Five practical tips to ace your next job interview

I was recently invited to conduct a career development workshop for interns in our office. Based on the needs identified through a questionnaire, the workshop focused on getting better with job applications and job interviews.

In this post, I capture top five tips I gave on achieving excellence in a job interview:

Why are you the right person for this job?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. This should also be kept in mind while writing a compelling cover latter. You may prepare your answer keeping the following in mind:

• Clearly articulate how your qualification, skills and experience directly align with the requirements of the position. Provide specific examples. Whenever possible, quantify your achievements.
• Be honest, concise, humble, and specific.

You may not have had a great start, but you can still win

Like a Football game, interview is a test of your temperament, in addition to your knowledge and competence. A team trailing by a few goals can win in the end, and a winning team can lose a Football game. Likewise, you could bounce back even if you struggle to answer a few initial questions in your job interview. Keep your cool. You got to give your best throughout the interview.

Listen to the questions carefully

At times, we rush to answer the question without really understanding what is being asked. So, listen carefully. If you don’t understand, go ahead and politely request the interviewer to repeat the question. This is also a good strategy to get some time to think through the answer.

Demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm

Express genuine enthusiasm for the role and the organization. Convey your passion for the industry and your eagerness to contribute to the organization’s success.

Three points to remember always!

• No one answers all questions in an interview equally well.
• If you got a job, it does not mean you were the best.
• If you didn’t get a job, it does not mean you were not the best.

Stay positive. No one wins always. You need one great interview to get your dream job.