Many job seekers have a tough time preparing for job interviews when they are unaware of what is going to be asked. The unknown may create a distinctive amount of apprehension which can disturb how you perform in an interview.
However, there is a means of preparation that will ensure that you nail any job interview. So what is the secret?
The secret is to focus on preparing your answer without obsessing on any potential questions that may be asked. This formula can be condensed into three steps:
Table of Contents
Prepare Five Answers
Interviewees often respond to questions in the spur of the moment and as a result, their answers appear disjointed or inconsistent. The ‘five answers’ method ensures that your responses are succinct and complete.
You should brainstorm five specific scenarios where you played a leading role or made a significant impact concluding in a completed result. Your brainstorm should include the following questions:
What Was The Situation?
Identifying what was occurring at the challenges that you faced will help you to outline this clearly to your interviewer. The more details you can list, the better.
What Did You Do?
Specifically describe the role that you played. Identifying the individual methods that you utilized in order to solve the situation will help you to remain concise.
You should list out specific tools that you utilized in order to address the problem as being able to demonstrate approaches that you used will inherently showcase your competency, especially when these skills directly correlate to the job that you are applying for.
How Did You Involve Others?
Many interviewers will want to know how you work in a team based environment and whether you have strong interpersonal skills. You should write down the actions that you implemented in order to engage others.
Specify The Result
You should discuss projects that have reached a conclusion as this will show your interviewer that you possess the ability to see things through and finish projects effectively. Ideally, you should focus on projects and situations that have a quantifiable outcome.
Once you have brainstormed your five situations, you will be fully prepared to answer quests with a succinct response that remains situational.
You will also have a range of answers to refer back to if you are asked more than five questions by your interviewer and this breadth will stand you in good stead.
Preparing more than five questions may cause confusion and so you should be aware of going overboard in your preparation also, you don’t want to sound overly rehearsed in your responses.
A fact sheet that highlights the key points within the five differing situations will also indicate your preparedness and will enable you to demonstrate your communication skills alongside documented evidence.
Develop A 90-Day Plan
If you are applying for a leadership role, you should ideally develop a 90 day plan. However, all job roles will benefit from a succinct level of preparedness.
Therefore, you should take some time to consider the company that you are applying for and identify the specific skills that they will be seeking.
Then, prepare a document listing the things that you will do during your first days of working for them. This will ensure that you are able to showcase what you are able to bring to the team.
For instance, you can state that in the first 30 days, you will integrate within the team and get into a steady rhythm with your work,
in the proceeding 30 days you can discuss how you will work to raise the bar within your own work and in the last 30 days, you can stipulate how you will initiate any plans for development and/or change.
Develop And Polish Your Closing Argument
An interview is essentially a pitch and so you will need to prove yourself and convince your interviewer to hire you. The end of the interview is your final opportunity to sway their opinion and so this is where you should maintain your composure and instigate the utmost preparation.
When the interviewer goes to close out, you should ask “was there anything that I missed that you wanted to hear” as this shows that you are considerate enough to not leave stones unturned.
You should also use this as a further opportunity to summarize your skills and concisely relay how your knowledge makes you the perfect candidate for this company.
Above all, you should always remember to thank your interviewer and recognize the effort that they have put into the process of interviewing you. It is important to leave on a note of gratitude.
To conclude, if you implement these three steps you are more than likely to nail any job interview.
The confidence that derives from the utmost preparation cannot be beaten and you will feel able to utilize your experience and convey it in a succinct and coherent manner without stumbling over your words or panicking.
This confidence is a sure-start as people want to work with people who they believe will be able to handle differing working conditions and assimilate into a team based environment easily.
Confidence is also imperative when applying for leadership roles as you want to be able to naturally demonstrate your managerial presence without coming across as arrogant or overbearing.
Above all, you should listen to the questions that your interviewer relays carefully without cutting across them, and then respond by using your prepared answers as a consistent source to draw for.
Be cautious not to overwhelm yourself by preparing too many answers as this can cause brain fog and confusion.
As long as you follow the three steps that have been outlined above, you will undoubtedly approach your next interview feeling prepared and ready to begin a new chapter.
Follow-up etiquette matters. Sending a thank-you note or email after the interview expresses your appreciation for the opportunity and leaves a lasting positive impression on potential emloyers.
Confidence but not arrogance is a winning trait. Show your enthusiasm for the role but also be humble and willing to learn is a plus.