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Getting to the finishing post successfully

You've just landed a job interview for a position you really want.Congratulations! Now, you know you only get one chance toimpress, but how exactly do you do that?

Preparation Preparation Preparation

Calm and Collected

Exit with Grace

thecompanyresearch

Getting to know as much as you can aboutthe organisation or company will give you afeel of what the company is about and giveyou that background knowledge that givesyou that edge.

You need to do before the interview

• The Company• Philosophy And Mission

Statement• Market and Trends• News Articles Published• Social Media

Compile a brief company profile on the keypoints and know these facts well as youmay be able to add this information at sometime in your interview

Your

Before your interview take your CV and read through it carefullyand note down any questions you believe may be asked.

Look at each section in your CV and memorise it well.

The reason for this is that this is the document that will bebrought to the interview and it would be to your benefit to knowyour CV inside out and upside down.

Get ready to explain the gaps in a professional way e.g.• Studying • Small Children• Travelling• Volunteering

Re-read the job description carefully, and ask your contact for any additional information. Make sure you have a solid understanding of all the responsibilities, skills, certification and knowledge required, and that you are able to accommodate the job’s location and hours.

A good way to do this is to use Excel and prepare an answer for every question. Example below

Requirement How would I manage this

Describe yourself (try and describe yourself personally and then professionally).

I enjoy taking on new challenges and love the idea of rolling out a project. Once I have been given a project to manage I really can be depended on to roll it out successfully. I enjoy working with people and have been really fortunate in meeting a lot of people all over the world during my project career. I always strive to be the very best that I can be and I have not let people down in the companies that I have worked for and enjoy new opportunities and love how this helps you to grow as a person. say I do this very well.

You need to sit down and very carefully outline whatyour strong points are and to build your ownpersonal brand that reflects the successes of yourcareer timeline.

In a world that is very competitive having your ownpersonal brand or unique selling point will set youapart from everyone else and can give you that edgewhen it comes to the company making their finalselection.

What makes me unique?

Using PowerPoint

Creating a Website

Your personal profile enhances your traditional resume,no matter which field you are in. It is a great way to painta clearer picture of who you are, your career goals andwhat you have achieved so far

If you think about it, designing your own personal profilehas never been easier; either through a PowerPointpresentation or by creating your own personal website.

By creating an awesome, dynamic and personalised spaceis the perfect showcase why employers should hire youand gives you that edge today in a very competitivemarketplace.

There is no way that you can know 100% what questions will beasked in an interview and some may take you by surprisehowever it is advisable to prepare a full list of questions andanswers and go through them until you can respond withouthesitation.

One way to do this is to set up an Microsoft Excel documentwith all of the relevant questions and answers allows you tokeep a good track and by storing these questions gives you achance to sit and quietly go through them before an interviewto prepare you for a large range of possibilities.

These should cover HR questions, Skill questions and technicalquestions

Makes

Me a lot better at this

Coffee and a quiet moment

Transport organised and arranged

Have directions to interview

Have the names of the interviewers

Have dressed correctly

Have comfortable shoes in case I have to walk somedistance

Computer ready with information if required

Printed out a copy of my CV

Will arrive 30 minutes before interview

Take some deep breaths before the interview begins

I can achieve anything I set my heart on

A firm shake Wait for your interviewer to initiate the handshake. Make sure your grip is firm but not crushing

Chatterbox Be careful not to chatter without purpose. Answer the questions nothing more nothing less

Body Posture Retain a positive posture throughout the interview

Smile Smile even if you are nervous and be approachable at all time during the interview

Be Polite Remember to use please and thank you throughout the interview

Be ready with your questions

Have a list of your questions when asked

Relax Try to relax during the interview it shows that you are in control of the situation

Coffee or tea This should be avoided during the interview

Remember the 90:90 rule. People make up 90% of their mind in the first 90seconds, includes you walking into the room, shaking hands and taking a seat, sowatch your body language and remember to smile and make eye contact. You wantto come across as likeable, thoughtful and assertive. Here are some guidelines tomake your interview a success.

