In the present competitive job market, when one is presented with an opportunity for a job by being invited for an interview, there are a few mistakes you should avoid for a better chance at securing employment. Unfortunately, many university graduates make these common mistakes unknowingly during interviews.
It is no longer news that we have a high level of youth unemployment in Nigeria and a good number of graduates have the right skills set for the jobs they are seeking for, but they are persistently hindered at the interview stage.
To scale through, these 5 tips shouldn’t be overlooked.
Your Dressing Is Your First Introduction
The human race is a largely visual one and you only get one chance to make a first impression. Most of us make up our minds about individuals based on how they dress. The way you dress to a job interview may make or mar your chances of getting the job. Your skill and qualifications might be top notch but the way you present yourself counts towards getting your dream job.
- Don’t go to a job interview looking unkempt, shabbily dressed, or in inappropriate clothing, like short skirts, or cleavage-exposing tops. You would not be taken seriously.
Your appearance says a lot about you. If you dress mad, you are mad. If you appear shabby, you are careless and unbothered. If you dress nude, you are a thot. You will be addressed based on these conclusions.
Your Confidence Is Key
People like to engage with people who are confident and self-assured. (But don’t mistake confidence for being cocky. Cockiness is a turn-off.)
Employers would go for a confident candidate than one who appears nervous and self-conscious. Employers are always keen to monitor an interviewee’s character so as to determine who to hire. That is why your character is a major factor in a job interview as it increases your chances of getting hired.
Are you timid? Do you appear nervous? Can you deal with situations, which require quick thinking and reaction? Make sure you portray confidence even if you aren’t. No one is born with a confidence gene, it is practised and perfected with time.
- Try to keep calm during an interview, keep your chin up and square your shoulders. If you don’t know the answer to the question you are being asked, request for a minute to think about it and try to come up with something even though it may not be the exact answer they are looking for. Your ability to be proactive and calm will camouflage your obvious error.
Sell yourself
Before an interview, research the company you have applied to and be well versed in what they do including their mission and vision statements. You need to be knowledgeable and make a good impression. When the interviewer presents you with an opportunity to take charge of the discourse, ensure you sell your self. Bear in mind that an interview is an opportunity to showcase to the prospective employer a lot of the qualities that make you the perfect fit.
- Talk about your skills, a little bit about your experience and what make you the perfect fit.
Be Time Conscious
A job seeker must respect time. Do not show up too early or too late for an interview. If you arrive too early, hang around and only make your presence known close to the time scheduled for your interview. This way you avoid inconveniencing the interviewer who has scheduled the time they want to see each prospective candidate.
Networking is not at the point of an interview
It is dishonourable and unethical to ask for favours during a job interview.
In our previous article titled, “Tips For Finding Employment Amidst Mass Unemployment,” we said, “Most students in universities think that their job search should start when they graduate; the smart ones among them know that this shouldn’t be the case. While in school they take steps to interface with the environment they expect to be engaged in when they graduate by seeking out short-term jobs and internships through searches online, enquiries from friends, colleagues, associates and networking.” It is important to note that although networking is the foundation of a successful job-hunt, it is not right to use the platform of an ongoing interview to “network”.
As stated in the article, networking is taking steps to increase your circle of friends, associates and colleagues and should be focused on building genuine relationships which can come in handy when seeking for a job but a job interview is not an appropriate place for this.