Preparing for any kind of job interview is always a challenging task for any individual. And knowing that there is intense competition present all over, makes it more difficult. So proper preparation doesn’t entirely guarantee the person the job but improves their chances to avoid the competition. So the better prepared the person for the job, the better their chances are. And during the interview, the interviewer recognizes the skills that the person has and thus they are considered for the job.
So it is important for the person know what they need to do if they want to beat off the competition present for the job that is being offered by the company.
20 Tips to Improve Your Interview Skills:
1. Always be Engaging:
When the interview is like a group discussion kind, this technique can be helpful. At the time of the interview the interviewer will ask someone to take the lead. The person who takes the lead has the best chance to beat off any kind of competition available. The person should begin in a way by first introducing themselves and telling a little bit about them. This shows that the person is confident enough for the job and then also sees them as an outgoing person in the eyes of the interviewer.
2. Only focus on the professional life:
Sometimes to test how ready the person is for the interview, the interviewer asks difficult questions. These questions in particular may not entirely refer to the person’s professional life and may be personal questions. A question such as “What is your 5 year plan?” may seem too personal not entirely referring to the job. So while answering such a question the person should maintain the level of professionalism so that other competitors don’t get ahead of them.
3. Be Committed to the Company:
Before interviewing for the job, the person may not consider this job to be their last job. But in order for them to get the job, they will show the interviewer that they are fully committed to the company to fend off competition. This helps in not revealing any further personal plans for the individual. So the person needs to act like, this particular job will be their last job at the time of the interview. This will help them in getting the job and beat any possible competitors around.
4. Always Pay Attention:
Everyone present for the interview wants the job. So they pay attention to each and every question which is asked by the interview. The questions may also be off topic at times talking about any general topics other than relating to the job. So know that every question that the interviewer asks is important and so always remain attentive. If the person does not pay full attention towards the questions asked then they can lose the opportunity of getting the job. Their competitors will go ahead of them.
5. Don’t discuss about salaries or any benefits:
Every person who wants the job won’t talk about any salary related questions or anything about any other benefits. When the person does this they know that they aren’t really focusing on the monetary benefits. And when the interviewer understands this, they realize that the person is fully committed towards doing the job. When the person has got the job, they know that beaten all the other possible competitors around, they can start discussing about their salary.
6. Don’t show negativity:
Another possible and effective technique used to beat off other possible competitors is to stay positive at all times throughout the interview. Staying positive always shows that the person wants the job and answering every question in a positive way is important. Even if any kind of question about a previous job has been asked like what the person didn’t like about their ex co-worker, it should be answered in a positive way. So never bring in negativity during the interview.
7. Keep maintaining a good body language:
Every person would like to look as professional as ever while giving the interview with respect to appearance. So in order to beat the competition or come at the similar level, the person needs to show a good body language throughout the interview. Not showing any bad habits such as slouching or showing a bad posture should be avoided. The person should ensure to maintain proper eye contact at all times and lay a good impression on the interviewer.
8. Be humorous but to a certain level:
The person taking the interview may have some sense of humour. But before or during the interview, it is unknown to the candidate. If any kind of joke is made by the candidate it can be considered as an offensive joke thus showing an unprofessional attitude. This can lead the interviewer to think that the person isn’t a proper fit for the job and so competitors can go ahead. So if anything is unknown, it is advisable that the candidate doesn’t say anything offensive.
9. Always think first:
The mind and thoughts is the best thing that a person possesses. Every smart individual always thinks first before they speak which can keep them ahead of their competitors around. So when asked something during the interview, it is recommended that the person thinks for at least 2-3 seconds and then answer. And they should remember that they do not ramble on something which is not to the topic been spoken.
10. Combine accomplishments into answers whenever possible:
The person interviewing for the job may have some accomplishments and achievements on their resume. So whenever they answer their questions, they can talk about these accomplishments which show that they are knowledgeable for the job. It also helps when something negative is asked in the question as it is covered up by something positive. This increases the person’s employment chances and keeps them ahead of any possible competitors in their way.
