Win the race to the new job!

At the same time I also learnt 2 other truths.

Firstly, that I was not the only one swimming in the pool of job seekers and secondly that you need to have an upper edge if you are to successfully dog paddle to the shores of a desired job and employment. Nowadays, it is called Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

That was more than 2 decades ago and since then the race to land a job has become more competitive. Before that, one has to not only vie to get the job interview but also beat other equally competent individuals who are selected for the interviews.

The dog paddle race has to be prepared for with diligence and strategy.

One way of gaining this upper edge and improving your dog paddle is to prepare before a job interview. It improves your chances of landing the position. If the ‘Tell me about yourself question’ hasn’t stumped you, then certainly be prepared for the “Why do you want to work for us?” question.

This isn’t so much a trick question as a way that the interviewer can assess how serious you are about the position while checking how much you know about the company.

Your individual truth may possibly be that you need the financial stability to meet your obligations or want to ensure a better career path than what you have right now but that is not the prospective employer’s problem. For them the key issue is whether you have the right credentials and if there is a good match between the two of you.

Here are 9 suggestions to ensure you give yourself the opportunity to shine at the interview.

Preparing for the Interview

1.  Research the employer thoroughly. Learn all that you can about their vision, mission, products, locations, corporate social responsibility drives and policies for a start. This can be done by visiting their website, surf the internet for articles about them, read the papers and even ask among your network for information about them.

Tip: Do read their About Us section on their website for a start. Make notes as you do your research so that you can demonstrate knowledge about the company, its activities and the benefits of working there.

2. Check the company’s LinkedIn Page to see if you have any connection who can tell you more about the company and what they look for in an employee. Start following the company on LinkedIn.

3. Do the same on Facebook and Twitter. The more you know about the company, the more prepared you will be for the interview.

4. Based on your research, make a list of their greatest attributes, achievements, plans, key issues and job description. Then match your own experience and qualities and focus on how you can meet their needs.

5. Consider practicing before the interview with a friend or family member so that you can get your response perfect.

How to stay cool on interview day

When I was preparing for my accountancy exams, I remember our teacher telling us that you can prepare as much as you want but it all comes down to your performance on the day of the examination and if the paper goes your way. We were instructed to stay cool and make sure that nothing fazed us at the last minute.

6. On the day of the interview, make sure that you are at your best. This includes dressing for success and being well groomed. Make sure that you know what attire is appropriate for the organisation. If not, then play safe by going conservative.

7. It helps to also know the exact location of the interviewer’s office or the meeting place. I personally like to do a test run to the location a few days ahead to check out the location, traffic situation and parking arrangements unless I am using the Metro. I also check that the car has enough petrol!

8. Keep an extra copy or two of your resume with you in case your interviewer requests one. The copies also help you to guide the interviewer to the specific areas of your resume when you answer the question.

9. Budget your travel time to ensure that there is lee way for traffic snarls and other unexpected delays. Try to arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview time so that you have a chance to compose yourself. Use this time to look at your documents, pick up more information by observing the environment  and make any other last minute preparations

A well prepared interviewee is able to use their knowledge about the employer and the position and present himself as a viable candidate who can meet their needs. This candidate is looking for a Win-Win situation and knows how best he can achieve it.

Have you ever been asked the Why do you want to work with us question? How did you tackle it? Please do share your experience in the comments box below!

Need more help preparing for that Job Interview?

Check out my guide by clicking on the image below. It’s a useful resource.

Written by: Vatsala Shukla

You’ve been actively searching for a new job for months. Then one fine day, when you least expect it, the phone rings and you learn that you have finally received the much-desired interview call.

As well prepared as you might be, there are always certain interview questions that can stump you. This week, we look at one of the most common questions that are asked, quite often as an icebreaker. The dreaded “tell me about yourself?”

Even if the interviewer does not start with this question, it can come up at any point during the interview. The best technique would be to practice an answer before your interview. This does not mean memorizing an answer but to consider what you would say with confidence to get the interview going on the right foot.

Whatever else you say or don’t say, please note that this is not an invitation to launch into a verbal autobiography from your kindergarten days onwards.

Assuming that the interviewer has read your application letter and the CV, I’d suggest a 3-4 minute answer where you focus on your positive aspects. Areas could include

1. Your strengths
2. Your achievements
3. Do you do any community or voluntary work outside of your work life? Then do mention it. If you have helped in a fundraiser, put in a brief sentence including the amount raised.
4. If you have been unemployed and this is a first interview after a long gap, consider talking about what tangible achievements you have had during the gap, any volunteer work or any further skilling that you have undertaken. It is a great way to fill up the gap in the CV and indicate that you have not been a couch potato.

Even if the interviewer has not read your CV in depth, this is an ideal opportunity to bring out the key reasons to demonstrate why you are a employable candidate for the job.

In my post on Why Do You Want to Work For Us, the first thing I suggested was to research the company thoroughly and then matching your experience and qualities focusing on the needs of the prospective employer. This same information can be used to create an impressive and natural answer for the Tell Me About Yourself question too.

Because you have done your research on the interviewer and employers, you know which particular strengths and achievements you need to highlight for this question to create space for further dialogue along the lines of common background and interests.

This also helps to build rapport and can take the interview off the normal Q & A track to one where you can share examples of how you have handled real life situations, the tasks that you did, the actions taken and the results which are relevant to the position for which you are being interviewed.

It is always a good idea to research the interviewing company. Check out their website; look at their CSR initiatives and their values. Is there a connection with you? Can you incorporate it into your 3 minute sales pitch? If yes, then practice it.

Last but not least. Be honest in preparing your “tell me about yourself” answer. Remember that anything you say should be accurate and verifiable and can stand up to further interview questions.

Best of luck!

Did you know I help with job interview preparations too? You can check out my services on my Career Coaching Page 
http://karmicallycoaching.com/services-programs/career-coaching/ 

OR

If you want to engage in self-help, acquire my Online Job Application Tips ebook bundle by clicking the image below

                                                                                  I Want My Tips!

This post was originally written in June 2012 and has since been updated in July 2023 for relevance.

Written By: Vatsala Shukla