Top Interview Tips

Face-to-face job interviews - why do some candidates appear to breeze through them and get the job and salary they desire, while others bungle them again and again?

Well, granted some applicants can charm the socks off almost anyone and there are employers who make hiring decisions on a whim, but most successful job candidates have simply put a few interview tips into practice. Excluding the more obvious ones, like dressing for the position and making eye contact, these are top interview tips...

First, know yourself. Understand just what your skills are and how valuable you'll be to the company you're hoping to join. Think about how you can communicate this to the interviewer in a way that's not arrogant or aggressive.

And just as you need to know yourself well before the interview, you should know that company well too. One simply cannot be lazy when it comes to this; make sure you do your research. It shows your desire to be part of the organisation. It also helps you come up with relevant questions about the company that the interviewer will almost always ask of you.

Though it's important for you to sound spontaneous during the interview, you should prepare your answers to common questions and rehearse them beforehand. This is so you don't get stumped by simple, typical questions.

Many people mistakenly view the job interview (or interviews of any kind) as the process of the hirer getting as much information as possible about the applicant. That's why they end up talking too much about themselves and not listening to the interviewer. But by listening intently to the interviewer, you show interest in him and his company.

How can you re-position your supposed weaknesses as strengths? for example, your tendency to dawdle over certain projects could be sold as a meticulous nature or your attention to detail.

Also, unless when asked specifically by the interviewers, do not volunteer your personal opinions about any topics. Although this might seem like you're being spontaneous and self-assured, it might backfire if your moral compass is tragically out-of-sync with your interviewer's.

And though you should be enthusiastic, do not try too hard; it's important to be professional but you should also be casual, not too uptight. When you're trying too hard, it shows... so be yourself! You should come across as authentic and real.

I hope these tips serve you well in your next job interview.

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Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd