Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Grace Under Pressure Giving Interviews that Land Jobs

Grace Under Pressure Giving Interviews that Land JobsGrace Under Pressure Giving Interviews that Land JobsTime and again I hear from jobseekers, Im pretty sure my skills and experience stack up. If I could just make it to the vorstellungsgesprch, Ill be fine from there. Hmmmm, really? The interview itself, in fact, can be the hardest part of the process. Unlike writing a professional resume, being interviewed is a fast-paced exercise under high pressure, and theres no backspace key that lets you change your answers once theyve taken flight. Here are just a few tips for delivering a knock-out interview in order to win an offerKnow the EmployerThere will always be those odd situations where youre called in to interview at the last minute for a company you may have never heard of before, but for the most part, interviews are scheduled ahead of time. Study up on this potential employer and the position theyre offering everything you need is likely to be found on the companys website, Li nkedIn and Google. While youre at it, formulate some smart questions to ask as you move through the interview process. Even if youre not the questioning type, having something prepared makes you appear more engaged and interested in the position.Practice, Practice, PracticeCraft a brand statement that clearly, compellingly, succinctly articulates exactly what you have to offer the company. Focus on the benefits you bring instead of the skills you have. For example, you might describe how you can speak fluent Chinese, making the need for an interpreter less familiar with your field unnecessary, rather than simply telling your interviewer that you have foreign language skills.Starting out the conversation right, perhaps by explaining in a polished way how and why youre the right candidate for the position, can easily turn the rest of the interview into a friendly chat.Remember Why Youre ThereUltimately, youre at a job interview so the company can determine if youre going to be a good fit for the position they have available. So, instead of allowing the conversation to meander, start off by asking the interviewer for key characteristics theyre looking for in applicants, and how they hope these characteristics will benefit the company. Make sure that each and every time a question comes up or the conversation starts to go in a different direction that you bring it back around to how you can meet those needs you discovered at the beginning of the interview. Try not to sound like an infomercial, but definitely stay on point. After all, youre there to help the company fulfill a fundamental need so the interview isnt really about you. Its about helping the company as a whole function as a well-oiled machine.