Tips to crack your first job interview

Cracking an Interview is still a nightmare for the fresher interviewee. Most interviewees, despite having sound skills fail to crack personal interviews owing to the lack of simple interpersonal skills. Moreover, most training institutes or colleges fail to provide soft skills training for their students. Cracking an interview is not a big deal if you know certain Dos and Don’ts of a job interview.

Here are few Expert tips to crack the first job interview

1. Research about the Job Profile and Company

The most common mistake committed by a fresher candidate is not inquiring about the company or the job description. Recruiters could understand that you have not prepared for the job interview with just one question. If you are unprepared, a recruiter may consider that you are not interested or invested in a particular responsibility, which can be a reason for a big ‘NO.’ It is good to know what the company does and what they are looking for in a potential employee. If you could convince the recruiter that you have the ability and skills to meet the requirement of the job description, it will make a positive impact.

2. Match Job Description and Skills

Once you have read the job description, you can quickly determine the kind of candidate the company will prefer. You can leverage this information by brushing up the skills required or even learning new skills. So that the job description matches your skillset and which in turn, will improve your chances of being selected.

3. Update Resume

Most recruiters consider resumes as the deciding factors to call an interviewee for a personal interview. Hence resume plays an essential role in the hiring process. Blabbering and lying on a resume can act against you. Recruiters can easily detect if you have overdone your skills section in the resume. It would help if you keep your resume updated, to the point, and accurate. At the time of an interview, keep multiple copies of the resume with you.

4. Portfolio Development

For design or technical jobs, do carry your digital or hardbound portfolio with you. The portfolio is a set of practical work/projects that you have done. Having a collection of multiple and diverse projects in your portfolio would boost your chance of getting through the interview process with ease. It would not only show your preparedness but also would indicate that you have the proper skill set for the job role.

5. Formal Dress Code

Your dress code matters a lot in the hiring process. The dress code for an interview must be absolute ‘FORMAL’ wear. Avoid tight jeans, t-shirts, or any other casual wear. Accessories should be minimal and elegant. Girls should avoid overdoing makeups and even extremely bright colors in their dress/accessories. Boys need to present themselves in trimmed/shaved beard, and hairs should be well-groomed. Footwear should match your formal attire. Clothes should be clean and ironed appropriately.

6. Communication Skills

Work on your communication skills properly before appearing for an interview. It would be best if you focused on your listening, speaking, reading, and writing ability very well. In the corporate organization, apart from having technical skills, you must also have excellent communication skills. It helps in a free flow of ideas and thoughts while reducing the chances of miscommunication. You can improve your communication skills by reading novels, newspapers, blogs or articles, and many more. The more you read, the more you are aware. The more you are aware, the more is the benefit you reap.

7. Interpersonal Skills

The requirements in the industry keep on changing, so is the situations. You must be a person the company can rely on at challenging times. A recruiter may test you for your interpersonal skills like your confidence, leadership, time management skills, and your approach in the pressured situation. Presenting yourself with these skills in your arsenal can not only help you get hired but also favor your chances of climbing up the ladder.

8. Feedbacks and Opinions

Do not make your interview a one-way Question and Answer session. Ask logical questions and indulge in the discussion or more of a conversation regarding job profile/company. Discuss what ideas you have and how can you contribute to the organization. An ideal discussion can create a comfort zone for both interviewer and interviewee. It would again show your willingness and knowledge you possess, making you a perfect candidate. Once your interview ends, express your gratitude for your interviewer and ask for his feedback.

To conclude, it is safe to say a good interviewee is a candidate with a combination of sound technical knowledge and excellent presentation as well as interpersonal skills. Keep these points in mind before appearing for your first job interview, and you can experience the impact yourself.

Hello everyone, I am anannya Agrawal. I have 3.5 years of experience in the field of application development. I am a professional trainer for mobile and web application development.