We live in a competitive world wherein a handful of vacancies at any reputed business organization witness a large number of applications and interests from people of varied educational performances, willpower, and strength. It has been the most followed norm for centuries, that the best would always win the battle, no matter how fierce it is. Now, the question is how to become the best and achieve perfection? A perfect answer to this question lies in the level of preparation that a candidate does so as to prepare for any job opening. Typical preparation for any job depends upon the physical, mental and informational aspects of job preparation, which are explained in detail in this article.
Physical Preparation Tips For A Job Interview
If an interview is considered a game, I would choose it to be a game of chess, wherein you just never know when you are in danger. For most candidates, a job interview is a test of their intellectual abilities and mental strength. This is the primary reason that they do not focus or pay any specific attention to the physical aspect of job interviews. Through this article, Prepmycareer thrives to prepare you for this vital aspect too, through the following guidance:
1) Interview Dress
The first and foremost ingredient of this aspect is the way you look. The dressing is an important component for your big day, where an appropriate and relevant dress can increase your chances of selection considerably. A person appearing for a job interview must wear a proper business suit, which is neat, clean, and properly steam pressed. The shirt should be plain without any significant designs and its color could be blue, white, or brown. Similarly, the lowers must be formal trousers, without any print or design, and must be either black or dark blue.
It is pertinent to note that, the shirt must be closed till its neck button and a candidate must wear a matching plain tie along with blazers. The formal shoes to be used must be shiny, that is properly polished, and could be either black or brown. Further, it is highly recommended that you do not use any perfume, aftershave, or any similar fragrance, that could irritate or annoy your interviewer.
Effects of Improper Interview Dressing
An interview is a big day for a candidate, no matter at what stage of your career you are. By wearing an improper business dress, you can simply spoil this memorable day. A dirty, full of stains, smelly or wrinkled dress would show that you have a low opinion of yourself and possess a low confidence level. This type of opinion, formed at the very beginning of an interview session, would mean your chances of selection are drastically reduced, and in some cases, your interview might be concluded within a few minutes. Similarly, a tie-less candidate or a candidate wearing sports shoes would surely find himself or herself in a similar position. Hence, we recommend that you wear a proper dress while appearing for an interview session.
2) Documents To Be Kept
An interview is all about proving some records and abilities. While some of your records and talents would be evaluated and examined through your oral interview session, some would be analyzed through the documents that you are supposed to carry. Hence, it is important to always remember and carry the following documents:
- A copy of your resume
- At least five passport size photographs
- A copy of your identification card
- A copy of all your educational certificates and important certifications
- A pen and a few blank papers
This was a list of some official documents that you must keep in handy for authentication as well as evaluation purposes. However, there is one more list of papers, that you must keep with you till the last moment so as to ace your interview session, which is;
- Your quick notes of freqently asked interview questions
- Notes containing core concepts and questions from your primary educational profile
- Research notes containing vital information regarding the organization
- Contact details of your interviewer
- Reference letters
3) Maintain Your Body Physique
With the rising level of competition and increasing level of unemployment, it is necessary to pay attention to even the slightest and most trivial aspects of a job interview. A typical interview session lasts for 90 minutes, wherein you are required to sit still, with a high back at almost all the times. In addition to your intellectual ability, you will also be analyzed on your physical looks and attributes, which could even come in handy in getting an ultimate selection.
For example, Imagine a person with a bulky and chubby body, who is competing against a person with good looks and a toned body. Both these persons, have similar academic performance and even share a similar level of intelligence. In case they are competing for a single opening, who will you prefer? I believe, most of you would go for the person with good looks and shape. This is the reason, we recommend you on having an impressive personality as well as stamina.
