How to outshine others in an interview

How to outshine others in an interview

Few things are as nerve-wrecking as stepping into an interview, knowing that your fate lies in the hands of the person sat opposite you. From the minute you walk into the room you should aim to stand out from the crowd and prove to the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the job.

In the current job market competition is particularly fierce, and the ability to outshine your competitors is increasingly important. There are various tactics that you can employ to ensure that you leave a lasting impression on your interviewer.

To guarantee that you stand out from the competition, follow these simple tips:

1. Do your research – Impress your interviewer by knowing the background of the company and any recent projects they have undertaken. It takes a matter of minutes to look up a company and browse their website for recent projects and key members of the team.

LinkedIn is another great resource which will allow you to gain background knowledge on the person who is interviewing you, so use it to your advantage.

2. Prepare questions – You’ve made it to the end of an interview and the interviewer says “Finally, do you have any questions you’d like to ask me?” – The polite, “No thank you, I think you’ve covered everything,” doesn’t highlight your interest or make you stand out from the other candidates.

Questions are a great chance for you to show that you have done your research, aforementioned, on the company, but it is also a great opportunity to take control of the interview in order to highlight your best attributes and leadership skills, so use it.

3. Know your weaknesses – Nobody likes a know-it-all, don’t be afraid to highlight your weaknesses and be prepared to talk about how you’d like to act upon them if you were given the role.

Why do they want to know about your weaknesses? Because they’re trying to get past your nice, presentable interview facade and get a sense of what you’re really like to work with — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ensure that you have a couple of examples prepared for this question, as the way an interviewee talks about their weaknesses is very telling.

4. Smile! – We have identified the importance of body language in a previous blog post –actions really do speak volumes and rudeness travels fast, so be polite to everyone you meet. From the receptionist to the stranger passing by – after all, you never know how important that stranger really is in the company.

5. Send a follow up email – Everybody likes to feel appreciated. Following an interview, send your interviewer a quick email to thank them for their time. It will show that you’re serious about the position and is a good way to show that you possess strong relationship-building skills, ensuring that they remember you.

Acing the interview, especially when there are numerous applicants for the position you want, is about far more than just your qualifications on paper. After you’ve polished your resume and submitted your application, your work is just beginning.

Here at Elevation, we meet with each candidate and offer interview advice, coaching and guidance to ensure you feel comfortable before heading into an interview, helping you to outshine other candidates. If you are currently looking for the perfect role and wish to discuss how Elevation Recruitment Group can assist your search, please contact us today.