Stuttering sentences and bumbling nerves will be a thing of the past with our list of the top tricks and tips to ensure you land your dream job
The good news is you’ve got your foot in the door and have managed to bag yourself an interview. The bad news is, you’ve now got to actually go through with the terrifyingly gruelling process of justifying why you’re simply perfect for the job - neither a pleasant or easy task for anybody.
However, with a bit of careful preparation and a positive attitude, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be walking out that office door with your head held high, safe in the knowledge that a congratulatory phone call is on its way.
To help ensure this happens, we caught up with GTG expert and Clinical Hypnotherapist, Terrence The Teacher , who gave us his top ten tips on how to nail the interview and land your ultimate dream job. Good luck!
Do your Homework
“Learn important facts about the organisation you want to join, the position you are interested in and if possible try to learn a little more about the person that will interview you. Like they say, ‘knowledge is power,’ so empower yourself for the interview.”
Be clear about your goal
“If this interview is important to you, then the outcome of the interview should be clear to you - getting the position! A great exercise to do is visualisation - spend some time imagining the whole interview. See yourself being calm and in control and giving the perfect responses. Imagine how good it would feel getting great feedback from the interviewer. Rehearsing such processes in the mind has been proven to make the actual interview less stressful - so give it a go. If you really wanted to embed a positive outcome, you could even try a physical role play.”
Dress for success
“It is definitely true that first impressions last, so make sure you dress appropriately for the interview. Also make sure that you feel comfortable in the outfit you choose - it will help you to look and feel more confident and relaxed.”
Be on time
“Give yourself enough time on the day to be able to do everything you need without having to rush. Also try and get to the venue for the interview with time to spare - the extra time will give you time to collect yourself and focus before you have to go in. Your punctuality will also be noticed by your new prospective employer.
Keep your head up, make eye contact and smile
“Walk into the interview with your head held high. It creates a posture of confidence that will be noticed be the interviewer. Also make sure to continually make eye contact and smile - being pleasant and likeable has been proven to endear applicants to the interviewer.”
Listen
“Listening intently will make you seem engaging, so make sure to focus on the interviewer and their questions. Also, try to show real interest in understanding the company and what they expect from the perfect applicant for the position - this might help you to give more appropriate answers. By paying close attention you might also find a common interest with the interviewer, which could help sway the interview outcome positively.”
Answer the question, ‘why you?’
“Have a clear answer as to why you chose that company or job and why you would be perfect for the position. Be wary though - while you sing your own praises it’s also important to remember that the interviewer works for the company, so make the company seem as important to you as the position itself.”
Present the best of you
“Be well equipped with information that showcase your skills and strengths but be sure to keep it clear and interesting. Once you’ve told them why you’re right for the job you have to actually show them. Remember: if you don't believe you are the right person for the job, why would they?"
Don’t stress over mistakes
“A certain amount of nervousness can actually be a positive as it lets the interviewer see how important the position is to you. If you do happen to make a mistake, don't over react. The chance is that it is far more noticeable to you than the interviewer. If need be, acknowledge it and move swiftly on as if nothing has happened. You’re only human and you never know, it might even make you seem more charming to the interviewer.”
Exit with confidence
“In the theatre, actors stay in character until the final curtain comes down - make this same rule apply to your interview. It might seem like a small thing, but the way you leave the interview will be the final impression the interviewer has of you. This is your big exit, so make it count.”