Strategies for the Job Interview

Congratulations! You've just landed an interview for your dream job. Now all you need to do is ace the interview and show your potential new employer that you're the perfect person for the position. Preparing for an important interview takes time and practice. The following are tips and tricks designed to give you the upper hand at your interview.

Research, research, research. The more you know about the company, the more you will know about their specific problems and the better you can subsequently leverage your skill to present yourself as a desirable employee. This may require thorough online searches, the reading of annual reports, the accessing of pertinent archives, and dare we recommend: conversations with the librarian in the career section of the local library to ensure that no stone remains unturned in this process. The result of this arduous search will be the assurance that you can bring to an interview all available knowledge about the targeted company. The reason for this is that an employer will be seeking to hire someone capable of solving the company's problems.

Let me give you an Example! A well chosen example can be compared to the picture worth a thousand words which will vastly broaden the positive impact of any answer. All of these desirable characteristics can legitimately be included in an answer if the examples are well chosen and well delivered. The wise candidate will have a bank of examples which should include industry specific pivotal achievements such as: The retrieval of lost data or information, successful dealings with irate clients or dissatisfied customers, selling a reluctant buyer, strategic moves that saved a team from meltdown, and illustrations of integrity on the job. Therefore, whenever possible, the question will be followed by a short but clear theoretical answer followed by the candidate saying: "Let me give you an example ".

Answering the question. When a candidate is asked: "Tell us something about yourself", the standard ice breaker question, they could ask: "Do you mean personally or professionally". Answering the question, although it is not always easy, is an important part of controlling the interview. Such tactics portray a lack of focus and an inability or unwillingness to follow instructions all of which are characteristics undesirable in a potential employee. Answering the question, although it is not always easy, is an important part of controlling the interview.

Remain positive at all times. Let us take an extreme example. Being fired or downsized can be the most negative experience possible. Yet some of the most successful executives in the history of business have been fired at some point in their career. Remaining positive when asked about your best and worst boss can be as simple as combining both types of employers together and saying:" I have had bosses of many kinds, some better than others. I have worked hard for each and every one of them and I pride myself on having learnt from them all".

Practicing and mastering the techniques with friends, colleagues and references will bolster the confidence level of an applicant and will make any interview a positive experience. The resolve to answer the questions as asked will serve to focus responses, keep them short and motivate the use of appropriate short and pertinent examples. Remaining positive will further illustrate the nature of the desirable impact that a candidate will bring to a company.