11. Focus on any unique abilities:
Every individual is unique from the other. People are different form the other and are really good at those abilities. If the person wants to beat off the competition during the interview, they need to focus well on these abilities. These abilities are true and unique for the candidate. These kinds of strengths help the person improve their chances of getting the job and beating any competition present.
12. Providing necessary examples:
Every person’s resume isn’t similar to the other. Some people may have a resume which do not show the recruiters that they are a strong candidate for the job. So in order to show them that the candidate is at the same level to compete with the other people, they need to show or provide certain examples. These examples need to be specific enough showing the recruiters what the person has achieved in their past. This shows that the person is at the same level as those of the others.
13. Backing up Statements:
Certain statements are told by the person to the interview regarding their previous accomplishments. But while verbally speaking about them, they need to also provide evidences that back those statements up completely. These backup evidences show the interviewer that this candidate is different and unique from the other candidates. It also shows them that this person is better than the competitors. So it is a great way of reducing the level of competitiveness by rising higher than any current competitors.
14. Showing your Soft Skills:
The recruiters or the person interviewing would like to hire people who they like and appreciate. So with the level of competition present in the interview, it is essential that the person at first shows all the skills that they possess. This may include good communication skills or how to deal with different people in the workplace etc. When the interviewer sees this, at once the candidate is under consideration for the job.
15. Practise before the interview:
Practise is essential for anything a person wishes to find success in. Doing a mock interview helps the candidate know about objectives and concepts in a better way. Practising can be done individually or by taking someone’s help. The person can also get assistance from certain people like career coaches as they can provide the person with any honest feedback. This helps the candidate in preparing for the interview in a better way than their competitors.
16. Doing your research:
Ensuring that the person has the entire knowledge regarding the job profile is really essential. Reading carefully about the job and gaining the necessary knowledge gets a better perspective and understanding about the job. Knowing things like the company’s culture, newsletters and even about the interviewer helps the candidate put himself ahead of any other possible competitors around them.
17. Reviewing the CV:
Before applying for an interview, every candidate needs to send their resume or CV to the company to see whether they are eligible or not. Before sending or carrying a CV, the person should read it carefully and go through it thorough enough. This helps them in answering any questions in a better way. Also if any notable achievements or accomplishments are present in the CV, then they should be highlighted and well defined.
18. Preparing well:
For any kind of questions which can be asked during the interview, the person needs to be prepared well to reply for it. This shows the interviewer that the person is enthusiastic about the job profile and sees to it whether the person is fit enough for the job. So preparing is important as it gives the person enough time to know about the way they need to speak in the workplace. Also during preparation, the person can carry two CV copies, a pad or something to take notes or information for any further added information.
19. Dress Well:
Every person will be dressed in a well and professional way at the time of their interview. So as the level of competition is high, the candidate should be neatly dressed for the interview. Things like well dressed clothes, keeping the hair neat, clean and tidy shoes etc. should be looked and focused on. This can help in gaining confidence in the eyes of the candidate which is important for two reasons. One would be for getting the job and the other for being ahead than all the other possible competitors around.
20. Leaving the interview properly:
Irrespective of how the job interview went, it is expected that the candidate remains professional even after it is over. A clever person would look towards acting in such a way and smile and stay positive. Shake the interviewer’s hand thanking them for providing such an opportunity. This in turn lays a good impression on the interviewer and at the time of short listing for the job, the candidate can be considered. When this happens, they know that they have beaten all the other competitors.
21. Forgetting about the competition:
One of the ways of beating the competition, at times is to simply just forget about the competition which has really worked well in the past. The candidate should just simply stop worrying about any level of competition present. This will help them by not getting nervous and stressful in any way. Instead the candidate should start focusing on things such as what they may bring to the company and how their presence can be beneficial for the company.
For a person willing to succeed in their interview, they need to ensure that they follow the skills and guidelines mentioned above. Though with the increase in the number of job opportunities, there has even been an increase in the level of competition. The candidate needs to know that they are the best person present for the job. When they realize that, they do not bother much about the present competition. They give their very best and if it is up to the needed mark, then they get the job they were interviewed for.
