As you make your way out of post-secondary school and into the working/professional world, you will almost always go into a professional interview at some point! (Hopefully sooner rather than later). For a lot of people, it may be their first actual interview, and for others it may be their fifth. Regardless of the number of interviews that you have had, it is important to go into any interview confident and knowing your stuff.
We have created this short list of tips including what to do before the interview, what to do during the interview, and what to do after the interview. All of these will include more details as you read.
What to do before your interview?
Many people think that you can just go into an interview unprepared and still get the position. While technically you could do this, your chances of getting the position will increase drastically if you go in prepared! Below are some things we recommend for to do before your interviews:
- It is important to research the company. “What do you know about our company?” is a fairly typical question for interviewers to ask. You will be able to answer this question in-depth if you research the company ahead of time, and anticipate the types of questions that they may ask.
- Make sure your chosen outfit is wrinkle and stain free. Nobody likes a messy person in an interview. On this note, make sure your outfit fits in with the company culture.
- Get a good night’s sleep. It is crucial that you get plenty of rest the night before so that you are able remain alert and on point during the interview.
Hopefully these tips give you a general idea of what you should do BEFORE an interview. Here at Wholistic Training, we prepare our students to nail their interview by giving them the knowledge and tools required to be successful.
What to do during your interview?
During an interview, it can sometimes be difficult to think on the spot or even remain calm. Take a deep breath in, and then exhale out. It is important that you are calm, cool and collected during your interview. Here are some tips for you to remember as you interview for your career:
- Dress to impress! If you go into an interview dressed like you already have the position, generally the person conducting the interview will get the impression that you are coming into the interview confident, and well prepared.
- Be punctual! It is in extremely poor taste to be late for an interview. Arrive five to ten minutes early for the interview, as sometimes he/she/they may be able to see you earlier than planned.
- Make sure you are cognisant of your body language. Fidgeting with your hair and clothes may give off the impression that you are not paying attention. Make eye contact, nod and smile to show the interviewer you are interested in what they are saying.
Obviously there is more to remember during your interview but we believe that these are some of the most important and sometimes overlooked interviewing tips.
What to do after your interview?
Now that you have finished an interview, you may ask yourself “What’s next?”. People often do not follow up with a company post-interview which can sometimes be the reason that you do not get hired. Some things to remember are:
- Contact your references. Contacting references after your interview is a good habit to get into, because it allows the reference to think more about what they want to say in case your potential employer contacts them.
- Send a thank-you note to the hiring manager. Even if you do not end up receiving a job offer, it is a good gesture to send them a brief thank you note, as sometimes they may remember this and call you later for future opportunities!
- Understand that you may have to wait. Waiting is simply just a part of the process and is typically a common thing for people to experience.
So as you can see, there is much more to the interviewing process than you may have realized. At Wholistic Training, we provide our students who specialize in a number of fields such as: Massage Therapy, Acupressure/Meridian Therapy, Reflexology, and Psychosomatic Therapy with the tools to nail their interviews!
Let us help you nail your interview! Register for one of our many classes online today!
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