A lot of things happen before a job applicant reaches the interview portion of his or her job search, including networking, resume writing, and gathering references. But of course, the ultimate goal here is to get an opportunity for an interview because this is usually the part that can determine whether a job seeker will succeed or fail in their quest for a good job.
2. Cosmic Coaching Centre
http://cosmiccoachingcentre.com Page 2
A lot of things happen
before a job applicant
reaches the interview
portion of his or her job
search, including
networking, resume
writing, and gathering
references. But of
course, the ultimate
goal here is to get an opportunity for an interview
because this is usually the part that can determine
whether a job seeker will succeed or fail in their
quest for a good job.
An important part of any person’s career planning is
to be prepared for a job interview. In general, people
spend a lot of time and effort on preparing for an
interview. What’s surprising is that there are still
many of us who fall apart during their interview.
Well, this can be attributed to lack of practice and
insufficient planning.
Tips for a Successful Job Interview
1. Get as much information as you can about the
organization.
As you send your application letter to a particular
company, you should also start doing your research
about the organization. Hiring managers are easily
impressed with applicants who are familiar with
what the company they are applying for is all about.
2. Make yourself intriguing and interesting.
Companies interview so many job applicants, so it
should be your goal to stand out. When asked to
describe yourself, stay away from those common
descriptions that applicants say about themselves.
You can tell the interviewer about your most
interesting trait and explain why it is going to be a
positive contribution to the organization.
3. Memorize your lines.
Memorizing a couple of short quotes will help you
answer virtually any questions during the interview.
Try to remember what you learn from all the
materials you used to prepare for the interview, and
calmly use them during your actual interview. This
can make you look well prepared and professional.
4. Don’t be too gentle on yourself.
Have someone play the role of an interviewer to help
you rehearse for the actual interview. Give your
helper a list of tough questions and see how you can
confidently answer them. Include questions about the
gaps in your experience or skills so that you can train
yourself how to answer them with confidence.
5. Record your mock interview.
If possible, it would be best if you could have a video
recording of your mock interview. Through this, you
will see how you look while answering the questions
during the interview. Check on your facial expression,
posture, and hand movements. If you see something
doesn’t look appropriate, then make the necessary
adjustments.
6. Keep yourself relaxed.
One sure thing that could mess up your interview is
when you start to panic. You have to make sure your
nerves are calm before the meeting so that you can
avoid having a mental block. As any career or life
coach would say, it’s all in the mind.
3. Cosmic Coaching Centre
http://cosmiccoachingcentre.com Page 3
Creating a clear
career plan is one of
the best ways you
can identify
whatever it is that
you need to advance
in your career. Not
only this, effective
career planning will also serve as your road map to
achieving your goals.
As you do career planning for building a great
career, you should focus not only on the positive
steps you need to take to develop your skills. It is
important that you also prepare yourself for the
roadblocks and pitfalls that may eventually come
your way.
AGE
Needless to say, age is one of the main factors
employers look at when hiring employees. Although
being an older employee can be an advantage
because you have the experience that others don’t,
there are still certain traits of older workers most
employers don’t prefer. For instance, it is generally
believed that older people are not so enthusiastic
about learning new computer skills and how to use
modern tools and gadgets. Older employees also tend
to be concerned about the benefits they can get from
their employers. Thus, if you decide to change careers
or jobs after hitting middle age, be ready to receive
fewer benefits than younger workers.
EXPERTISE OR KNOWLEDGE
Regardless of whether you already have a college
degree, this doesn’t mean that you have the
particular knowledge or background required for a
certain career. Knowledge here pertains to your
education, training, experience and certification.
Therefore, you have to keep an open mind to the
possibility that you may need to take additional
courses or undergo specialized training programs in
the future so that you may qualify for the job you are
targeting.
TRENDS
As we all know, it is hard to predict how stable a
company will be a couple of years from now. It seems
that every industry is vulnerable to economic turmoil
and instability. It is, therefore, important that you
develop various transferable skills, which you can use
in any kind of job or industry. Also, you should keep
yourself up-to-date with all the trends and changes in
the industry you want to engage in. This way, you will
have an idea of what the future of your profession
will be like.
EXPERIENCE
Most employers prefer job candidates who have vast
experience in certain fields. But this doesn’t mean
that they favor job hoppers. There is a big difference
between a person who keeps on switching jobs and a
person who has spent many good years in various
industries. If you get rejected for a job because you
lack experience, don’t get discouraged. Like what
coaching and mentoring experts advise job seekers,
take the time to explore other opportunities where
you can also gain valuable experience.
4. Cosmic Coaching Centre
http://cosmiccoachingcentre.com Page 4
The job market
is indeed full of
challenges and
opportunities
at the same
time. It is
always there
for you to
explore. Once
you are ready to make your mark in the workplace,
you should focus on deciding what it is that you want
to do. This process isn’t easy, though, and it will
require you to assess your own skills and interests.
In choosing a job, especially if it is your first job, you
should not rush things. You need to take time to
figure things out and weigh all the possibilities that
every option presents. Thus, it is advised that you not
instantly take the very first job being offered to you,
especially if you feel that it doesn’t suit you. Being
extra careful in career planning is essential if you
want to have a fulfilling career.
It should not scare you that you have to commit
yourself to a particular career. In fact, a decision to
change careers can always be valid as long as you do
it for the right reasons. What’s important is that you
remain open-minded to find various opportunities to
develop your career. If you want to make the
smartest career choice or decision, you must have the
following:
- Awareness of yourself, particularly in terms of your
ambitions, hopes, skills, limitations, and personality;
- Knowledge of the different career paths available to
you;
- The ability to determine which opportunities
around will perfectly match your skills and
personality;
- General awareness of the real situation you are in,
particularly in terms of your finances.
Selecting an Employer
Employers differ from one another in so many
different ways, and not only based on which industry
they are in. In choosing the perfect employer, a
number of factors may affect the way you make a
decision, such as the office culture, the size of the
staff, ownership, staff development programs, and
managerial structure. There is no way you can be
perfectly sure you are going to the right place, but
taking a look at these aspects of a job advert will help
you understand an employer more.
The Writing Style- Why was it written and who
actually wrote it? Do you find it attractive or very
simple and dull?
Depth of the Material- Does the material provide
you with enough detail? Does it explain the exact
goals you are expected to obtain, or does it give a
mere overview of what your responsibilities will be?
Frequency of Posting- If you notice the same
company posting the same job adverts from time to
time, this could mean that the company has a high
staff turnover rate. Needless to say, this is a clear sign
that the position is not a likable one.
As you go on with your job search, you may also seek
help from a professional career coaching centre.
They will help you find various opportunities to get
the job that will match your skills and personality.
