Interviews for most people are pretty nerve-racking experiences, so being as prepared as you can is key. Of course, that’s not exactly rocket science, it’s just common sense – but it’s easier said than done. Here are a few simple tips from us Trufflettes to help you along the way so you can nail the ultimate job in 2019…
01 | Be honest. If you don’t know something admit it, don’t try to BS your way through it. What a car crash that would be. Also, do tell them your expectations, and talk through what you’re looking for. Tell them what you think of the brand, the role, where you excel, areas of improvement. Honesty is always a good thing. Straight talking works.
02 | Be yourself. As headhunters, we know that people hire people. The skill set and experience are, of course, important, but what sets you apart from the next person will be your personality. Get to know your interviewer, ask questions, be friendly. Try not to feel intimidated, we are all human.
03 | Research. Please research the role, the company and the people you are meeting. Why? When you feel well informed you will naturally relax into conservation. We’ve all had those casual interview chats where they blindsided us with something we could’ve known if we had only researched! Then it all went downhill from there.
04 | Wear something comfortable! What you wear has a big impact on how you feel, make sure you find the perfect balance of awesomeness and comfort. You do not want to be sitting there fidgeting uncomfortably or sweating away, or wincing because your pants are up your bum, even worse, all of that at the same time! You simply will not be the best version of yourself. Relax, feel good, and be amazing.
05 | Push the negatives aside. 60% of us have had bad jobs that we lose sleep over. That’s most people. It knocks our confidence and makes us question our value, both inside and outside of work. Don’t start your next chapter in the past. Focus on your own future, your gain, on you!
06 | Practice. You might prefer watching paint dry to running through a series of interview questions over and over again before the big day, but it pays dividends. Get a friend or your partner to be the interviewer firing questions your way. When the nerves kick in you’ll have trained the brain to structure your answers and won’t be rattling around inside your head seeking out case studies and the like. Sure, it’s fine to inject a different kind of energy on the day so you’re not giving canned responses but knowing what you’re going to say and the examples you’ll use will give you a ‘power up’ in the room.
07 | The 1st 5 Minutes. Like it or not, some research shows that employers make a decision on whether they should employ you or not in the first 5 minutes and then spend the rest of the interview looking for things to confirm that decision. While that sucks, give yourself the best chance of success by greeting the interviewer properly and come in with bags of enthusiasm so you stand out. We wouldn’t advise practising your one-liners at this point! Be your lovely self.
So, good luck and don’t forget we’ve lots of jobs to fill so if you’re looking for perm or freelance roles, please take a look here and you might be putting these tips into practice for real!
