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As you’ve seen, succeeding in an interview requires a great deal of preparation. In fact, you should expect to spend more time preparing for an interview than you will participating in the interview itself, including following up afterward. Let’s get into some proven strategies to be a top notch interview candidate.
Research the Employer
An interview presents a great opportunity to show your prospective employer that you’re excited to work for them and that you’re giving due consideration to how well the organization aligns with you and your career development goals. So, spend some time learning about the company: what does it do? What is their mission, and what are their goals and values? You can find great information about your target employer in a number of places:
- The job posting
- The company web site
- LinkedIn (look for its company page. Also, why not reach out to current and former employees and request an informational interview? Learn about informational interviews in Module 3 of this series, Networking and LinkedIn)
Portfolio Activity #23 – Research the Company
Research the Job
Researching the job you are interviewing for is the most important step you will take to prepare for the interview. This is because employers tailor interviews to determine how good a fit the candidate is for the job in question. If you have a good idea what the job requires, you’ll be well positioned to prepare effectively for your interview.
So, just as you’ve spent time learning about the company, learn about the job by looking closely at the job posting or by reading the job description if one is available. You will get valuable clues about what is most important to the employer in a job candidate.
Let’s say you have applied to the job posting below, and have been called for an interview:
Job: Project Manager, Construction
Employer: Anytown Foundry & Machine
Location: Anytown, ON
Terms of employment: Permanent, Full time, Day
Languages: English
Education: Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience
Experience: Experience an asset
Specific Skills:
- Select trade subcontractors and co-ordinate their activities
- Plan and manage budgets
- Plan and prepare construction schedules and milestones
- Implement policies and procedures for quality control
- Prepare reports
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate daily operations
Computer Applications: MS Excel; MS Word; AutoCAD; MS Office; MS Outlook; MS Project
Additional Skills:
- Read blueprint, schemas, and drawings
- Hire and supervise activities of subcontractors
Work Setting: Industrial construction
Security and Safety: Bondable; Drug test; Criminal record check
Travel Information: Valid driver’s license
Work Conditions:
- Fast-paced environment
- Work under pressure
- Attention to detail
- Tight deadlines
Personal Suitability:
- Effective interpersonal skills
- Flexibility
- Team player
- Excellent oral communication, excellent written communication
- Organized
Answer the following questions base