Three Things Interviewers love!

Issue Date: 05 January 2006 / Issue Num: 050106 Print this Page

Objectives of an Interview

Three Things Interviewers Love

1. Preparation

2. Confidence

3. Uniqueness

Final Thoughts

Objectives of an Interview

I guess it is no mystery why you go for interviews, yet many applicants forget to look at the big picture

surrounding the whole thing. O.K. so you want the job and you dress to impress, but.... so are every single

other applicant before and after you!

So with that reality check in the out of the way lets move on and look at the "bigger picture" of Interviews.

If you understand the purpose of the Interview, it will become clear what is expected of you at Interviews

and if you know what is expected, you can deliver on those expectations.

Simple so far? not quite because why are still so many of you nervous when you go for Interviews?

I guess it's natural to be a little nervous and Interviews almost expect and anticipate this.

It is within this that you can stand out IMMEDIATELY from other applicants by prepared and confident!

So what is the objectives of an Interview?

To access the ability, qualifications and desire of applicants to fulfil specific job requirements or

instructions which will contribute to the growth, credibility and profitability of the client and client relations.

Are you going to benefit the company and will you contribute to it's goals and objectives?

"You" the applicant has a broad definition when it comes to Interviews.

YOU refers to your skills, qualifications, training and desire you're offering in return for the job.

Interview objectives are also to asses how well you sell yourself. What level of confidence you have in your

own abilities, how you communicate in general and how you respond when in communicated to.

One very overlooked element is desire. You can be well qualified for a job (and know that too) so your

attitude could be one off "I don't really want to do this, I just need something for now"

If this is your scenario, you'll know how hard it can be to say WHY you want the job.

We have many recruitment offices referring clients to us for CV and cover letter services and the number 1

problem with a lot of applications is that applicants don't show any desire or zeal towards the job.

So now that you have an idea of what the objectives of an Interview is let's look at some things

Interview officers love...but seldom see!

1. Preparation

Maybe you're always organised, and ,maybe you're always well prepared when you go for Interviews.

Good for you because you should be, but if you're not, let's look at WHAT you should be preparing

when you go for Interviews. Just this one lesson will push you to the front of the TO-CALL list.

What and How to prepare

1. Research the company you're planning to work for.

This might sound obvious, but many people see an add in the paper, call the number or send in an

application without even knowing what they will be doing half of the time!

Make sure you know what the company will pay you and any benefits they might offer.

Is the company reputable? Find out what others are saying about the company. Do they pay on time etc.

Research the companies mission statements and goals and you'll impress your interviews by just

knowing what their goals are! Most applicants don't take the trouble so be different and stand out.

2. Study the job description carefully

Make sure you know what employers want, and then highlight the things in your CV that elevates you in

that area. In the cover letters we do for our clients we carefully construct their letters in accordance with

their job preferences and then highlight those points in a manner that resonates with employers.

The cover letter simply serves as an extension from the CV but has one very important advantage:

It allows you to SELL yourself to employers in a very direct way that is targeted to what they want.

Study the add in which you saw the job vacancy and see if you can come up with other things that might

relate to that job which you can include in your cover letter and CV.

For example: WANTED! Receptionist for busy solicitors office!

When applying for this position you want to focus that you have strong interpersonal skills, that you are

a proficient computer user with knowledge of word, excel and databases.. That you can work on

own initiative, That you are flexible and willing to learn etc.

Highlighting these keywords in your CV and cover letter shows employers you are knowledgeable

about the position you apply for and you're even touching requirements they might not have thought of!

Other things to prepare for includes questions that might be asked at Interviews

(PS: we have a brilliant audio CD on offer that covers the top 20 questions asked at interviews and how

you should answer them. Click Here for more details on this!)

You should also prepare question you would like to ask (typically at the end of Interviews)

2.Confidence

The opposite of being confident is being nervous, and being nervous can also be a result of not being

prepared. Interviewers can pick up on this the moment you speak!

The good news is they almost expect applicants to be nervous, the bad news is, it wont do you any

favours if you cant be heard, don't have any questions to ask or don't know how to answer questions

directed at you.

Not knowing what to expect or what to answer when you are being asked questions can kill your

confidence so make sure you prepare well before your Interview and you'll be confident in your answers.

Our Interview Success CD is truly a life saving resource and some of our clients testimonials are

available for you to read and see how they have benefited from this material.

So here it is again: What you know will give you confidence, what you don't know will give you nerves!

Employers love to see confidence in applicants so make sure you have plenty!

3. Uniqueness

Being different from everyone else is a sigh of relief for Interviewers. They love people that have

unique qualities about them.

If you have not read our free ebook "The ten things you MUST KNOW before job applications"

download your copy right now! We cover all of the above and much in more details. Simply fill out the

email request on the home page and you'll receive your copy in 5 minutes from requesting it.

So in closing being unique means being different from others, and you can start by making your

introduction memorable when you go for your Interview. Give your Interviewer a strong handshake and

introduce yourself saying your name and then saying "It's nice to meet you"

Sit up straight and attentive, smile and shine!

Final Thoughts

Well we hope this issue has helped you to understand what the objectives are of Interviews and

what Interviewers love about applicants. Good luck with your Interviews and if you still don't have one

give us a call so we can help you get one with a job -getting CV and cover letter