University students and fresh graduates need more practice in job interviews. Although they may study hard for exams and diligently do their homework, too many of them fail to showcase themselves in the best light during an interview - crunch time! (However, are the rest of us in the working population showcasing our abilities too?)
So, if you are a university student or fresh graduate, you need to schedule time to develop your job interview skills. Why oh why do would you want to leave developing job interview skills to the last moment? (Fresh graduates inform me that preparation means watching some YouTube videos the day before an interview - this is not proper preparation.)
While at university, students might manage the basics of career counseling and resume writing, but often overlook the importance of having great interview skills. (Borrowing a few library books about job interviews would be a great start.) The working population already understand that job interviews are the first impression of themselves as a potential employee. That impression will definitely make or break your chances of getting a dream job.
(NOTE: every day we go to work, we should treat all interactions like a job interview. We should be reinforcing the fact that we are capable and destined for greatness in general.)
Mistake #1: Greetings - poor social skills
Practice common greeting phrases - seems so simple, right? But many students overlook the importance of proper greetings. (Or even any greeting!) For example, using an informal greeting like 'hey there' can be seen as unprofessional. Instead, a polite introduction such as 'Good Morning/Afternoon, (name of the interviewer)' would be better for most interviews.
Recently, as a careers mentor for university students, I was sharing some advice about job interviews. It was a group interview activity with 6 students. Unfortunately, as I looked up at them entering the room, they didn't smile, didn't look friendly and didn't really look in my direction. (I assume they were nervous.) However, in the first 3 seconds, it's easy to see how any interviewer would already have a negative impression of them. Better to start with a strong first impression!
Mistake #2: Poor preparation for job interview questions and answers
Many fresh graduates aren't preparing properly - even for common interview questions. Unsurprisingly, they look unprofessional and unprepared. Job candidates must prepare for common interview questions (and tough questions too) and prepare great answers. They must train themselves to be ready to answer any question. So, if you are a candidate who prepares well, you will be a candidate that performs well! That's because you have great answers to common / tough questions. And that's why you will feel super confident to answer any question without hesitation.
When it comes to answering questions, fresh graduates make a wide range of mistakes. They give insufficient and unspecific answers. Or they take far too long and give far too many unnecessary details. Kiss It Short and Simple - I hear you say! Yes, depending on the formality of the situation, most questions need to be answered directly with specific examples. Instead of saying I have good communication skills, give an example of a project where you have worked really well as a team and you showed leadership in your communications. Also, even better if you can relate those skills to how wonderfully you can contribute to the company.
Demonstrate - why should they hire you? Actually, we should all reinforce the answer to this question every day we go to work. By doing our jobs well, we can remind colleagues of our value and how much we contribute.
Mistake #3: Not standing out for the right reasons
Job candidates want to stand out for being smarter, friendlier and better, right? Some candidates can do this well because that's their natural manner. Other have to work harder to stand out. But we must emphasise our strengths to stand out. What are your strengths?
So what doesn't work? Perhaps we would all agree that keeping quiet, not being proactive and having nothing smart to say would kill our chances. So, the opposite might also be true - market your skills and experience effectively, mention how you can solve problems for the team and make sure you can speak knowledgably about key topics. Cinch!
We need to showcase the best version of ourselves - as naturally as we can. I recall one job interview to work in management information. The business manager explained that he picked me because he thought my calm manner would complement an erratic team manager. Also, I was the only candidate to bring up a hot topic that the business manager and the whole health industry was trying to solve - public hospital waiting lists for healthcare. Naturally, I got the job! Perhaps you can stand out for being able to discuss key issues / pain points for the company. Perhaps you can contribute key skills and experience - let your interviewer know. Tell them how you can solve their problems!
Final thoughts
We need to do all we can to impress the interviewer. This includes doing all the fundamentals well.
Have proper greetings - start with a strong first impression
Prepare for job interview questions with great answers and examples.
Stand out for the right reasons
These are great tips for all of us. We can all keep on improving in job interview skills and stand out for the right reasons.
