Getting your resume seen and receiving a call from a hiring manager is just the first part of the job search process. For many people it's the next step that brings the most anxiety – the interview.
Because ResumeSpice was built by recruiters, we know what hiring managers are looking for from candidates in an interview. Below are three tips for acing the all important interview.
Know the job description
The great thing about a job description is that it leaves very little guesswork about what an employer wants and expects from a successful candidate. Most hiring managers spend considerable time developing a job description that accurately describes what they’re looking for. You can use this to your advantage during an interview. Consider printing the job description and making notes on it to bring to the interview. Make cues for yourself about how you want to talk about your experience as it pertains to certain requirements of the job.
For example, if a job description for a recruiting position states that “agency experience is desirable but not required,” you can be sure that there will be candidates who apply who don’t have the “desired” experience. However, if you do have that experience, make sure you discuss it in the interview, as that can give you a leg up from candidates who don’t.
Do your research
Employers aren’t impressed when candidates don’t know about a company’s values, services, and products. Companies want to know you’re passionate about the work they do. That means, if you go into the interview with a vague sense of what the company offers, you might not receive a call back. The positive news is that most candidates don’t do their homework before an interview, so if you do, you’ll have an advantage.
You don’t have to know everything about the company, but gain a solid understanding of what they do and what drives their business. A little research will help you navigate those tricky questions, such as, “Why do you want to work for us?” The more information you have about the company, the more authentically you can answer those types of questions.
List the questions you have and bring them to the interview
Asking thoughtful questions is one of the best ways to demonstrate to an employer that you care about getting the job, that you’ve been actively engaged during the entire interview, and that you want demonstrate how you can add value to the company.
While you don’t want to robotically read from a list, but we do recommend bringing a list of questions with you to the interview so you can review them before you enter the meeting.
Keeping these tips in mind will help you prepare for your next interview. The good news is that we are here to help! Call our career consultants at ResumeSpice to get started on your way to your perfect job!
