A job interview is an important event that could have a big impact on your life. Most of the time, landing the right job is not about being the perfect candidate, but about having having the right strategy and approach for the interview.
If you spend a little time preparing and researching before you appear for the interview, then your chances of getting the right job increases. By ‘getting the right job’ I mean ‘a stable, growing and fulfilling career in which you enjoy your everyday work and keep climbing the corporate ladder towards your professional goal’. Isn’t that what we all want?
3 Important Things To Think About Before Your Job Interview
1. Think About The Reason You Want This Job
“Why do you need this job?” is one of the common questions in interviews. Companies are keen to recruit leaders who have clarity about what they want from life. The more clarity you have about why you are doing what you are doing, the better it is. Being aware of the ‘why’ shows how serious you are about what you want from this job.
List down the primary reason for your job search:
- Do you want a change in industry/field?
- Do you want better compensation?
- Do you want to find a more challenging job because your current one is boring?
- Is there any other specific problem with your current role?
- Are you frustrated with your boss/company?
- Are you looking out because it has been 2 to 3 years and you need a change?
There are no right or wrong answers for the above. Whatever the reason is, the important thing is for you to be certain about why you are looking for a better opportunity.
Why is it important?
- It helps you filter the right kind of job openings in the market.
- It gives you a list of things that you need to look for in your new role.
- It gives you clarity on factors like location, compensation, etc.
- It gives you confidence for the interview.
2. Think About Your Value Addition To The Organisation
List down the biggest value that you can add to an organization that recruits you:
- Is it your specialization?
- Is it your experience?
- Is it your passion for the industry?
- Is it your contacts?
- Is it your qualification?
- Is it a specific skill set that you may have?
List down the answers and keep them at the top of your mind before you go for the interview.
Why is it important?
- You will be able to communicate your value during the interview.
- You will know how different you are from other candidates.
- Your self-confidence will improve.
- It will show you how to position or showcase your profile in the job market.
3. Think About Your Potential Employer & Research
Before you apply for a job in a specific organisation, spend time researching and understanding the organization in detail. Some ways to research:
- Spend time going through every possible page on their website.
- Do a search engine research by looking up the name of the company in Google or Bing. Read the links that appear in up to 4 search pages.
- Look at all their social media channels in detail.
- Visits forums and job boards to see reviews and comments from other employees about the company.
- Visit the LinkedIn company profile.
- Read news items and articles about the company.
Why is it important?
- It helps you understand the company culture before the interview.
- It helps you get an understanding of the products/services, etc.
- It helps you anticipate and prepare for the type of questions you may be asked.
- It helps you prepare examples and illustrations that are company specific.
- It helps you decide if this is the company that you want to work for, in future.
We hope that contemplating on these 3 important points will help you prepare well and ace your job interview. All the best!
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