Talking web recruitment, part 3: Interview time | Heart Internet Blog – Focusing on all aspects of the web

After doing your research and sending off your application, you’re now at the stage of waiting to see what happens.

Follow up

Once you have applied for the role, make a note of the closing date and put a reminder in your calendar so you check your emails and voicemail regularly around this time.

Avoid the desire to chase the company immediately after the closing date, but if two to three days have passed, there’s nothing wrong with sending an email to check. Just be sure to re-read the email repeatedly before you send it, ensuring it’s in the right tone and uses only positive language. It is very easy for emails to be written in a rush, or with little care, and these can often come across as rude or even aggressive, thereby diminishing your chances of being invited for interview.

Be sure to respond

If you receive an email inviting you for an interview, try to respond quickly and confirm you are available. It is fine to ask for a job description at this stage if you haven’t already received one, and details of what you should prepare for in the interview.

If you receive a call to book your interview, ensure you take it somewhere quiet and grab a pen and paper to take down all the information you need.  Remember this is not your chance to sell yourself – not yet! Be polite, sound happy that you have been given this chance, confirm the details of the interview, thank the caller for the opportunity, and sign off.

Do your research

At least 24 hours before the interview, take an evening to prepare. Study the website, but don’t stop just there – check the press, social media, articles written by third parties, and blogs, and pick out little snippets you can reference. For retail or service providers, check review centres and customer service feedback articles.

Arm yourself with details of your potential new employer’s competition, and what makes this company stand out. Have a detailed knowledge of what products the company sell, what their USPs (unique selling points) are, and how these are marketed.

Knowledge is power, and the more you have, the more confident you will feel going in. There’s nothing wrong with taking notes into the interview, but having facts and figures memorised is always more powerful. Interviewers will be impressed that you have taken the time to actually research the company!

Don’t forget to ask questions

Well thought-through questions can make an exceptional candidate stand out. This is when you have one last chance to leave a positive and employable impression on your interviewer.

My rule of thumb is that you should have nine questions: three about the job, three about the company, and three directed to the interviewer.

And remember two things:

1. Don’t ask questions that have already been answered during the course of the interview.
2. Ask questions off the back of answers you have been given.

With these, you are showing that you’ve been listening and not just going through a list of pre-planned questions.

And good luck!

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