You can have all the skills in the world, but if you cannot fit in with the company and their norms, you will never be successfulIt is like music to your ears when you receive the call to attend an interview. Sometimes you can be so inundated with interview dates that it is difficult to keep track of them all. It feels like you are finally making progress in your job search, but why after weeks of interviews have you still not received a job offer?
Most employers looking to recruit will interview between 3-5 candidates per position, making the odds of success quite low. There are however, several things you may be doing in an interview that reduce your odds even further.
Be passionate and enthusiastic
It is safe to say everyone selected for interview has displayed the skill set required for the job in their CV. Why else would they be being interviewed? So how can you stand out?
Showing enthusiasm for the brand, company and team will show that you are passionate about the job role and can inject new energy into the position and company – this is a positive attribute for any applicant. Whilst showing this enthusiasm, it is important you do not go over the top and become the eccentric applicant amongst the interviewees. You do not want to appear desperate, just motivated.
Team Fit
You can have all the skills in the world, but if you cannot fit in with the company and their norms, you will never be successful. Take your time before an interview to research and fully understand not only the job role, but the company’s culture, ideologies and how your skills will complement their existing structure.
What is your weakness?
No matter how hard we try, we all have a weakness; it could be that you talk too much, struggle on Excel or work best alone. Find what your weakness is and find a way to turn it into a strength. If you talk too much, are you positive and outgoing and therefore a good team motivator? If you struggle on a software package, can you take a class in your own time to improve?
Who are you?
Whilst it is important to show how your skills are relevant, you also want to show you are human, friendly and compassionate. Share a little bit about yourself, a funny anecdote, activities you enjoy, a little about your family, this will make you stand out from a crowd that has similar skills to yours and will show how you can fit in with the team.
Share your ideas
When researching the organisation, you may have started to think about new initiatives or procedures you could introduce once in the role. Share these ideas with your interviewer, as it will show you are committed to your application and enthusiastic, and it will help them picture you in the role.
Create a brand
Nearly all employers now look up a candidate on social media and this can be the make or break moment for any application. Make sure your profiles represent whom you are portraying to the interviewer.
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