Competition in the job market is fierce, with some roles attracting hundreds of hopeful applicants. If you’ve carefully crafted a winning cover letter and résumé, you might find yourself the lucky one out of a handful of people selected to attend a face-to-face interview.
Related: 5 Things to Do Before Your Next Job Interview
The interview is your chance to make a good and lasting first impression on your potential new employer. They might have been impressed with your skills and credentials on paper, but now is not the time to rest on your laurels; there’s still a lot of hard work to do if you want to land the job. It is your chance to highlight your skills and really show the interviewer why you’d be a great asset to their company. However, an interview situation is also a time when you’re most vulnerable, and if you’ve not prepared properly, you might find it’s a wasted opportunity.
Most of us are familiar with the saying, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” That’s even more true when it comes to interviews. You can’t expect to show up and wing it. You need to put in careful thought and planning beforehand. For example, arriving about 15 minutes early is good; arriving much earlier than that, or later than your appointed time, tells the interview that you have poor time-management skills and you didn’t plan your route in advance. These are usually undesirable skills for an employee.
Whether you have a lot of experience being interviewed, you’re a recent graduate entering the job market for the first time or you’ve been made redundant and found yourself back in the job pool after long service in a role, there’s always that little something extra you can do to prepare for an interview and make the right impression.
Related: 13 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want
The useful infographic below highlights some of the key things you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to job interviews.
SOURCE: RECEPTIONDESKSONLINE.UK
