These Job Interview Guidelines Will Help You Succeed In Landing Your Dream Job

Introduction

Landing a job in Nigeria’s job market today is like the biblical carmel passing throughthe eye of the needle. Good job opportunities are few and the competition for them is getting increasingly fierce by the day. Here are some guidelines that you can apply to help you succeed at interviews and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

Give The Interviewers A Firm Handshake

This will show them that you are confident. Make sure your hands are free of sweat (usually caused by being nervous). Not everyone likes to shake hands (for various reasons), so always let the employer take the initiative.

Never Say Anything Negative About Yourself.

You are trying to impress the employer so that they can give you the job, so don’t give them an excuse to pass you over by talking about your flaws and failures.
Always look at the interviewers and direct your answers to them. Secondly, never about your past failures. Of course, everyone has failed in the past. But there is no need to mention it. Look at it this way. Let’s say you are running a catering business. You tell a potential client (who needs catering for his wedding) that there was a time when you accidently got orders mixed up. What will the potential client think of you?

Do Your Background Research On The Company

Do a thorough background research on the company’s operations and culture. It will not take much of your time. At the interview stage, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions. You need to demonstrate that you have a good knowledge of the company by asking very relevant questions concerning the company’s vision, mission, core values and operations. .

Ask Questions About The Industry The Company Is Involved In.

Ask questions about the industry the company is in. If the company is in the agriculture industry, maybe there are new laws and regulations coming into force that could impact the company. You could ask about new laws concerning the agricultural industry and how the company is conforming to such or how it is adapting new new technologies to improve its operations, sales or profits.
The question shows that you are intelligent, that you know current events and care about your future with the company (you have long term goals to be with the company). Interviewers will admire you for your sharp insight.
You can then ask basic questions about company culture and job (shift patterns, training etc).
You need to keep questions relevant to the position, and leave questions about pay, holiday and bonuses until the end.

Remain Professional At All Times.

This applies to dress code and the way you conduct yourself. Do not use slang terms or language that could easily be seen as inappropriate. For example, referring to an interviewer as ‘oga’, ‘boss’ etc is not acceptable. In a professional setting, these terms are not tolerated. You need to be mature at all times.

Go Online And Do A Quick Check On Your Possible Interviewer(s)

Most of the time you do not know who will interview you. But in the course of your researching on the company, you are likely to hae an idea of who your interviewers could be. It is a good idea to go online and do a quick check on them.
LinkedIn would be a good place to start. Check out the interviewer(s) profile, see what interests they have, and then try to relate to them in the interview.
For example, maybe you both share a passion about cars? Bring it up in your interview (as an interest). People are attracted to those who share similar interests. This practice will work in your favour.

If You Know People On The ‘inside’ Tell Them To Put In a Good Word For You.

Years ago, if you had a family or friend working with a particular company, they could get you inside easily by recommending you. Presently, it is harder as many companies have stricter recruitment policies. But the practice still applies. In some companies
So, if you know people on the ‘inside’, tell them to put in a good word for you. We have seen people get recruited because of good recommendation from a staff of a company. The company would be looking to fill positions quickly and if a loyal employee knows someone who can do the job, the recruiters are most likely to consent.
So make use of this tactic because it still works. In companies where there are stricter policies, it will not get you an instant job. But the recruiters will look out for your application. They will become favourably inclined towards you.

Conclusion

The aforementioned guidelines will definitely give you an edge over your competitors. So put them into practice in your job interviews and watch ‘luck’ smile on you. Remember, luck is where opportunity meets preparedness.

Good luck!