May 24, 2021
Preparing for job interview
Do you need to prepare for a job interview? Well, I passed through some job interviews in the past and sometimes I had the opportunity to be the interviewer too. And I can tell you that if you really want the job, to prepare yourself is the right strategy. Here I pointed out a few, but important tips for you to consider. The first thing you ought to do is carefully examine the job description. Make sure you have the skills needed for the job, at least the majors ones. Think about the necessary logistic to be on time for your interview. Prepare your travel, verify the weather and organize the documents you will need. In terms of appearance, of course you must dress appropriately. But keep in mind that it’s not only a clothes problem. Speaking voice and body language, also play a important role. If you have problems with your anxiety you may need some self training, mocking an interview situation. You can also tape yourself in video or audio to watch and try to see what you need to change. As a candidate you should take into consideration some elements of your professional background. Not all questions will be obvious and some may explore personal aspects. Highlighting previous positive experiences may be very important, especially if they are associated to corporate and personal values. For example you can say something like this: “In my last job I had the opportunity to lead a task force to reorganize the customer service flow, which resulted in an important improvement in our response time, this was very satisfactory. I consider myself a task-oriented person”. The candidate should also be attentive to details about the position they intend to occupy, as well as about the company where they intend to work. You may have to answer questions such as: “Why do you want to work here at Microsoft? Do you know our organizational mission? How do you intend to contribute to it? What skills do you possess that you imagine would make a difference for you as our new product manager?” As you can see, it’s not just about looking good, but knowing how to sell yourself. Or rather, knowing how to tell a story about yourself, highlighting your professional achievements.
