The Art of Mastering a Job Interview
By: Soukayna Ikhiche
Tags: Interview Tips, Job Search, Job Interview, Job Hunting, Interview Questions

The Art of Mastering a Job Interview

Source : Stylist.co.uk

It doesn’t matter if you’ve dropped out of school, just graduated from University, or are applying for a summer job: attending a job interview is a step which you will be confronted to — sooner or later.

But how do you prepare for such an important step in your career, if it’s your first time? You are by now familiar with the process of writing a CV and with the steps which will make your application stand out — (If not, you’ll find a small reminder here) — but then, what to do if your application is being considered?

When you’re preparing for a job interview, there are three things which you must keep in mind before getting through the process itself :

What made you apply for such a position? (your personal and professional background, related interests and motivations) What value can you bring to the company? (In other words, why do you think you would be a great addition ?) What is your own vision of personal growth, within the business? (How do you see your role evolving, once you’re part of the team?)

If you can answer these three questions in a clear and honest way, you’ve already sorted out the structure of the interview itself.

But let’s get into the details now.

When a recruiter’s attention is attracted by an application, the process which follows is simply an understanding of how written information manifests through the candidate’s way of being. If you’ve obtained a college degree in Business, Literature, Law or Medicine will surely be a nice addition to your resume — but how does that manifest from you, in terms of skills and potential?

When you’re attending a job Interview forget about the idea that you’ll be there listing your achievements and giving a live performance of your CV’s content: they have seen that already, that’s not what you’re there for.

You might have obtained a degree in this or that, you might have worked in a specific field and have been recognized for a cause or an achievement.

It is great to note down such information and mention it in an interview — but what matters is that you do ask yourself :

“How did that bring value or change in my vision and perspective?”

Let me take that down to an example. One of the most frequent questions which you will be asked once sitting in front of a recruiter is: “Tell us about yourself and about why you have chosen us for your application”.

A person who limits their definition of “themselves” to their professional or academic achievements, would go for the standard answer :

“I have been studying Business for five years and obtained my Master degree. I would like to join a company where I can put my knowledge into practice. Your company offered an interesting job position for me.”

Now assuming that you’re not the standard candidate, here is how this question’s answer should manifest to you :

“I have always been passionate about learning through my academic (or not) journey, which resulted in obtaining (or not) my degree. I did have (or not) the chance to develop my skills in a dynamic environment, which left me with a great desire to discover more. My personal and professional background would surely be valuable assets in the job position which your company is offering, and I would be thrilled to grow through such an opportunity. I am particularly interested in the field in which your business operates, and I have heard about the high potential of growth in the International market. Is that the reason why you’re exploring new possibilities of development abroad? ”

Step 1. A passionate and educated candidate

Step 2. An excited and confident aspirant

Step 3. An informed and interested applicant who is there to learn

Don’t feel scared to be real, and dare to be brave enough to confidently “throw the ball” back to the other side of the table. You’re the one being interviewed — if you’re sitting there, I can assure you that it is because they see your potential.

One thing I have learned when applying for jobs during the past years is about how the effort which you put in such answers determines the potential of effort which you will put into your future job.

It might sound unfair to think that if that day you were feeling a bit tired or unmotivated, that might manifest into a detached and unexcited behavior.

But that is just the reality of how things are — nobody wants to hire someone who’s coming with the intention to give the minimum required engagement.

Attending a job interview will require you to have a previous preparation about your own motivation to join the company, combined with research about both the company and the position which you’re aspiring for.

Here are a few points which will help you structure your meeting :

Who is the company? What do they do, and why? What is their forecast for the next years and which goals do they have? Which are the core values which drive the business itself, and would you identify yourself with them? What are the main skills required for such position, and would you be excited about taking the lead? How do you see yourself adding value to the company? Which experiences or interests which you might have or had, motivate you for such a role? — Again, nobody is expecting 10 years of experience as a CFO at Amazon, but an example of what made you think that this position could be right for you.

Once you have set up the answers for the first part of the interview, comes the second and inevitable topic of discussion: The work environment.

When you are about to join a company, the first elements taken into consideration will be your core skills and abilities, which will result in efficiently performing your tasks within the company.

Yet, if you have had a small taste of Management during the past years, you must know about how much Managers value the environment of work and the cooperation which drives their teams.

Another typical question which you will be asked is :

“What is your ideal work environment?

Again our tired and short-spoken candidate wouldn’t bother giving more than:

« I would like to work in an environment where I could be both proactive and efficient, in order to maximise my productivity and satisfy the job requirements. »

But hence, our excited candidate knows what this question means because he is informed about the importance of creating a team-dynamic within the company. For such reason, he will confidently smile at such a question and reply:

« I believe that a work environment is not a place that you integrate, but one which you do create. I want to be part of a dynamic, cooperative, and enhancing team which will not only reflect through the excellent quality of my work but in a personal fulfillment space. A place where everyone brings a bit of their background and puts it at the service of the others ».

Again, there is no perfect answer to learn by heart to such questions — but this is how I would personally reply: with outstanding honesty and excitement.

A recruiter’s attention is driven by an honest and straight-forward candidate: all applicants come there for the job, but you want them to understand that the job itself is not the only reason why you are applying.

A job interview is the first small taste of how much value and effort you put into your own personal journey, before integrating the company’s environment.

This is you being straightforward about who you are and what you want to be — own the moment, and enjoy the conversation.

Dare to be yourself.

Whatever outcome will result from it, make sure that you have enjoyed such an opportunity and made the best out of it. If they succeed in seeing your potential and welcome you in the company with excitement, you’ll both be lucky to gain each other.

It’s a win-win situation.

You’ll gain a new enhancing professional experience — they will gain a long-term asset.