I meet and talk with many job candidates each day, helping them find jobs across Northern California. When I speak with both candidates and clients about some of their top job interview frustrations, one area comes up frequently: preparedness. Employers can be frustrated with candidates who come to interviews unprepared, and candidates feel frustrated when they are confused about how to prepare.
Recruiters will help you prepare for job interviews.
In my role as a recruiter here at Palo Alto Staffing Services, I spend time with all candidates offering insights and suggestions to help them be ready for every interview. I go through as many details as possible to ensure candidates have a full understanding of both the position and the company so that they can walk into an interview and put their best foot forward. Still, there are some common areas where candidates may not be as prepared as they could be, like Confidence.
No matter how much information your recruiter gives you, you may not be putting your best foot forward if you walk into a job interview lacking confidence. Once your recruiter has given you the rundown on a position and company, write it down and study it so that you know it backward and forwards when you walk into that interview. Lacking confidence can give the appearance of unpreparedness – and it’s totally preventable. Walk into your next interview knowing that you are the best candidate for the job, and you are ready to answer the interviewer’s questions!
Enthusiasm, whether it’s from being nervous or from trying to “keep it cool” during your job interview, I often hear feedback from employers that candidates lack enthusiasm. Your recruiter is pairing you with incredible job opportunities – walk in there and show employers just how excited you are at the prospect of working for them! Doing your homework and ensuring you are prepared with all the information you need for an interview ensures your enthusiasm will come naturally and will seem genuine. Genuine enthusiasm is infectious, and if you can demonstrate that enthusiasm effectively during an interview, you’re sure to make a good impression.
Examples – Depending on the role, there is one way you can really stand out to employers when it comes to preparedness, and that’s in examples. You should always be ready to verbalize examples of your work accomplishments, but actually bringing examples to an interview (or offering to send them after) can really “wow” an employer. You don’t want to make an interviewer feel like you’re giving him or her homework but think about ways you can bring tangible examples of your accomplishments (one or two at most). Review your ideas with your recruiter for feedback on what to bring (or what not to bring).
Take advantage of your recruiter’s knowledge.
As I mentioned earlier, it is my job to provide all candidates with the information they need to be prepared for their job interviews. But, as a job seeker, you can (and should) take an active role in your career. During the last meeting with your recruiter before a job interview, be sure to ask these three questions:- How were other candidates successful in job interviews for similar positions or with the same company?– What experiences did other candidates have in interviews for similar positions or with the same company?– Do you have any personal insights about the interviewer for this job that may be beneficial to me? How do you prepare for job interviews? Are there any other tips that have worked for you?