Interview Tips!

17:00

I did a post a couple of months ago on exam tips and it seemed to go down well, so thought I'd give you some more advice, this time on job interviews.


1. Do your research on the brand/company

I made the error of not researching much into the brand before I went to interview and ended up looking a bit silly when I didn't know which year the company was founded!! I managed to get the job in the end which was lucky, but I definitely won't make that mistake again! I would suggest you look at the products they sell, their mission statement & values (these can be useful if you want to prove your worth in the company, make sure that your skills line up with their goals! Also look into their history, as it's useful to know important dates & facts about the company (also, if you get the job you may have customers asking you the history so it's good practice!!)

2. Practice your answers

I don't mean rehearse until you die, because your responses will sound scripted and insincere, I just mean think a little bit about how you'd respond to questions like "why do you think you're the best candidate for the job?" or "what are your weaknesses". Have a think before hand about how you'd answer questions like this. For instance, my answer to the second question might be that I find prioritising quite difficult, so I'm working on figuring out which of the tasks I've been set is the most important and then working through the list to the least important task.

3. Dress smartly

You want to appear to take care of yourself and look well presented, as appearance is important in job interviews, no matter how much people try to deny that this is the case. Make sure your hair looks nice, and that you've got clean, nice, well fitting clothes on, and that you're proud of your appearance. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU NEED TO WEAR A SUIT! For my first job I worked at Fat Face, so it's a kind of casual/outdoorsy clothes store so wearing nice black jeans and a top worked for me as that went with the style of what they sell at the store. You want to look nice but be true to yourself and your own style!

4. Put forward your best self

Don't pretend to be someone you're not. The most important tip is be sincere, be yourself and don't be afraid to be unique. I got asked what my favourite book is, and instead of saying something really impressive and classical and intelligent I said Perks of Being a Wallflower, and talked about how I liked the film adaption & related to Charlie, and that worked out best for me because my soon-to-be boss could see how I meant what I said and how passionate I was. Be professional and impressive, but don't be afraid to be friendly! Show yourself off!

5. Show off a little!

Don't be afraid to show off a bit about your skills and talents. Don't be negative or self doubting or modest, they want to know what you're good at! However try not to be TOO boasting or toot your own horn too much. It's all about balance!

5. Don't be discouraged

If it goes well and you get the job, then fantastic! Congratulations, I'm really happy for you :D If not, then don't be discouraged, everyone (and I mean everyone) has been rejected before, you just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, edit that killer CV and apply somewhere else. You'll get that dream job eventually!

Also, don't forget to smile, have a strong handshake, and make sure you don't have chipped nail polish!


Hope this helps some of you out if you're applying for a job soon! Do you have any interview stories or tips? If so I'd love to read them in the comments! 

Lots of love,
Zoe xxx

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2 comments

  1. These are some great tips! I think 'dress smartly' and 'put forward your best self' are really important factors. I also find that going in with a positive mind set and always remember to shake the interviewer's hand are good tips. I really like you blog, keep up the hard work!
    Emily
    http://paperchainblog.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete

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