Job interviews can make you or break you. It’s important to know how they work in order to be successful. The interview process has four stages, all fundamental to land the job. It takes time to correctly prepare and face a job interview, but you can become excellent at it if you practise. It’s essential to understand the whole job interview process in order to make an outstanding performance with recruiters. Let’s see all stages in detail:
- Interview preparation: I believe this is the most important part, because the interview revolves around your performance, so you should be getting ready for it. You need to make accurate researches about the company, ten minutes on their website are not enough. You should also gather information about the location and how to get there, so that you don’t run any risk the day of your interview. You should learn what skills are needed and prepare to explain how you could help the company. Make a list of possible interview questions and try to answer them. It’s better to practise with a friend to feel more confident in front of your interviewer. You should also think of questions you want to ask, regarding your possible future tasks or people you would be working with. Don’t ask about salary or benefits, let the recruiter bring it up during the second interview.
- Presentation: this phase of the interview process is based on first impressions. Make sure you listen carefully and ask for further clarifications. Talk slowly and pay attention to your body language. Remember to make eye contact with the person you are talking to; if you are in front of a panel, look at all members. As for your clothes, don’t wear bright colours, but go for black, blue and pastels. Try to look professional and elegant.
- Interview: you can consider this the core of the process, because you get to sell yourself and show you are the right fit for the company. You might be asked questions about your past experiences, behavioural or situational questions. Make sure you come up with a honest answer. If you lie about your competencies and skills, they will know and you will ruin your possibility to get a second interview.
- Thank you email after the interview: you can seal the deal with this step. Most candidates forget about it or don’t give it enough credit. However, it is very clever to send a thank you email, because recruiters appreciate it and it shows you are really interested in the job. It doesn’t matter if you are applying for an entry level position or a top one, write this note to every person you met at the interview.
I hope all stages of the interview process are now clear. Start preparing for your next meeting and ace it! If you have other doubts about interview questions, read our articles related to this subject. I hope they will come in handy soon.