Mental Preparation Tips For A Job Interview
An interview is a test of knowledge, personality, charisma, and body language. In order to answer appropriate and effective answers to all the interview sessions during your big day, it is necessary that along with superior physical strength you have excellent mental strength as well. A candidate willing to obtain a vital position in an organization can prepare himself or herself mentally in the following ways:
1) Control Your Anxiety
If one says one is too strong to be nervous during an interviews session, then one is simply too naive or severely underprepared. It is common for candidates appearing in a job interview to become nervous, anxious, or tense. This is primarily due to the repetition of negative thoughts that play consistently in a person’s mind. Hence, a person must control his or her anxiousness by following the below-mentioned techniques:
- Do two sets of deep breathing with each set made up of fifteen repitions. This could be done right before appearing for an interview. This is an effective technique that only makes you calm, but also lowers your blood pressure giving you a sense of relief and comfort.
- Motivate yourself by constantly chanting success mantras and positive prep talk. This has a tinkering effect upon the mind and though temporarily you would feel energetic, motivated, and enthusiastic. This will boost your confidence level and would help you to deliver some quality answers.
2) Visualization
This is a technique that is followed by almost all athletes, sports personalities, celebrities, and other professionals so as to achieve success and triumph. You can also follow this technique for your own big day and deliver exceptional performance. In order to do so, you have to follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Step I: The first step of effective visualization starts with imgining an interview place which is more or less similar to a typical interview venue. You must imagine the place in entirety and visdualize yourself going in that place.
- Step II: Visualize yourself sitting at the waiting room or lobby, and see yourself revising your quick notes and frequently asked interview questions.
- Step III: Next, you must imagine and create a scenario, in which you are moving inside the interviewer’s room with all your vital documents. Your level of confidence is beaming high and you are appropriately prepared for this interview session.
- Step IV: The interview is getting started and you are being asked a few questions that are more or less similar to the questions prepared by you. Imagine yourself giving confident answers to each and every question, impressing your interviewer deeply and completely.
- Step V: Lastly, imagine yourself coming out of the interview room confidently with a beatific smile and impressive attitude. Imagine, that you have impressed your interviewer and your chances of selection are quite bright.
3) Meditation, Exercise and Yoga
It is vital to keep yourself calm and composed during an interview session along with maintaining an exceptional level of focus and concentration. In practicality, these tasks are pretty tough to implement and need constant and serious efforts. In order to increase your concentration as well as focus, it is recommended that you indulge yourself in meditation for at least 15 minutes a day until the day of your interview. Yoga is also a perfect way to increase not only your endurance and stretchability but also your concentration, attention, and body composure. Hence, it could also be used in the everyday life to reap the benefits of higher mental strength.
Informational Preparation Tips For A Job Interview
Work hard, play hard. It is a popular quote listened to by almost all individuals across the world but unfortunately implemented in practical life by a very few. The best way to constantly prepare and become more and more ready for your own big day is by engaging yourself in an informational interview. An informational interview simply means getting yourself involved with an industry expert or veteran, so as to ask a few questions from him or her in regards to the industry, business, the various career options, etc.
This would not only enable you to get a proper business insight but would help you explore the various career paths along with getting relevant career-related guidance. You can follow the following tips so as to ace this aspect of job interview preparation:
1) Search For An Industry Veteran
As a first step, you are required to search for an industry veteran who is ready to help and willing to answer several of your questions. You can search for these professionals by shortlisting a few organizations that you wish to work with and then search for employees of these organizations by visiting online professional profiles of these professionals. Post this, try to send an email or cold call any of the industry veterans.
2) Prepare A List Of Questions
There might be a hundred confusions or dilemmas related to your career that are constantly worrying you and making you feel restless. Try to summarize all your pertinent issues and frame a few relevant questions to be asked from the industry expert. Remember, these veterans are doing a favor by answering your questions and sharing their valuable knowledge with you, hence, always maintain a tone of decency that is respectful as well as admiring.
3) Follow Up With A Letter Of Gratitude
Someone just imparted you with the valuable knowledge garnered by him or her through several years of hard work, patience, perseverance, and determination. Hence, it is almost mandatory to send a thank-you note within 24 hours of conducting an informational interview session.
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.
All the team management, content creation, and monetization tasks are handled by me. Together with the team at PrepMyCareer, the aim is to provide useful and engaging content to our readers.