Johannesburg - An interview is a great opportunity for you if you go into it well prepared. If you don’t prepare, it’s just a wasted opportunity. Here are our top tips for preparing yourself really well so that you can handle the interview with confidence.
1. Soft skills such as having a positive attitude, communication skills, resilience, self-confidence, people skills and ability to work in a team are often more important than technical skills. Employers often prefer someone who will fit in and can learn the job. Think about how to demonstrate these skills before and during an interview.
2. Never go into an interview without first visiting the company’s website and social media sites. Read the “About Us” page, the company history and the people pages, and read about the products. This enables you to bring your most informed self to the interview.
3. While you’re reading about them, note your opinions of the company and think of good questions. By saying something like “When I was on your website, I noticed that the company only started two years ago – how is it doing?” you let them know that you’ve taken the trouble to inform yourself. You can ask or say anything that seems relevant to you; an interview is, after all, a two-way conversation.
4. If you’re not 100 percent sure what the job entails, do your homework by researching the job title. You can ask questions about it during the interview, but if you’ve researched it, at least your questions will be intelligent. And be aware that job content will differ slightly from company to company, even if the title is the same.
5. Get someone mature to conduct a mock interview with you so that you can practise answering questions about yourself and your CV. Your mock interviewer should read your CV and ask relevant questions, and should be able to advise you on your answers.
6. Practise answering questions without rambling. You need to understand what the interviewer wants to know and get straight to the point. Try to think about the questions from their point of view – they’re trying to assess whether you can do the job and whether you’ll fit in.
7. Double-check the address, name of the interviewer, date and the time.
Common questions you can expect to be asked during an interview:
1. What do you know about the company that you’re applying at?
2. Tell us about yourself.
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. What are you strengths?
5. What is your salary expectations?
6. Do you have many interests outside work?
7. What makes you qualified for this job?
8. Why are you looking for a new job?
9. Do you have any questions for us?
10. Where do you see yourself in five years?
11. What can you bring to this organisation?
12. What are you looking for in a company?
13. Why do you want to leave your current employer?
14. Why should we hire you?
15. Describe a situation in which you solved a problem.
* The Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator is a not-for-profit company that helps young people prepare for the world of work. So far, over 15 000 young South Africans have been placed in permanent jobs across more than 150 South African employers.
** To learn more about Harambee, see www.harambee.co.za. Candidates can apply via cellphone on www.harambee.mobi.
THE STAR