Lots of people know hiring processes – and job interviews in particular – can be difficult. Taking time to prepare for an interview, thinking about how our experience can add value to the new role and setting expectations are critical to coming out on top.
In this article, we share some tips to help you in a hiring process.
- Learn as much about the job and the company as possible. Try to contact the manager in charge of the job opening. Ask about the normal working day, the job’s main challenges, the office dynamics and performance review criteria.
- Think about why you’re ready for a change. Hiring managers and other officers may ask you about your motivation. Telling them you want to apply your skills or you’re looking for something new often doesn’t cut it; they’ll expect you to give more insightful reasons for applying for the role.
- Talk about your experience as it relates to the job opening. Find out what the job requirements are and ask yourself how you can meet them. If your current job and the new role are completely different, think of what they may have in common. You may be working in the same system or on the same projects. The more examples you can give, the more competent you’ll seem.
- Show what you can bring to the new team and how your experience can be useful to your future colleagues.
- Give straightforward answers. Stay on-topic and don’t get stuck on tangential matters.
- Think about your recent milestones. Mention what makes you proud of your work. A job interview isn't the time to be modest; but you should think about your shortfalls and the lessons you’ve learned to give a full idea of who you are.
- Make strong arguments about why you’re the right person for the job. In hiring processes, you don’t always know the circumstances or business needs behind a new opportunity; therefore, be open-minded and don’t take the job requirements as a given, because they might be seeking someone with different skills and experience or have other expectations.