Interview tips that will get you your DREAM JOB

Interviews tend to be very stressful for anyone but that is the next step to getting your dream job to help you build your career.

Here are my 8 tips to passing an interview:

1. Be early: arrive for an interview 15 minutes early. In any field of work, punctuality is an important aspect in a potential candidate, as that is seen as a sign of reliability.
2. Dress appropriately: this doesn’t mean you have to wear a 3-piece suit, however, dress presentable. Wear neutral colors, ensure your clothes are clean, keep jewelry to a minimum, smell good and ensure that your outfit is comfortable as that will boost your confidence.
3. Ensure that your breath does not have a foul smell.
4. Do research about the company, know what they are all about so that you are prepared for questions related to the company. Interviewers ask questions such as, "What do you understand about our company?" because they are testing whether or not you are interested in being part of the company.
5. In general, be prepared for any questions that you may be asked. Preparing answers beforehand help you keep your nerves in check and prevents you from mumbling through your answers.
6. Don't ask about the salary unless the interviewer brings the question up. As cliché as it may sound, asking about the salary first makes you seem like you are interested only in money and not building and growing your career.
7. Be confident. Don't let nerves get the better of you. As mentioned earlier interviews are nerve wrecking but with preparation and self-belief, you will answer any question thrown at you like a pro. Be confident (not arrogant) and the interview will fall in love with your personality and what you have to offer the company.
8. At the end of the interview ask questions related to the position, culture of the company, performance management, or if you just need clarity on something that was mentioned earlier during the interview. This has 3 benefits:

• It indicates that you are interested in the company and what they have to offer
• You have good listening skills
• You have the desire to be part of the company.

 Read a book by Rob Yeung called Answering Touch Interview Questions for Dummies - it has examples of commonly asked questions about yourself, educational background, work experience etc. - and I find it to be a useful guide for answering questions and building your confidence. The book can be downloaded for free on https://helenagmartins.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/answering-tough-interview-questions-for-dummies.pdf

I hope that these tips are useful and if there is something I left out, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Continue being awesome girl bosses and curving your own path to success and your dream life.