Ten Awesome Tips For A Successful Job Interview

So you've got the interview for your dream job and you need to impress and don't want to mess up this opportunity. Firstly don't panic or stress. The result of this interview is in your control and there are lots of things you can do to make sure you get this job. The tips below offer advice on steps you can take before the inteview to ensure the job is yours as well as techniques you can use during the interview process itself. Have a read through, be positive (you are the best candidate for this position), take action and the job can be yours!

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Be enthusiastic in the interview. This is best interview tip I have been given. Since I have followed the advice to be enthusiastic, I have never been turned down for a job! Show your enthusiasm by smiling and being friendly. Show interest in everything the interviewer has to say.

Listen attentively. Make eye contact. Show you know the about the organisation and let them know exactly why you would like to work there and what you can offer them. Make it clear that you can offer more than what they are asking for. Ensure they know if you get the job you'll give 110 per cent, you'll be their hardest worker and take every opportunity you are given. Give full answers to questions with examples of your skills. Give a little bit extra and maintain a positive attitude.

Here is an excellent article giving advice on how to show enthusiasm for an interview: Don't be afraid to show enthusiasm at interview

Preparation is the key to ensuring that you get the job. An interview is essentially a competition between you and the other candidates (although you are not there to see the others perform). However, you can make sure you are better prepared than they are. Make sure you know more about the company than any other candidate. Make sure you know the job description and the skills needed better than anybody else. Prepare an example of each time you have used a skill they are asking for.

For example, if the job description states they want somebody with excellent interpersonal skills make sure you can give the examples of the best working relationships you have made and how they have helped your current employer. Go over the examples of all the skills needed in your head so they are ingrained into your memory.

If they ask to demonstrate you sales ability you can tell them about the times you have made top sales person in your office.

Essentially, a person may be better qualified for the job than you but if they haven't prepared as well as you and can't answer the questions as well as you can, the interviewers are more likely to think you would be a better person for the job. The person who gets the job isn't necessarily the best person for the job but it's the person who performs the best at interview. Preparation is the key to doing this.

If you're nervous about interviews prepare by going to every interview you can go to even if you think the job may not be for you. You can learn so much by practicing your interview techniques in a proper interview situation. The more experienced at interviews you get, the better you will be when the interview comes up for your dream job.

Nothing impresses more than when a smartly dressed person walks into the interviewing room. It shows you have made an effort and care about the job. Check your nails, shoes and hair. Ensure you a comfortable in what you’re wearing. If you’re not used to wearing a suit, go out in your suit before the interview and wear it for the day.

Most people have some kind of nerves before an interview. This is healthy and will be expected by the interviewer. However if you're one of those people who get so nervous they mess up interviews my advice to you would be to practice them. Apply for jobs just for the interview practice and feel the fear and do it anyway. Go to interviews, make mistakes. It's good to make mistakes if you learn from them, don't worry about messing up a few interviews. The more interviews you do the easier they will be. I have made a fool of myself at interview and I'm not the only one, many people do.

If you haven't got the opportunity to practice real interview situations, practice an interview situation with a friend or family member. Ask them to ask you questions and give you feedback on your answer, body language and overall impression. Practice answering interview questions in front of the mirror.

However, even when you're fully prepared, have been to lots of interviews and are sailing along at your dream job interview, nerves can attack. The most common problem is when you are asked a question and your mind goes blank. Firstly, this happens to so many people all the time. It's probably happened in an interview the interviewers partook in earlier that day so don't panic. Firstly, give yourself time to think. Let the interviewers know, I just need a moment to think about the answer or ask them to repeat the question. This is fine and actually shows confidence. Alternatively, repeat to the interviewer the question you think they are asking, this will help clarify the question in your mind. Breathe and relax and nine times out of ten you will regain composure. If a good answer doesn't come try to give an answer as best as you can. Sometimes when you start talking, it helps you to get back on track. The worse that can happen is you can't answer the question. In this case, be honest and ask if you can come back to the question at the end of the interview. This approach shows initiative and confidence.

If you are really scared of doing interviews I would really recommend this book to help you get over your fear. For me, Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway was a book that changed my life and has helped me deal with facing the fear of making mistakes and overcoming my nerves in many situations.

Make a list of well thought out questions to ask but don't necessarily wait until the end of the interview to ask them (although it always good to ask a couple then). It's good to ask a couple of questions as you go along as it shows interest and enthusiasm. Having said this, don't overdo the question asking. Make sure the interviewer is getting the information they need.

When answering questions always offer evidence to back up your claims. Always give examples of where you have used skills. For example, when asked "What can you offer the company?" don't just say "I'm hardworking, reliable and a team player". Anybody can say that. Give examples of where you have worked hard at previous jobs and what you have achieved through your hard work. For example say "I can bring excellent customer service skills to the position due to having five years experience working at company xx where I was promoted to customer services manager." Don't just tell them the answer to the question but show them the answer with examples of your work. Examples of your past achievement and work are the best way to make sure the job is yours.

A huge percentage of your communication is done through body language. (Some studies have estimated 65 to 90 per cent of communication is non-verbal). So be aware of it during interviews. A firm handshake, smiling and good eye contact are all examples of positive body language during interviews. In panel interviews, keep good eye contact with the person asking the question but make regular eye contact with other panel members too to ensure you are engaging them. Also read the interviewers body language. For example, if he is writing lots when you first begin answering questions and then stops while you speak for a while longer, you may be speaking for a bit too long.

Top tip -Practising some powerful body language before the interview can also make you feel more comfortable. Check out the video below which is an excellent demonstation of how you can use body language to feel more confident. There are some great body langugage poses you can try which are shown in the video. This video is well worth a watch and can be life changing!

Interviewers often glance at CVs before the interview but it is unlikely they will remember a lot of what you have said in it. Therefore don't assume that they know what's in the CV. Make sure you highlight all the top achievements and experience you have written in there.

Practise your inteview techniques before the interview as much as you can. Practise your handshake, practise answering questions in front of the mirror, practise positive thinking, practise everything you can. The more you act out eventualities before the interview, the more confident you will feel just before and during the interview.

Boost your confidence in the interview with some positive self talk. Tell yourself "I can get this job", "I have so much to offer this position", "I'll handle any difficult questions". If you repeat positive sentences such as these you will feel so much better than if you fill your mind with anxious, negative thoughts. And, if you feel better, you'll perform better

Do you have any advice you can share about interviews. Please share it here.