When?
Knowing
exactly when your interview is sounds like an obvious one, but it’s also easy
to forget the tiny details when focusing on the bigger ones. It is absolutely
crucial that you make the best possible first impression. Turning up on the
right day at the right time could be the difference between landing you the job
or missing out completely. Don’t leave it for a consultancy to plan it all out
for you. This is your job and your opportunity; make sure you remember
everything.
Where?
Most large
companies will have several offices in a number of locations. Do not presume
your interview or the job itself will be in the location you know of. Double
check the details. Make sure you know where you are going, how you are going to
get there and the route you’re going to take. Make sure you allow for delays.
What is the
impression you want to make?
How you want
to present yourself can be quite difficult. It depends on which industry you
are going into. Is a suit and tie going to be appropriate? Doing some research
within the market your going into or the company you are aiming to work with
can be beneficial to your entire attitude in the interview. A firm handshake is
always a must. Another positive sign would be the ability to create small talk
between you and the interviewer. An awkward silence is never a good start.
Remember it’s not just the interviewer you need to come across well to, it’s
also the receptionist and anybody else who you meet that will contribute to the
final decision on whether you get the job or not.
How much do
you know about the company?
It is
absolutely crucial that you do not walk into the interview having not done your
research on the company. It is very unusual for a company to not have a website
so there’s no excuse not to do your homework! You don’t want to walk out of the
interview room knowing you won’t get the job because you didn’t do your
research. It doesn’t take long to read up about a company. Even if you only
knew one thing about them or what they do, interest in the company is
absolutely essential. A little can go a long way and the fact you look
interested in the company can gain you some serious brownie points.
Know what the
jobs entails
When you go
into an interview make sure you know exactly what is expected of you. Do not go into a job not knowing what the job
is or without having a good understanding of what you will be expected to know
or at least what experience you are expected to have. Most people will presume
that the interview will give them more of an understanding, however nobody
likes having their time wasted, or getting their hopes up for an opportunity
that isn’t what they think it is. Have a detailed plan of the questions you
want to ask, know what information you want before you go into the interview.
Who will be
conducting the interview?
It may not seem
important to know this but it is necessary that you know who you will be seeing
and what position they hold within the company. The media industry is built
almost entirely on relationships between people. If you can build a
relationship with your interviewer and fast, you will gain major brownie
points. This is a chance to show off your talents and what you can do. Know as
much about your interviewer before you meet as possible.
How are you
going to sell yourself?
An interview
is a great way to show off what you can do and really sell yourself. You are
the product your trying to sell, and who knows more about this product than
you? Identify your unique selling points, promote your strengths and be
confident with it. When bringing up any products you have worked with or on,
make sure you ask the individual if they are familiar with the product. Then
give short brief insights into what they are and what you did. Match any skills
you used or developed in these roles to the job description and this will put
you in a strong position. If your past experiences aren’t great ones make sure
you remain positive about them in the interview.
What contacts
do you have?
If I were to ask you this right now, would you be
able to tell me off the top of your head? Would your mind go blank? Make sure
you come prepared with a list in case this question is asked. The last thing
you want is to forget when put on the spot. When listing out these contacts be
sure not to name drop. If you are going to mention individuals make sure you
know them well and they know who you are. It’s likely that they will know them
or know someone who knows them, so they will more than likely check you out.
Your Achievements
This part is likely to be your most important
selling point. Everyone has achieved something, it’s important that you
highlight these achievements. What have you done that your proud of? Make sure
these achievements are in fact from you, not the result of someone else’s work
or ideas. This is a good way of showing a difference that you can make to a
team or to a project.
Do not be afraid to ask for the job!
Close the interviewer, if you can’t close on
something, how can you be expected to sell? You should never walk out of an
interview without a clear understanding of how it went and what the next steps
will be. Ideally you need to know how many people are being seen for this
position, if/when their is a next round of interviews and what your chances are
of being called back. Many people lose out on an interview simply because they
didn’t ask for it. If you don’t ask for it then your desire for the job itself will
be questioned.
One final thing....GOOD LUCK!!
