Job Hunting with a Growth Mindset: Prepare for Career Progression
Job hunting isn’t just about finding a role. It’s about the career path that’s on offer too. With this in mind, having a growth mindset is important at every stage…
Do not let interview nerves get the better of you. A little preparation goes a long way. By being ready for your next interview with the perfect elevator pitch and understanding of the role, you will ooze confidence and sail through to the next round.
Rehearsal
Take the time to prepare some questions that you would like to ask your interviewer. You need to show your interviewer that you are interested and that you have done relevant research into the role in mind. Your agency will brief you on the types of questions that will be asked during the interview. Ensure that you take this on board. If the interviewer is going to ask you competency-based questions, read up on them. Think about answers to the questions and make notes.
Ask a friend or member of family to sit down with you in an interview-like situation. Take this seriously, dress in the outfit that you are going to wear and organise the room in an interview lay out. Shake the hand of your ‘interviewer’ and act as you would in a real life interview. Ask them to prepare questions for you, without telling you prior to the role play. This is so that you will be put on the spot and pressured into giving the perfect answer.
Stay calm in your interview. Remember to speak clearly and think about your answers. There is no harm in taking a few seconds to think of your answer. This is preferred rather than mumbling an irrelevant answer which you have not actually thought about.
Take influence
Think about a friend, family member or even a celebrity who you admire. Think about how confident they are and what they do to show this. A confident person will have great posture and will sit up straight in an interview. They will be happy and display positivity throughout the interview.
Enter the room with a smile, and shake your interviewer’s hand firmly. There is a possibility that you could be joined by another interviewer. If this happens, stand up and shake their hand as well. This shows respect for your interviewer and potential employer.
Be energetic and enthusiastic about the position you are interviewing for. Show the interviewer that you are the person they want and need to work on their team. Demonstrate that you are team player who enjoys working with others. When talking about previous roles, do not just speak about yourself, speak about how you worked with other people to achieve a goal or final product.
Good morning, great interview
Secure a morning interview. By doing this, you are not allowing yourself to get nervous. If you were to have an interview in the afternoon or even in the evening, you will allow yourself time to get worked up and panicked.
Ensure you get plenty of sleep the night before your interview. Head to bed earlier than you normally would and allow time to wind down. Set a couple of alarms ready for the day ahead, just in case! Get your outfit read for the day ahead and be sure to iron beforehand to avoid last minute chaos.
If you are using public transport to get to your interview, use this time to your advantage. Take your notes on the role and company with you and brush up on your research. This final piece of preparation could be your meal ticket to the perfect job.
Use your agency
Remember to speak to your agency before your interview. By doing this you will be used to speaking with others outside of your current organisation. Give your agency a quick telephone call and ask them questions about the company and the role. But, most importantly, ask them about the person who will be interviewing you. Find out about their personality and what their role is within the company. From this information you can also work out if you would be the right fit for the company and if you could imagine yourself working there in a permanent or temporary position. When you find out more about your interviewer from the agency – you can then conduct your research based on this, and you can go on to prepare relevant interview questions.
Relax
Breathe… By regulating your breathing you will be able to keep yourself calm. The shorter breaths you take, the more worked up you allow yourself to be. Take deep breaths and concentrate on impressing your interviewer.
The more prepared you are for an interview, the more relaxed and successful you will be. Never think that you can just ‘wing it’, by doing this you will essentially waste both your and the interviewer’s time.
Allow plenty of time
If you are taking public transport, leave plenty of time. It can be extremely beneficial to do a ‘test run’. Check out the best possible routes and perhaps in one of the days before your interview, do the exact route. This will avoid lateness. You will also be able to find the location of the meeting, avoiding getting lost on the day! If you are pushed for time due to traffic or public transportation issues, do call your agency to inform them. They will then pass on the message to your interviewer.
