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The interview room is the perfect stage for job candidates to promote themselves. Here’s how to use it wisely.
Get clear about your USP
You’ll want to stand out for the right reasons at the interview, and we find it helps to go in with a clear idea about which of your strengths and skills you want to ‘sell’. These will be your unique selling points (USPs).
How to find your USPs for each job interview:
- Look at the company’s job profile. What are the key words? What do they want in a candidate, or what does the job demand? List them on a large piece of paper or on your screen.
- Look at the company’s values and the profiles of the team. Do any words, phrases or ideas appear again and again? What do they seem most impressed by? List those, too.
Now that you have this list, which of your strengths and skills match these words? Write them down. These are the critical areas that you’ll want to focus on when you go into your interview.
Be prepared for your interviewers’ questions
Each of your interviewers’ questions is a springboard from which you can highlight your skills. Once you’re clear about your USP (see above), you can pre-empt their questions.
Work backwards: Instead of thinking up possible questions they might ask, look at your list of strengths. Then think about a question that each one of your strengths could answer.
(Psst! Need more interview tips? Whether you’re worried about the gaps in your CV or are unsure how to prepare for a remote interview, we have you covered.)
Some of our candidates worry that they’ll come across as arrogant at the interview. We find the best workaround for these concerns is to focus on what you have done. Walking them through your past experience will put the results of your hard work front and centre.
Be prepared for the ‘room’
Make sure you have your notes, the job spec and your CV in front of you when you are at the interview. It’s surprising how many candidates forget this simple step. Recruiters love to find people who are prepared for anything, so help them find the place they’re looking for by pointing them to everything they need in your application if they need your assistance.
Bring something new to the table
Tell your interviewers about the software you’re working with and what processes you find helpful at your work. It may prove surprisingly valuable. Emily Aldrich says, “At her interview, a recent candidate of ours talked about a new hiring and talent management system that her firm had adopted. The interviewers were interested in her experiences, and they got talking about how they could use the system in their firm. Because she was well-versed in the subject, it became an immediate hook.”
Listen to what they say
Yes, you might have proven that you have fantastic ideas, but are you going to listen to the company, as well? The interviewer wants to find out if you’re going to move in the same direction as they do, so show that you’re a willing and supportive team player by really thinking about their needs. Make sure you use the time at the end to ask them insightful questions about the company to prove that you are thinking about them, and you’re not using them as a stepping stone!
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We work to make you memorable in the eyes of an interviewer. If you’re looking for a great job in the City of London, give us a call.