6 things
YOU SHOULD DO FOR A JOB INTERVIEW
We get them regularly; job applicants. Some are better than others so I’m here to give you a few tips to make sure you don’t screw up during your first appointment and pass it in flying colors. Here you go.
check the route
Okay, I’m starting it off easy cause this one kind of goes without saying, but you still always have the odd bunch who miraculously manage to shown up late. My tip: check out the route the day before so you know precisely where you need to be. It’ll help limit your stress levels the day of.
have more than one copy of your resume
Instead of bringing only one printed out version of your resume, print two more extra copies for any other employee member who might be present during your meeting. This’ll give you a few extra gold stars and it’ll show them that you’re someone who always likes to think ahead and it’s in your nature to please others.
ask questions
Obviously not right away since it’s the interviewer who should be in charge of the rhythm of the conversation and not the interviewee. But if they ask you whether or not you have any questions or if there are things you would like to know, it’s best if you have some smart questions already planned out. What are your focus points this year? What are the future career opportunities within the company? Those kind of questions. Questions that show that you aren’t someone who just sits around and does what’s asked of them, but someone who is future oriented and wants to grow.
show us that you really want it
I was recently watching a show on TV and overheard a woman saying that she was willing to do ‘everything’ and that she ‘really couldn’t care less what the job function was’ as long as she had ‘something’ during a job interview. Well, that is everything but the right mind set you should have for work. Employers like to know why this job is right job for you and why you couldn’t see yourself doing anything else. But stay humble and keep your cool.
come prepared
When I still worked as an editor for daily TV show here in the Netherlands, a colleague of mine and I had had one rather downright disappointing conversation with an applicant. We had asked what she had thought of the show from the night before and she let us know she hadn’t seen it. No problem, it happens. So then my colleague asked about the episode before to which she also replied that she hadn’t seen it. My colleague decided to terminate the interview right away because if the interviewee didn’t take the time to properly prepare herself, why should we waste our time? It sounded quite harsh when it happened but clearly he was right. If you don’t come prepared, then working for a daily live TV show is not your perfect fit.
don’t talk about money
Especially not during your first meeting. You want to see if there’s a click first and whether they think you are qualified enough for the job. Plus, if you really are good at what you do, then you should expect that you’ll get what you deserve. A tip for all interns: if there is one thing I absolutely can’t stand is when I get asked how much they’ll be making without even being hired first. You are an intern. You’ll be learning. You have to stay humble and grateful that you are even being considered to experience the big boys (and girls) working at first hand.
