For most job seekers, facing an interview can be incredibly stressful. This is because, in just a short amount of time, a candidate is supposed to leave the best impression. When it comes to successfully cracking an interview, numerous factors play a vital role from having the required technical capability to soft-skills. Nowadays, employers not only hire individuals on the basis of their technical capability but also consider their soft-skills to work effectively within the team.
If you’re looking to crack an interview, there are a few proven strategies that can help you stand out from your competition. These include showcasing your skills in a job interview and strong social and interpersonal skills to get along with colleagues, clients and everybody in between. Thus, to sell yourself in a job interview, you need to boast about your accomplishments and abilities, without sounding arrogant or too desperate. In this post, we have listed tips from experienced hiring managers and career experts on how to ace your next job interview.
Prepare an elevator pitch, an introduction that conveys your skills and abilities. This 30- to 60-second self-introduction is to be prepared by looking closely at the job posting to assess the company’s needs and the job responsibilities to customize your pitch accordingly. The goal of an elevator pitch is to present yourself as the right solution to recruiter’s needs. So, do your research and find out what matters most to the company to tailor your pitch.
Simply saying that you have strong leadership skills or any other skill is not sufficient. To make a mark in the interview, provide numbers and figures to back up your claims. For instance, tell the hiring manager how your project helped in reducing cost or that you reduced customer service complaints by 50% or that how you helped the company attract new major clients. Thus, instead of mentioning generalized skills like a “team player” or “hard worker,” back up your claims with relevant stories that show how you’ve applied your skills in the past.
The moment you enter the interview room, the hiring manager will form the first impression of you based on what you’re wearing. Dressing and body language, in fact, showcase your skills even before you start speaking. Therefore, it is important to dress properly but it doesn’t mean to overdress. Make sure to avoid jazzy accessories and over makeup. In addition to this, nonverbal communication skills are equally important in taking you closer to your dream job. This means you need to maintain good eye content and have right body language and gestures to impress the interviewers.
