Proven tactics to impress your future employer!
Photographs: Unsplash
Text: Luke Hannon
Interviews are scary! There's no way of getting around it. You know it, and I know it. According to a recent study, 93% of people feel nervous going into an interview.
But what if it didn't have to be this way?
What if I told you that all you had to do was follow these simple tactics to interview like a boss? What if I shared the cheat codes to MASSIVELY improve your chances of nailing your interview? Ready? Let's go!
Remember the 3 P's
Preparation, preparation and more preparation.
This is the number one takeaway from this article. Find out as much as possible about the interview beforehand. Will it be a video call? Who will you be interviewing with, and what topics will you discuss? A lot of people get shy around asking recruiters about the details of the interview. They really shouldn't!
The more you can find out, the more prepared you will be. Say to the recruiter, "I want to do the best I can in the interview. Can you tell me as much as you can about what to expect?".
Trust me, they'll be glad you did! If you want to nail the interview - BE PREPARED!
Nail Your Elevator Pitch!
"So tell me about yourself…."
If you want to impress the interviewer, you'll need to nail your elevator pitch. The elevator pitch summarises who you are, your experience and (most importantly!) the skills you bring to the table. Want an example?
"Hi, I'm Luke, a Talent Acquisition Specialist (and writer) with eight years in technical recruitment. I started my career in finance recruitment in the UK before working in Government recruitment. I've worked in Games for over two years, hiring everyone from cybersecurity specialists to artists. I'm also involved in Employer Branding and have helped grow my company's presence on LinkedIn from 5000 followers to nearly 17,000.
The key thing is to drive home the skills that you bring. Because when all is said and done, that's the single biggest question the interviewer will be asking.
The first part of nailing any interview is nailing your elevator pitch!
"According to a recent study, 93% of people feel nervous going into an interview. According to a recent study, 93% of people feel nervous going into an interview."
Know Your CV!
Knowing your CV back to front is vital to interview success. You'll almost certainly be asked about your experience, and it's never good to be unable to answer this type of question. It is, of course, YOUR experience. So if you're in marketing, you should be able to tell the interviewer what platforms you used and what budgets you managed. If you're in sales, you should be able to recall your KPIs and performance.
If you want to nail that interview, then know your CV!
Motivations
Why do you want to work for the company?
It's a simple question but one that I see many people struggle with. So to nail your answer to this question, I recommend a three-pronged answer:
Why does the role interest you? How can you contribute your skills to the job?
How do the company's values resonate with you?
What about the company's products, services or work that attracts you?
Do your research, think deeply and then blow them away with your answer!
Prepare Some Questions!
Do you have any questions?
It's something that's asked at the end of every interview. This should be the easiest question you receive all day. If you want to impress the interviewer, then it's VITAL that you have a list of questions prepared, not ones you can find in the job description!
Is there anything about the role you would like to know about? Then ask. Ask about the future goals of the company. With 22% of new employees leaving their position in the first 12 months, showing that you buy into the company's long-term aspirations is crucial. Want to know what the working environment is like at the company? Ask! You want to show the interviewer that you are seriously considering the company as a future place for you. Your job is to make it as EASY as possible for them to imagine you working there as possible.
Do this, and you'll impress any interviewer!