I feel the need to burden, or brighten, candidate worlds with one simple tip. Yes, just one, for now.
PREPARATION.
A lack of adequate preparation will almost certainly sink even the best candidates’ chances of securing a role. On the other hand, good, solid and thorough preparation is the one single thing almost guaranteed to improve a candidate’s chances of nailing a job and creating a great reputation.
So if candidates want to make a good impression for the role they are applying for, or even for future roles that may eventuate with that employer, then what they absolutely MUST do is prepare.
Recently we have seen candidates that, on paper, looked like an almost perfect fit for roles, but once in interview it became apparent that they were not able to answer the questions we were obviously going to ask. They had not prepared for the questions and had not even done research about the role and employer. The result: they didn’t even make the shortlist, and we now have questions about their ability to work in a structured and responsible manner.
Please, think about these things
- What will the interviewer want to know about me relevant to this role, and what questions might they ask? (And how might I answer?)
- What research can I do about this role and this organisation that would demonstrate I am serious and resourceful?
Two favourite one-liners on interviewing
It’s not the best candidate that gets the job, it’s the best PREPARED candidate that gets the job.
Over-prepare, then go with the flow.
Being prepared is such a simple thing, but its power is much underestimated. I welcome your feedback, comments and questions, get in touch.
