Guideline

Tips and tricks for a successful interview

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Congratulations! You have managed to convince me with your resume and you have been summoned to a job interview. You have already achieved a lot and you can be happy now.

After the joy comes to the excitement before the interview

To be successful in an interview and to convince the interviewer, there are a few things to consider. Here we have compiled the most important tips for the interview.

BASIC TIPS FOR THE INTERVIEW

  • Choose the appropriate clothing for the sector and the situation. In any case, a well-groomed appearance is essential in the job interview
  • Less is more! Avoid strong perfume. You cannot know how your interviewer will react to a perfume that is too strong. We associate unpleasant smells with unpleasant situations and the winds would no longer blow in your favor because your interviewer would not feel comfortable.
  • If you are a smoker: Do not smoke before the interview.
  • Greet your interviewer with a firm and appropriate handshake. It is a sign of self-confidence.
  • If multiple people are present at the interview, greet them in the order of their rank. In other words: the CEO versus the HR manager. You will usually find photos of your interviewers on the company website. If you don’t know who has the what position, greet them according to normal etiquette.
  • Take a notebook or notebook. Here you can write down your questions in advance, refer to them, and write something down from time to time during the interview. But be careful! Don’t write everything down and don’t just look at the page. It is not a dictation, but a job interview.
  • Listen carefully and don’t interrupt your interviewer.

WHAT DOES THE INTERVIEWER REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU IN THE INTERVIEW?

  • Will you fit into the team? Will, the teamwork well with you?
  • Do you have the necessary skills for the job and do you really understand what the job is about?
  •  Do you really want to work for the company?
  •  Will you take the company and its objectives forward? What are your long-term plans?
  • Are your plans in line with the vision of the company?
  •  Can they hire you with a clear conscience, without any surprises appearing at the end?

    Make the psychological effects aware of the job interview

There are numerous psychological effects that occur during the interview without our being aware of them. In hindsight, we wonder why we didn’t get the job even though the interview went so well.

We have collected some of these effects for you here:

  • When you’re nervous, express it. Admitting that you are nervous is not seen as a weakness. It shows the recruiter that the interview is important to you. Even if you are blocked during the interview, speak up. Don’t be too reserved, because you could show that you lack empathy.
  • Don’t interrupt and let the person you’re talking to talk more. People remember conversations in a positive way, especially when their own rate of speech was predominant. So be sure to let your interviewer finish and make sure there is real dialogue during the interview.
  • Avoid saying “no”: recommending yourself sounds immodest to us. However, avoid using phrases like “I don’t want to show off, but …” That way you get exactly what you don’t want. This makes you sound even more arrogant and unfriendly. Present yourself confidently, without any restraint, with your positive qualities.
  • Give nice and discreet compliments. Do not exaggerate or admire the interviewer’s hairstyle during the interview, but do make small affirmative compliments such as: “What you just told me is super interesting, because …”.

MOST COMMON QUESTIONS IN AN INTERVIEW AND TIPS FOR YOUR ANSWERS

Each job interview is different and depends on the sector, the position, the corporate culture, and, of course, the personality of the person who is interviewing you. However, there are some questions that you can look forward to and that you can prepare for.

What can you tell about yourself?

Here you will have your first chance to really convince. It is not simply about presenting your CV in chronological order, but you have the opportunity to address the important points that are required in the job advertisement. To begin the interview, we invite you to start with who you are, how old you are, and where you live, but then you must go into detail about your studies or training, for example, as well as your previous activities, your focus, and your achievements. Find a smooth transition to your current situation that justifies why you are applying for this new job. What qualities and characteristics have you been able to demonstrate in the past and what makes you suitable for the position offered?

Why did you apply for this position?

Here you should also make it clear what experience they have already had that is relevant to this position. Go into the job posting in detail and explain what attracted you to the position as you have experience in these areas. Again, support your experience here with examples from the past. Also, try to make a connection between the assumed company/corporate culture and yourself as a person.

Why do you want to quit your current job?

Attention: Don’t badmouth your current company here. Stay objective and explain what goals you have and what you want to achieve now.

What do you know about our company?

Just speak positively. Make a basic description of what the company does, its philosophy, and its objectives. You will usually find all of these on the company’s website.

What are your strengths?

Address the strengths that are relevant to the position you are applying for. However, be sure to support your statement. You will have to explain in the interview where and how you have been able to demonstrate your ability to work in a team and your commitment in the past.

What are your weaknesses?

This question is often feared by candidates because they consider that all the answers are wrong. Our advice if they ask you about your weaknesses in the job interview:

  • Don’t try to wrap your true strengths into weaknesses. “I’m always so punctual …” Interviewers know such “tricks” and they will not seem original or authentic.
  • Select only the weak points that do not go against the requirements of the job offer. Look for a weakness that is not an essential quality for the job.
  • Explain how you are working on their weakness. For example: “I find it difficult to speak to a large audience, so I took the opportunity during my studies to attend a seminar on the subject. Now I know how to prepare myself so that nervousness is reduced … “

ASK YOUR OWN QUESTIONS DURING THE INTERVIEW

Usually, the interviewer will ask you at the end of the interview if there is anything else you would like to know. Here you always answer with a YES! If you say no, it will give the impression that you are not really interested in the job or the company. If you think that many of your questions have already been answered during the interview, say so too. But in this case, have some backup questions ready.

What are the appropriate questions during the interview?

  • Has the position been created recently? Why is the position vacant?
  • How long did my predecessor work in the position?
  • What are your goals in this position?
  • How many people is the staff/team?
  • What did my predecessor do really well and where can it be improved?
  • What would my typical workday look like?
  • Is there a flexible schedule?
  • How long is the adaptation period?
  • How are your employees promoted?
  • How would you describe your corporate culture?
  • Who would be my direct superior?
  • Could you show me the planned workplace?
  • When do you think you will make a decision? (Actually, you should only ask this question last if you’ve already asked other questions.)

CASE STUDIES IN INTERVIEWS

In some industries, so-called case studies are common. Unlike the traditional interview, these tests are rarely announced in advance and can be assigned during the interview.

The motto here is: keep calm!

  • Do not lose focus.
  • If you are given a task, take notes and ask for any additional information you may need to solve it.
  •  Don’t be afraid to ask if you haven’t understood something correctly.

Interviewers want to know how you react to certain situations and how you proceed. It’s often about testing your analytical thinking skills, as well as your resistance to stress, your logical thinking, and your organizational skills. Finding the 100% correct solution is not the deciding factor to convince here. The important thing is that you present a solution at the end, but above all that you explain how you have arrived at the solution.

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