Four key skills to have for an interview

By: Alan Hung

Interviewing is an important part of any job searching process and it is a good opportunity for you to leave a great impression with your potential employer and stand out from the rest of the candidates. Here are 4 skills that you should work on to have a strong showing in any interview and improve your chances of landing that dream job:

Prepare to leave your impression:

Researching and planning is an important part of preparing for an interview. It is always a good idea to go into an interview with as much information as possible. Whether it is researching more about the company and the role or preparing for questions during the interview.

Most successful interviews are usually a result being able to align your skill sets with the role. Prepare your personal and professional strengths and include your accomplishments and work experience that matches the requirements of the position.  You also want to research the company and highlight the values of the company and how it aligns with your own.

Being well prepared can help you better present your strength, which will make it easier for you to articulate them during an interview

Tell a good story:

Communication is an important skill not just for interviewing but also for daily and professional life. A resume and initial screening can only tell a company so much about you. It is a good opportunity to fully show what you can offer during an interview to your potential employer.

Prepare bullet points that you would want to cover for you to remain on topic and authentic.  Sometimes preparing full sentences creates the feeling that you sound robotic and scripted. Familiarize yourself with your resume so that you will be in control of the message you want to convey and tell the interviewers what you want them to learn about you.

Show enthusiasm for the role:

During an interview it is expected that you will come prepared with information about your potential employer and to discuss more about your experience.  You want to go above and beyond to show your enthusiasm for the position to let your interviewers know that you’re really interested.

Simple non-verbal actions such as showing up early (or on-time) and being dressed in a professional manner, can leave a strong first impression with the interviewer. It is recommended to prepare ahead of time, whether it is making sure your attire is clean and pressed, planning that you have enough time to arrive at site on time while accommodating for potential traffic, or making sure that your home set up will not have any issues for your video interview.

It is important to show interest/enthusiasm verbally during the interview as well as your tone can give away more than your words. A good way to show interest is by showing them how you would be a good fit for the role and your passion for this work.

End the interview on a positive note:

You’ve done your best to showcase yourself during the interview and now you want to wrap up the meeting in a positive manner. When given the chance to ask questions, ask questions such as “What do you think are the most important qualities for someone in this role?”  This could open opportunities for you to highlight your experience in a different way and leave a good impression with their prompt and will be one of the last things they’ll remember leaving the meeting.

After each round of interview, it is recommended to send a post interview thank you note to the interviewer highlighting the positive details of the interview that you appreciated during your discussion

Planning and preparing for an interview can be time consuming but developing these skills will pay dividends and in your search for new opportunities. By focusing on developing these skills it will help you succeed in your interviews and help relief the pressure of leaving a good first impression.

Contact us today to speak with one of our Recruitment Specialists and let us help you find new opportunities for the next step in your career!

Photo Credits: Image by yanalya on Freepik

Link to Original Article: https://www.expandreach.ca/2024/07/16/four-key-skills-to-have-for-an-interview/