Nailing your Interview – Part 1: Preparation
Congratulations! You got the interview. The good news is you’re one step closer to landing that dream job. The less good news, you’ve still got a long way to go.
To ensure you smash the interview process, guaranteeing you the job, I’m putting together a series of posts to guide you to success. This article will focus on your interview preparation, next month we’ll cover the all-important questions you should be asking in your interview and our final article, in December, will be all about getting through the actual interview. Let’s dive right in!
Like with basically everything in life, the more you can prepare the better you’ll do. Getting to know the company and prepping yourself will ensure you’re perfectly positioned for the kind of interview which naturally leads to the job.
1. Your presentation – whether or not the position you’re going for is a sales one, you do have a product to sell: you. Make sure you dress the part, particularly in keeping with the company and industry. If you’re not sure what’s appropriate, you could wait in the lobby or outside their building at the beginning or end of business hours to suss out how people dress. Part of making sure you look the part is allowing plenty of time to get to your interview. Nothing will let you down more at the last minute like arriving late, looking frazzled and feeling stressed.
2. Do your research – get to know the company and their competitors. Being thorough in your research will help you decide if this is the right job for you and will have you well prepared for asking and responding to questions. Understand where they sit in the market and, take it one step further by putting together a few ways they could be challenging for that top position.
3. Compile your greatest hits – here’s your chance to deliver the cold, hard facts on your performance. Put together a portfolio of your proudest career moments. If you’re in sales you can highlight the targets you’ve exceeded, talk them through your key achievements and even present a summary of your client database. Now is not the time to be coy, you’ve got one chance to prove yourself, take it.
4. Rehearse your elevator pitch – every job interview may be slightly different but if there’s one thing we can practically guarantee, it’s that you’ll be asked to talk about yourself and your career. When you sit down in the hot seat and they ask you to tell them about yourself, be prepared. Jot down some notes about your background and target your interests and achievements to the company and role. Finish it off by pulling it all together into a polished pitch.
No matter how confident you feel about a particular role, you simply cannot be too prepared. Investing time into a solid interview preparation will ensure you’re not feeling flustered and can focus on presenting yourself in the best possible light.
Take these steps before your next interview and let me know how you go! I’d love to hear how they work for you or perhaps, if there’s something that you think I’ve missed.
Shannon Wood, Managing Director S8 Expert Recruitment Solutions. I have over 14 years recruitment experience specialising in the animal health industry across the ANZ region. Areas of expertise include sales and marketing, technical roles (Quality Assurance, Quality Control & Regulatory Affairs) and operational & financial positions. I work extensively in the veterinary, ruminant, monogastric, aquaculture and the pet specialty industries and I look forward to the next 14 years.
