Not too long ago having a diploma or better yet a college degree was enough to secure a job. Better yet, for most of our parents, a high school certificate landed them good jobs they could build a future on.
How times have changed, now we have masters holders and doctorates jobless and finding it increasingly difficult to get a job.
In this article, we are going to discuss crucial steps you can take to stand out from your peers in interviews and ensure you land the job. Interested? Read on…
- Research, Research, Research
I can’t state this enough.
The goal here is to get as much information about the company as possible to use during the interview as ammo and stand out from other job seekers (your competition).
Main sources of information are:
Company Website
Company Competitors
Their Best Products compared to Competitors
What are their best products (flagship products)/ services compared to competitors.
What makes them their best products/services?
About Us
• Mission Statement
• News & Press releases
• Key staff members
Social Media
So, look at their statuses on social media and try to see if you can get unique info. That will give you an edge during the interview. For Example, A tweet announcing how they are happy to acquire a competitor or their expansion plans to new territory.
You can use such information to your advantage during an interview by asking, “You recently announced that you would be acquiring company X, I’m curious as to how that fits into your long-term vision/ strategic plan?”
News
Google is your friend here, by searching “Company name news” you can get all the news articles related to that company. News reports can give you latest developments that can be instrumental during the interview and portrays to your employer that you keep abreast of latest developments which is key to many fields.
Identify Problems & Solve Them
Nothing will beat your job hunting peers and get you the job faster than identifying a problem with your target company and solving it/offering a solution.
This proves that you are proactive and a problem solver, key traits that make employers mouths water.
For Example: Let’s say you’re in IT and in the middle of your research process realized the company’s website is not optimized for mobile. During the interview, you could say, “ I tried to access your website through mobile to no avail yet 2 billion people access the web via mobile alone according to Statista, not optimizing your website for mobile is locking out a lot of potential customers. I did some further research using a free chrome plugin called wappalyzer and found out your website is built with wordpress. I can be able to solve the issue in 30 min if given the chance.(of course be sure you can do it) “
I can almost guarantee you the follow up question will be how soon can you start.
1. Time Keeping
This is the only time you cannot afford to be an African timer. I can’t emphasize enough how crucial it is to keep time. Plan your day before the day of the interview. Make sure you’re well aware of the location of the interview and route to get there, google maps can be your guide. Ready your clothes and have them ready to go. Make sure to leave early enough to allow time for distractions you may encounter on your way e.g excess traffic, getting lost e.t.c.
Getting there 10-15 min early gives a good first impression, allows you to relax and collect your thoughts too.
2. Grooming and Appearance
You’ve probably heard the saying first impression lasts. This rings true in interviews too. It’s astonishing the number of people who don’t pay close attention to their appearance when preparing for an interview.
While I agree grooming requirements have changed over time and more employers are accepting trends that not long ago were considered unacceptable. Nevertheless, Job seekers should still not take risks that could negatively impact their first impression.
Simple grooming for men and women go a long way in cementing that first impression because it’s one of the key things the interviewer sets their eyes on when they come in contact with you.
General appearance which goes hand in hand with grooming is key in boosting up your first impression. We have discussed top tips to boost your appearance that would leave a lasting impression and get you the job.
3. Common Interview Questions
Be sure to revise commonly asked interview questions and practice answering them personally. This way you’ll be able to think through the questions and practice giving a personal answer.
4. Any Questions
It’s astonishing the number of interviewees who when asked this question say they have none or ask meaningless questions that portray little to no understanding of the position they are interviewing for, the company they wish to join and the industry they are in.
This is your time to shine and when the revolver comes out blasting. The time has come for you to show off all that work done and time spent scouring for any drip of information you could find on the company, competitors, industry e.t.c. This is the part where you empty your fully loaded revolver.
Normally this question comes at the end or nearly the end of the interview. At this point, a lot has been discussed probably you used up some of the ammo which is fine. From your research, ask questions such as why x product beats competitors.
5. Follow up
After the interview, a majority of interviewees do not know that it’s quite important to ask when they should follow up on the results of the interview or simply one should ask, “When can I hope to hear from you?”. This shows the interviewer that you’re serious about the position and also gives you a timeframe of when you should get feedback instead of being anxious every day after the interview.
Conclusion:
After your CV has gotten accepted, the next step, which is the interview is the most crucial. Here, is when you get a chance to make an impression and your potential employer gets to know you better. Carefully following the steps outlined above will sure get you closer to the job. Meanwhile, you can follow our practical guide to online jobs that will keep you earning while looking for a job.