Succeed in your job interview.
8 January 2014
Read by 3795 persons
Your resume and cover letter hit the mark, and a recruiter has invited you for an interview. L'Express.fr gives you tips to avoid stumbling.
Before the interview
- To avoid being too stressed during your job interview, learn as much as possible about the company and the position you are applying for. Surf its website, read articles about the company, try to understand its values...
- Some questions inevitably come up: What can you bring to our company? How do you see the position? What are your motivations? Tell me your strengths and weaknesses... To avoid being caught off guard during the interview and appear confident, prepare your answers and list what you want to say or not.
- If you have the opportunity, practice with a friend: expressing your desires aloud often helps clarify your thoughts. If not, take our test Practice for job interviews.
The day of the interview
- Dress appropriately. There is no typical outfit for an interview - it depends on the dress code of the profession you practice - but in general, opt for a simple and classic outfit.
- Be on time. Leave early to prepare for any unforeseen event. You can also check out the location the day before to make sure you don't get lost.
- Look relaxed. Be smiling, natural, stand straight, look your interviewer in the eyes. "Some people, when faced with an awkward or embarrassing question, start coughing, blushing, looking at the ground, playing with their hair, wringing their hands... recruiters are generally experts at noticing these unconscious gestures, even if they are imperceptible movements such as small muscle movements. The best way to combat this unconscious behavior is to practice in advance so as to be comfortable in any circumstance," assures Daniel Porot in "The job interview in 202 questions".
- Highlight your strengths. You need to make recruiters want to take you on their team. During the interview, argue your answers and give specific examples of your previous achievements. Also favor action verbs such as "I achieved", "I implemented", "I developed". But highlighting yourself does not mean lying or even being evasive. A speech that sounds false is a deal breaker for recruiters.
- The recruiter doesn't have a monopoly on questioning! Don't hesitate to ask questions to get more details about the position, the company, and the working conditions. You thus show your interviewer that you are interested in the job.
After the interview
- Follow up: At the end of your interview, ask your interviewer when they plan to give you an answer. If they haven't called you on the day, wait a day or two before calling them back: they may be behind on their files. If you don't know when they should answer you, wait a week before calling back.
Lexpress.fr
Posted on January 8, 2014.
Before the interview
- To avoid being too stressed during your job interview, learn as much as possible about the company and the position you are applying for. Surf its website, read articles about the company, try to understand its values...
- Some questions inevitably come up: What can you bring to our company? How do you see the position? What are your motivations? Tell me your strengths and weaknesses... To avoid being caught off guard during the interview and appear confident, prepare your answers and list what you want to say or not.
- If you have the opportunity, practice with a friend: expressing your desires aloud often helps clarify your thoughts. If not, take our test Practice for job interviews.
The day of the interview
- Dress appropriately. There is no typical outfit for an interview - it depends on the dress code of the profession you practice - but in general, opt for a simple and classic outfit.
- Be on time. Leave early to prepare for any unforeseen event. You can also check out the location the day before to make sure you don't get lost.
- Look relaxed. Be smiling, natural, stand straight, look your interviewer in the eyes. "Some people, when faced with an awkward or embarrassing question, start coughing, blushing, looking at the ground, playing with their hair, wringing their hands... recruiters are generally experts at noticing these unconscious gestures, even if they are imperceptible movements such as small muscle movements. The best way to combat this unconscious behavior is to practice in advance so as to be comfortable in any circumstance," assures Daniel Porot in "The job interview in 202 questions".
- Highlight your strengths. You need to make recruiters want to take you on their team. During the interview, argue your answers and give specific examples of your previous achievements. Also favor action verbs such as "I achieved", "I implemented", "I developed". But highlighting yourself does not mean lying or even being evasive. A speech that sounds false is a deal breaker for recruiters.
- The recruiter doesn't have a monopoly on questioning! Don't hesitate to ask questions to get more details about the position, the company, and the working conditions. You thus show your interviewer that you are interested in the job.
After the interview
- Follow up: At the end of your interview, ask your interviewer when they plan to give you an answer. If they haven't called you on the day, wait a day or two before calling them back: they may be behind on their files. If you don't know when they should answer you, wait a week before calling back.
Lexpress.fr
Posted on January 8, 2014.
