Preparing for an interview
Everyone wishes to present themselves at their best during an interview. How can you prepare the best for this meeting, wether it is online or a face-to-face meeting. Here you will find useful tips on preparing for an interview. Some of these tips might be obvious to you; others might be new to you and differ from how interviews are conducted in your own country. If we arrange a company interview for you, you will receive more information on this topic. Good luck!
- Know the interviewer’s title and full name (and be able to pronounce it correctly) as well as the place and time of the interview.
- Do some research into the company’s products and services, its present and future growth.
- Refresh your memory on the facts and figures of your present employer and former employers. You will be expected to know a lot about the company you previously worked for.
- Prepare the questions you intend to ask during the interview. The interview is about input and feedback from both you and the interviewer. If you ask the right questions, you can find out if the company has the opportunity you seek.
- Arrive on time! This goes for face-to-face meetings as well as digital meetings.
Do's and don’ts during an interview:
Do's
The dress code is formal business wear. Although the Swedish people tend to dress informally, an applicant should always be formally dressed, be aware of that it is better to be a little overdressed. Be aware of your body language. The communication experts say:
10% of our communication is what you say
30% is represented by tone.
60% is body language.
Look a prospective employer in the eye when you talk to him or her (difficult in a digital meeting, but try! (Western culture). Relate your background and skills to the position.
Don'ts
Try to avoid answering with a simple yes or no or go into too much detail either. Never make negative remarks about your present or former employers. Preferably, do not inquire about salary or other remuneration during your first interview. Do not be offended if asked about your private life (employers search for long-term commitment). Never lie; answer questions truthfully.
SUMMARY:
Preparation is essential if you want to perform well at a job interview. Know yourself! Know the job. Know the organisation (do your research). Know the questions. Know the do's and dont's. It's not what you say that counts; it's how you say it!
Preparing for a digital interview
In order to save money and time on traveling, companies are taking advantage of the virtual power of digital meetings. Especially now in these times of Covid-19. Digital meetings are very common now and it allows HR and hiring managers to “meet” you and see how you present yourself on appearance and interpersonal communication skills.
Digital meetings offer a way to create a great first impression. You want to take your digital interview seriously and make every effort to treat it like a real interview that captures the interviewer's attention.
There are a number of digital meeting tools available, for example, TEAMS, Zoom, Google meet, and Skype. Make sure you know how the specific program works, for which you have been invited. Each program has its different audio settings for example and you want to avoid missing too much time on not hearing or seeing the person you are speaking to.
Tips for a successful digital interview
- Treat a digital interview as a real face-to-face interview and create a great first impression.
- Be yourself – relax, smile, and let your personality show through.
- Practice on a digital meeting (or the specific tool) before the interview. Practice making eye contact with the camera on the device. One trick is to tape a photo of somebody next to the web-cam lens. Make sure your device is ready as the meeting starts. Connect a few minutes before the meeting starts.
- Speak slowly and clearly. Try to eliminate all potential noise (barking dogs, ringing telephones).
- Create a background that is neat and professional.
- Check the lighting so it is adequate and not too bright which will close down the iris on the webcam. Place lights in a position that illuminates your face without shadows.
- Be sure to sit up and maintain a straight posture.
- Dress for success as if it were an in-person interview
- Prepare the questions you would like to ask and the answers to the most common interview questions (your motivation and your strong and weak points).
- Make sure you have done the due diligence on the company where you are applying for a position.
Good luck!
