Interviews can be scary experiences and the only way
to quell your fears is to follow the advice of the girl guide
movement and 'be prepared'.
The best place to
start is by finding out as much about the company as possible.
Ring the company's marketing department and get them to send
you a copy of the annual report. You don't have to be a whizz
with figures. Use it to find useful nuggets of information that
you can drop into conversation at your interview.
Another good
tip is to look up the company's website which is likely to be
full of background information, history and up-to-date news.
The more you know before your interview, the more confident you'll
feel and appear.
Think of the questions you're likely to be asked and brainstorm
some answers. One way to do this is by mind-mapping - a system
developed by neuro-psychologist Tony Buzan in the 1970s, which
recognises that we don't think in a linear way. In simple terms,
it means taking a piece of paper and writing a central theme in
the centre, out of which irradiate several little lines.
Then,
for each line write down a question that occurs to you and think
about how you'd answer it positively.
It's also a good idea to get some practice under your belt. Ask your nearest
and dearest to
run through a mock interview with you and give you honest feedback
on how you look and sound.
You may be more knowledgeable
about the company than the managing director, but when it comes to the
interview itself no amount of preparation can prevent the butterflies
in your stomach, the dryness in your throat and the pounding of your
heart.
A little adrenalin is healthy, but you don't want to appear like a startled
rabbit caught in the headlights. So try to keep it in perspective: an
interview is not a firing squad. The worst thing that can happen is that
you don't get the job.
Take sensible precautions: wear something comfortable,
leave yourself plenty of time to get there, use the toilet before you
go in and ask for a glass of water (in case your lips stick to your teeth).
A few quiet deep breathing exercises will make you look and feel less
agitated.
Before you
go into the interview visualise success. Imagine yourself
sitting there being cool, calm and collected and answering
all the questions.
Visualise someone coming up to you
at the end and saying "That was fantastic, you've
definitely got the job."
The idea is to make yourself
feel more relaxed - you don't want to come across as
cocky or too laid back.
It's unlikely you'll get the first job you're interviewed for,
or that you'll be offered a job after just one interview, so you're
probably going to have to go through the process all over again.
What's more, unless you stay in the same job for the rest of your
life, you'll face many more nerve-racking interviews during the course
of your career.
The good news is that you will get better at it -
practice doesn't make perfect, but it helps. And comfort yourself
with this thought: in a few years' time it might be you sitting on
the other side of the desk.