The Interview

Common Interview Questions

Tell me about yourself?

What have your achievements been to date?

What words would you use best to describe yourself?

What it the most difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?

What is the reason you are looking for a new job?

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

What will you bring to our company?

What are you salary expectations?

How do you manage conflict?

Describe a scenario where you did not achieve an objective?

The best way to answer interview questions about yourself is to be

honest. You are who you are. You have also prepared yourself to

answer these questions so take a moment and reflect on the

question and answer with confidence. If you are not sure of the

answer let the interviewer know and say that you are not sure and

would like to come back to that question before the end of the

interview .

If and when there is a question that is outside of the box just smile

and reply “that is a great question and with my experience and skills I

am absolutely sure I will be able to cope with that really well”.

Questions you may askHow would you describe the responsibilities of the position?

Is this a new position?

What will make me a success in this role?

Are there any other questions I can answer for you? (This would be a good time to address the questions that you were not able to answer earlier)

When can I expect to hear from you?

Better avoid these

questions • How many vacation days do I get?• Do you have flexi hours?• What benefits does the company offer?• Am I able to work from home?• Will I have to work overtime?• What is the salary I will be paid?

Now to close the interview

Regardless of your style or how you choose to close the interview, there are some key points to keep

in mind:

Leave your interviewer with the right picture of you. Think of at least five skills or traits you want

remembered after the interview.

Ask if there is anything else you can provide, such as references, background information or work

samples.

State your interest in the position. Don't be overly anxious, but act interested. Remember to

mention the added value you can bring to the job.

Ask about the next step in the process. It's important for you to know the next step so you can

follow up. Ask for the decision date.

Ask for their business cards and contact details. If you don't hear back, you will need to know

who to contact and whether they will accept calls to check the status

Immediately after the interview send a thank you note. This can be sent by as an actual note or you can send an email. Sending a thank you note shows consideration and your interest in the job and stands out to employers.

Dear …………..I very much enjoyed our conversation yesterday about the opportunity on your team. After our time together, I'm positive that my experience can make a measurable impact on your department’s deliverables. I hope to hear from you in the near future. Best regards,…………………………Contact DetailsMobile NumberEmail Address

The recruiting agency and company will be performing checks andvalidations on your references, qualifications and in South Africa onyour credit standing and whether you have a criminal record. Makesure that you can validate your results, qualifications and diplomasand you have both a clean credit and criminal record. This will help tospeed up the recruiting process and help you land that job a lotquicker.

Like it or not, companies are using social networks to screen jobapplicants. This means it is important to carefully manage yourimage on any social media sites that you are a member of. Makesure that before you apply for a job that all of your social mediasites have the right information and show you in a positive light.Remember even if you make some of your sights private someinformation is available to the general public

LinkedIn has become a main networking location to connectwith other job seekers, hiring managers, recruiters, businessowners and others you feel will benefit you. But, as witheverything, there is a certain protocol or etiquette toconnecting and building a business relationship. The bestway to determine this is to see how the interview went andwhat rapport you setup with the interviewer beforerequesting that you connect .

A final word

There you have it some advice on how to land that perfect job. And whenthat happens it is a great feeling and you are on top of the world. But if itdoes not happen for whatever reason and you will probably not know why,it is not the end of the world it just means you need to get out there onceagain.

The good news is now that you have gone through the process of preparingfor an interview you will get a lot better at this and yes there will be manyinterviews during your career.

From my side I have known both the pain and joy of going to interviews butwhat I can close on is to let you know that you will land that perfect job thatis 100% guaranteed.

With my best wishes

Contact Information

For a copy of my full CV send email to cliona.ohanrahan@yahoo.com

Mobile +27(0)60 798 2769

LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn Profile

Skype clionaoh

Cliona O’HanrahanMPM; Prince2 ; PMI SME