3R’s In Successful Job Interview Preparation Plan

By Dorcas Karuana,
Making it to the interview round during your job search is a reason to congratulate yourself since the hiring manager obviously thinks you could be a good fit for the position and wants to learn more about you. However, do not yet celebrate; you are hitherto getting the job offer.

A job interview is an opportunity to shine by presenting yourself as the best candidate for the job amongst others.  Never assume that the panel knows you or has read your application. Employers will not hire the most experienced or educated candidate but rather one who seem to understand the job, can deliver, is enthusiastic, passionate about the job and can fit in the firm.

Preparation is the key to a successful job interview as it projects you as a poised and confident person to the employer. This involves: researching about the company, practicing the answers to common interview questions, preparing all the materials needed for the interview as well as what you will dress in.

Preparing for job interviews can be really challenging. Many people overlook the simple areas that will help in achieving the best possible outcomes. Here are the 3- R’s of Interview preparation plan.

1.  Research – On both the organisation and the position that you are applying for.
a) Inside view: Check the organization Web site to get as much detail as you can on the organization, (mission, leadership, products & financials). Social media sites – Facebook fan pages, LinkedIn profiles to get company information, job postings, career paths of employees, and profiles on anyone you’ll be interviewing with.

b) External view: Google the company for news feeds, press articles, controversy or praise. Also, identify key competitors (if appropriate) and key customers. Come up with a quick summary about the most significant points you discover. Define your point view on them and their work. Get clear on what you know, and why you want to work there. Come up with five to seven good questions for the employer based on your research.

This information will help you to give a concrete, well thought out answer to questions like: tell us what you know about the company and why you want to work here?

2. Reflect- Brush up on yourself.

Scrutinize the job description, skills and competencies the job requires. What deliverables and outcomes does the employer expect? Then create your five to seven behavioral stories that showcase your skills, abilities and prior results. Align your stories to showcase standard interview questions, and, the qualities that the employer is looking for in the position post. Most importantly, get your salary requirements in hand, in case you are asked.

This will help in giving information about you, and what you can offer. Listing the things you want an employer to know about you shifts your focus – quickly – to prepare to talk about myself in value-added terms.

Choose your dressing well as it plays a magic trick in interviews.  With only one chance to make an impression, aim to look professional, confident and competent. Dress for Success, depending on the nature/ type of interview. If you look well put together, you give the impression that you take yourself seriously – not in a negative way, but in an I-can-be-relied-upon way.

3 Recite – “Practice practice makes perfect.”
Practice your delivery as you visualize the live situation and verbalize your thoughts. Review your behavioral stories, aloud; and repeating severally. Take what you’ve learned and start talking out loud, as if you were telling a friend about this organization.  This helps in smooth delivery during the interviews hence showing you were well prepared and understand the position as well as the company.

Dorcas is a Human Resource Consultant at Corporate Staffing Services. Email:dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke Website:www.corporatestaffing.co.ke