There is no doubt that during the Coronavirus pandemic and numerous lockdowns, our social skills have certainly taken a huge hit. Unfortunately, this may even affect someone’s performance in a business setting; a job interview. Many people were made redundant, experienced lengthy times off of work or found themselves unable to find a job during this period to begin with. This article will give you the tips and hopefully inspiration to walk into that prospective job interview with your head held high, with the belief that you will get that job!
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First Impressions
First impressions are definitely the most important thing to consider when searching for your next role of employment. This starts even from your first correspondence with the employer. It would be worthwhile to formally address an email, with a formal, confident manner: To whom it may concern (or be specific if you know their name), to end with a Best wishes, Kind regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon. Always be polite and ensure that the grammar is perfect.
Moving towards the first actual interview. It is possible that some interviews may remain on zoom, something that even post-Corona has been deemed as a useful resource. Even for a zoom, Microsoft Teams or any other potential platform that you may find your first interview on, or if the interview is in person; appearance, manner and demeanor are important factors that you MUST consider.
Dress smart: Someone who looks their best, will feel at their best. The phrase ‘look good, feel good’ is actually true! Confidence goes a long way, and this begins with how someone presents themselves. Furthermore, this is the first time that the employer will see how you present yourself in a business setting.
Manner and Demeanor: No-one is saying that you cannot make a mistake in an interview; mistakes are natural and a part of life. However, it would be worthwhile to ensure that you think clearly about what you are going to say and express your words well. Perhaps you could spend some time beforehand exploring potential questions that the employer could ask. You need to be very aware of the company, what the company does and what the role that you are applying for would require.
The Second Interview
So you made it past the first interview, congratulations! Just remember you are not quite at the finish line yet though. This order of interview style can of course vary, but the first few would usually focus on technical ability and suitability for the job followed by you as a person, qualifications and experience. Of course these are interchangeable, so make sure you are prepared for both from the very beginning. You must know your CV/resume like the back of your hand. There is nothing more embarrassing being questioned on something you have written and being stumped. This remains true for the technical part of the interview (the job itself). Naturally, you haven’t worked at this particular workplace or company before; no-one is expecting you to know how the company itself works completely. That being said, you are expected to be aware of what is required of you for the job, the skills that would be relevant for the role and application of this in the workplace. Preparedness for this will depend on the role itself; such as whether it is entry-level or requires a certain level of experience. Even these days however, entry-level jobs will ask for any sort of relevant experience; dig deep into your workplace experience and see if anything is relevant!
The Final Interview Stages
This is it, the last hurdle. You are so close now that you can almost see the dotted line for you to sign on your contract. Just remember at this stage; the company know who you are now, they know of your suitability and there will likely be competition still at this moment for your role. Remain calm, confident and maintain your professionalism. At this stage you will be able to ask questions specifically about the workplace, salaries and expectations. It would also be a great idea to prepare questions specifically about the role itself, the company culture and what the company itself is aiming for. Someone who comes across as though they have well-researched the role, has a great interest and is well qualified will be in great stead for the final decision. Of course anything can happen, in terms of someone else being slightly more qualified, experienced or something in this realm. It is important not to let your head go down. There will be more interviews. Finding a job is one of the toughest journeys in life, but it will be worth it in the end.
The pandemic may have affected social abilities and confidence, but you had it once! You can do this!
