Maximize Your Chances of Landing the Job: Tips and Ticks from HR on Interviewing
Maximize Your Chances of Landing the Job: Tips and Ticks from HR on Interviewing
Interviewing and making a good impression is crucial to moving forward in the employment process. To help you navigate interviews effectively, the MCCS Miramar HR team has put together tips and tricks about interviewing to help you maximize your chances of landing the job.
Research the job and come prepared to talk about it.
It’s okay to apply for jobs that are out of your comfort zone. If a job interests you and you think you’ll be a good fit, go for it, but make sure you fully understand the position and organization that you are interviewing for. It only takes a few minutes to browse the company’s website and get a feel for the organization you are interviewing to be a part of but interviewers will appreciate that you took the time to learn more about the job.
When it comes time for the predictable “Why do you think you’re the best candidate for this position?” question, use this opportunity to show off your knowledge of the company culture and values and show just how well you will fit in.
Always be specific.
Anyone can Google standard interview questions and some clever ways of answering. What employers actually want to see are personal examples that prove your answers. “Tell me about a time you overcame an obstacle.” Think of an actual obstacle you encountered in your professional history and talk about it. Describe the situation and detail your method of dealing with that obstacle. Interviewers want to know what was going on in your head and how you arrived at your solution. Show interviewers that you are capable of problem-solving and learning from new experiences.
Use your weaknesses to your advantage.
It’s time for the dreaded question: “What is your greatest strength and your greatest weakness?” Strengths are straightforward and relatively pleasant but talking about your weakness while trying land a job is a tough thing to do.
Keep in mind that no one is perfect. Everyone has weaknesses, just as they have strengths. While preparing for this question, be honest with yourself and with your interviewer. Discussing a “weakness” does not show that you are “weak” or unfit for a job, it shows that you are self-aware and understand what aspects of yourself need some extra attention. Talk about what you do to overcome this weakness or discuss a plan that you have in place for improving that area. An employee that is willing to grow is much more valuable than an employee who believes they don’t have anything to improve upon.
Showcase your growth from failures.
Similarly, bringing up a past failure can feel embarrassing. It can also feel counterintuitive to showing your potential employer how great you are for the job, but you’ve only gotten to where you are in your career and as a person because of things you’ve learned from in the past. If prompted to, talk about the failure and be specific. Focus on how that failure prompted you to grow and get to where you are now.
Ask questions.
No one walks into an interview knowing everything about the position, even current employees. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that you couldn’t find the answer to while reading the job posting or browsing the company’s website. Come to the interview with a list of questions, and even add to that list during the interview as new questions come to your mind. Asking questions at the end shows the interviewer that you are truly interested in the job and are invested in learning more.
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