the others who have come before you. If you are not happy with the numbers, then state that you will be more than happy to continue discussions concerning your salary at a later time, after the interviews are over. The best negotiators know when to walk away.
Side Note: Make sure you know these numbers. Do not come up with some magic number that you want. Know what you are worth and why you are worth it. That will make negotiations easier.
Master Your Next Job Interview
Being prepared for your next interview will give you the upper hand. It will make you feel more confident and help you relax when you are in the hot seat. These five tips should quickly help you master your next job interview and seal the deal.
