A job interview is one of the final stages you go through during a job-hunting process. It is worth celebrating because it is the culmination of all the hard work you put in stitching and clobbering a winning CV and placing it before the relevant people. All the efforts you put in your networking, application, social media profile making and other techniques in landing a dream job are rewarded by you sitting before an interview panel.
An invitation to an interview after all the background checks and CV reviews shows that the employer believes that you have what it takes to fill the role. The ball will be in your court because it will be up to you to dispel all the doubts and convince the panel that you have what it takes to land the job and excel in it. The infographic below shows the four ways you can demonstrate your competence before an interview panel. Here is a summary of them:
- Show that you were valuable in your previous job - No one enjoys taking someones trash, so if the interviewing panel has a feeling that your previous employer rejected you or never valued you, it can dent your chances of getting the job. Endeavor to show how valuable you were and what good results you achieved. Give concrete and solid evidence to that effect were possible.
- Show that you will be great in this job - Your success in the previous role does not guarantee that you will be successful in the position at hand, hence it is imperative to show the would-be employer that you are up for the job and you will do great. Be proactive in your approach and show the panel the transferable skills you will be bringing to this job. Read through the industry trend to see the hot skills within the industry and play to such. Also, be on the look for leading questions.
- Show that you are the right person for the job - The panel is made up of human beings, regardless of their effort to be impartial and objective, their instincts tend to push them to go for people they like. Improve your likability through confidence, professional interaction, and being at ease. Dont be over-familiar, remember they are not your buddies.
- Show that you really want the job - There is a cost for recruiting less serious candidates for the job on the panel, both at an organizational and personal level hence they try to avoid it by looking for individuals who are really up for the job. Demonstrate to the panel that you really want the job and you understand what it takes to win in that role.