Now, I’m no expert on job interviews but recently I was doing some research into tips and tricks for acing them because I had one coming up for a digital marketing executive position. I’d completed personal and professional development modules in university that covered interview skills but still felt very unprepared for what lay ahead; mock interviews with your fellow classmates don’t quite meet the same nerve levels as an actual job interview!
They can be daunting experiences for people and can often trigger anxiety and panic attacks for some. In the run-up to mine, I was expecting myself to be very jittery and nervous, but to my surprise, I was actually very chill! Almost a little too chill, I thought. I recently got word from the employers however, saying that they were thoroughly impressed with my interview and would love to have me join the team! So I must’ve done something right…
So without further ado, here are my recommended 5 steps for acing a job interview!
STEP ONE – RESEARCH
This is critical and will help you so much in the interview. Researching the job and the business will provide you with essential information that you can talk about in the interview. Plus, it will also allow you to find out more about what the job will entail. You could end up discovering that this job isn’t really for you. A question that I got asked in my own interview was, “What do you know about us as a business and what we do?” This question is quite popular in job interviews and being able to answer it with accurate information can demonstrate to the employers that you genuinely have an interest in the business. Consider them impressed if you ace this step!
STEP TWO – SKILLS PREPARATION
The days in the run-up to the interview should be used to prepare yourself. Usually, in job descriptions, there is a list of required and desired skills of the job. Go through each one of these and come up with examples of times you’ve demonstrated these skills. Having real-life examples prepared for each of your skills can be very impressive to employers and allows them to see that you do actually possess them. For example; teamwork was an essential skill in my job description. When asked, “What skills do you think are needed to perform successful digital marketing and do you possess these?” I was able to link back to the job description and go through what skills were mentioned. Teamwork – I mentioned how in my current job teamwork is essential and is needed in order for service to run smoothly. We help each other and communicate well in order to deliver a high level of service to our customers. An example would be if my bartender is experiencing a busy period, he/she can let me know and I will step in and help them.
STEP 3 – BODY LANGUAGE
How you sit and perform during an interview is important. Your body language can give a lot away, for example: if you sit with your arms folded throughout the whole interview, it can give off the impression of rigidness and keeping your guard up. Employers want someone who is enthusiastic and excited about the job opportunity. Now I’m not saying start doing an interpretive dance during the interview (unless the interview is for an interpretive dancer, then go for it…) just keep your body language positive. Use your hands when your talking, smile and make eye contact when it’s appropriate. All these small gestures can really give off the impression that you know what you’re doing, you’re confident and want the job. Practice your answers in the mirror so you can see what you would look like during the interview.
STEP 4 – SELF-CARE
People often forget this but looking after yourself is of huge importance. Buy yourself a new outfit for the interview; looking professional can then lead to you feeling professional and powerful, giving you the confidence that you need to ace any job interview. Have all your preparation done days before so that when it comes to the night before, you can relax. Have a bath, do a face mask, watch your favourite TV show or eat your favourite meal. Looking after yourself can allow you to have peace of mind and keep those pesky overthinking thoughts at bay. If you think you’ll have trouble sleeping, try some lavender oil in your bath or a nice warm drink before bedtime. Getting a good night’s sleep before the interview can really help too; if you wake up tired for the interview this could affect your performance. Look after you!
STEP 5 – YOU GOT THIS!
So it’s the big day, your nerves and jitters are starting to kick in and those overthinking thoughts are creeping up in your mind again. Don’t let them! Try and fill your head with happy, positive thoughts. Keep telling yourself that you’ve got this in the bag. You ARE deserving of this job. You HAVE worked hard for it and have prepared enough to succeed. On the way to my job interview, I listened to some confidence boosting music (I recommend the Walking Like a Badass playlist on Spotify…) the songs definitely gave me a pep in my step. I also left myself some time before the interview so I could grab a coffee and go through some of my notes; background of the business, required skills, questions I’d like to ask the employers, etc. And that’s that. You just walk into that interview with your head held high and show em’ what you got, Miranda Priestly style!
I hope these steps help some of you in any future interviews and if anyone has any other steps to share, then please comment them below!
Lana xoxo
YIN YANG ZING 