ALT-1 Planning for a Job Interview
You have an importantjob interviewrapidly approaching and you need to get yourself prepared; how do you do that?
If it is a job you have been particularly after with the right salary, then you’ll want to be at your best and impress the interviewer all the way to signing you up for the position. A few days prior to the interview you’ll need to ensure you’re ready for the appointment.
First things first, check your CV is bang up to date. Ensure there are no embarrassing gaps between jobs. If there are periods of unemployment have a plausible reason at hand.
Have you done any voluntary work since leaving full time education? If so do put it on your CV as employers are generally impressed by applicants who have varied work experience, particularly during periods of unemployment.
If you have a second language put it on the CV with your level of fluency. Don’t forget to add hobbies and interests as this will tell the prospective employer a bit about you as a person.
Make sure you detail the positions you have held, with a summary of the duties you preformed.
Lastly, make sure the CV is neat and tidy without writing errors. A crumbled dirty CV will not impress, print off some more so you can take a clean crisp copy to the interview.
What else can you do before arriving for the interview? You can select the clothes you’re going to wear. The neater and tidier you look on the day the better. The prospective employer will note if you have taken the trouble to present yourself well.
Knowing something about the position you are applying for and a potted history of the company will pay you dividends. Do your research before arriving for the interview. Have lots of readymade questions to ask about the job. Go to the web and look up the company, here most likely you’ll learn something of the company’s history, its aims and future ambitions. Showing you know something about the company’s corporate strategy will make you stand out from others, who haven’t taken the trouble to find out about the company they hope to work for.
Lastly, always arrive for the interview early in a relaxed and calm state. Don’t panic or get over excited. There will be more interviews if you don’t get this job, you’ll learn from any mistakes you make and be better positioned for the next interview.
