An Open Interview is an interview technique used by companies when are looking for candidates who can quickly fill the vacant position. There are several positions open and all the candidates who are interested in filling the position can submit their application and get interviewed by the company at the same time and in the same place.
This interview can further be divided into several rounds. After being part of an open interview, the candidates whom the employers find to be a perfect fit are either directly offered the job or are invited for a second interview. This type of interview is also referred to as a walk-in interview. Such interviews are conducted by companies that hire candidates frequently.
For example, a company willing to hire candidates may post about the vacancy of the job position as an ad online or traditionally, in a newspaper that the open interviews for so and so position in our company will be held from 8.00 am morning to 12 noon on 21st June for the current year.
For making a mark at any kind of interview, a candidate must fully prepare himself to answer each question with grace and make a lasting impression in front of the company’s potential employer. This article will be a step-by-step guide for you in which we will teach you how you can master your open interview by doing a thorough preparation and some relevant examples.
How to Prepare for an Open Interview?
1) Conduct thorough research about the company
Researching about the company for which you will be interviewing is very important to know everything about the company and its working culture and the environment. Research will not only help you to know about the company but also will help you to answer some commonly asked interview questions by the hiring managers of the company. This is why the first step will be to find out all you can about the business and the working styles and values of the company.
Research about everything you can, through all the connections possible, will increase your chances of being hired for the job role. You can visit the company site, social media pages, or google about the recent happening in the company. This will help you know the company’s goals and what makes the company stand out.
2) Know about the position
It is important to research the position you are interviewing to know the company’s job requirements. This will help you to make a choice and decide whether or not the position is suitable for you. Along with that, this will also give you an idea about what kind of responsibilities you will have to take up once you are hired for that job and help you answer all the position-related questions asked in the interview. Good research never fails to impress the recruiter. The employer could ask you some questions related to the position like
For example, ‘What makes you an ideal candidate for this job?’ or ‘How are you perfect fit for this job?’ or ‘Are you aware about the position and the responsibilities associated with that? Will you be able to do them all?’
Also, research about what to expect from the open interview.
For example, The hiring managers may indicate prior to the interview that how will they select the candidate for the job, will they announce the best candidate for the job on-spot or if they will make their decision later and then let you know about it through mail or any other medium.
3) Work on your resume
Well, your resume defines you, and we cannot stress that enough. It is important to keep your resume up to date so when you go for an open interview and the employer asks you to show your resume and go through it in front of you, he does not question your personality through your poorly written resume. The resume will be your first impression in front of the employer, and therefore it will be your responsibility to make it worthwhile. Include all the necessary details in your resume like educational background, work experience, skills, certifications, etc. Remember to carry multiple copies of your resume as you might need them in an interview.
4) Dress well for the open interview
The best way of making a non-verbal impression in front of the potential employer is to dress for your success so that it appeals to the employer and makes it look like you are suitable candidates for the job and serious about being a part of it the company. Your seriousness depends upon how formally you have dressed for the interview. To make a good impression in front of the employer, you should always choose the best neutral colors and great business suites to create a lasting impression.
Though dressing well will not get you hired for the position, it will be your background and skills, but it can make a bad impression and reduce your chances of being hired for the job if you do not dress appropriately. So, remember to dress for your success.
For example,
- Go for dark-colored shades or neutral tones like black, grey, white, beige.
- Go for business casual 3-piece suits.
- Plain shirt and dark-colored trouser could also do.
5) Practice commonly asked interview questions
The good thing about the open interviews is that they do not last as long as the interviews you have to first apply for. As many candidates wait for their chance to come, the time frame of each interview becomes limited. And because you do not have all the time in the world to prove that the best candidate from the pool of candidates, there is a need to prepare yourself for the commonly asked questions, so that when the employers ask you are ready to answers and do not take much time to think and just act upon it. Good preparation will help you stand out. Though it is not quite impossible to tell what question an employer may ask for sure, you can still prepare for some common ones to be on a safer side.
For example,
- Tell us about yourself.
- What makes you a good fit for this position?
- Why should we hire you?
- What are your qualifications?
- Do you have any experience in working in this field?
- What are your strengths?
- What is your greatest achievement?
- What makes you stand out from others?
- Why do you want to work with us?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Are you familiar with the work associated with this role?
- Do you know anyone who works with us?
- What are your key skills?
These are some commonly asked interview questions.
6) Be on time
As we mentioned earlier, there will be so many candidates and all of them may or may not be applying for the same position, so you will have a lot of competition on your plate. And at this moment, you should not waste the opportunity by arriving late. By being punctual and on time, you can get an early pass to the interview as these interviews mostly happen to work on a first-come-first-serve basis. So, this will be a good chance to make an impression by arriving early for the interview as a latecomer is not always welcomed, especially not in interviews.
7) Follow up after the open interview
There will a lot of candidates, and you can understand that it can be hard for the employer to remember all the candidates that they interviewed, but to make sure that they remember you, ask for a business card from an employee of the company so that you can send a follow-up mail to the hiring manager, this will remind them of you at the time of deciding the right candidate for the job.
Some Key Takeaways
- Keep a notepad and a pen handy for taking notes or filling forms in the interview.
- Always be on time.
- Be prepared to wait for your turn and be patient as there will be a lot of candidates, you can prepare for the interview meanwhile or read a book. Do not forget to keep your calm as the interview can be worth the wait.
- Dress appropriately. For example, wear business casual attire.
- Be prepared to answer questions.
- Do not forget to follow up after the interview.
- Be confident.
Conclusion
That was all you need to know about open interviews. This article will surely help you master your interview. Remember, not all the companies looking for potential candidates for the vacant position will post an ad in a newspaper or online, some of them may also have signed on the company’s window or the notice board stating that the candidates can appear for the open interviews every Thursday, between 12 noon to 5:30 evening. So, you need to be aware and also be thorough while searching for the open interview options in the best of the companies. Even if they are walk-in interviews do not take them casually, as it can be a good career opportunity for you to achieve your goals. By doing the preparation part, we can guarantee you that you can ace that interview.
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References
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Sandeep Bhandari is the founder of PrepMyCareer.com website.
I am a full-time professional blogger, a digital marketer, and a trainer. I love anything related to the Web, and I try to learn new technologies every day.
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