In our previous article How to nail a job interview in the first 5 minutes, we have discussed the importance of first impression in job interview and gave three top tips. In this article, Tiffany Wong, Director of Robert Walters Hong Kong, will go on to discuss what else you could do to maximise your interview opportunity and make a strong start.
Treat everyone you meet as your interviewer
“I have heard a HR manager telling us someone stood outside their building, smoking furiously and complaining loudly on their phone about the early start time of the interview and wondered loud why they were even there – and it turned out this noisy moaner was the candidate he’s meeting. Not a great start!” Sean said.
Make sure that you’re polite and friendly to everyone you come across in the interview process. From greeting the receptionist, to the people you share a lift with, to walking through an open-plan office to reach your meeting room – these are all touchpoints with your potential future employer.
Co-workers will often share their impressions of visitors afterwards, so you want everyone who comes into contact with you to see you in as positive a light as possible.
Be on message from the outset
It’s a good idea to have two or three key points that you want to make about what you have to offer and what you’re looking for.
For example:
These are the three key points that you want your interviewer to remember about you. So try to work them in naturally whenever you can, even in the first few minutes.
It’s also important to have a ready answer for some of the most common questions that come up early one, such as:
Fast facts
In summary, these are the top tips to help you start strong in an interview:
To find out how to get yourself prepared for the job interview, read 4 tips to prepare the best you for job interviews.
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