Great work, you got an interview!
Demonstrating to those interviewing you that you are taking the interview seriously can't be understated, so preparing for the interview by doing the proper research, understanding the brief and polishing up on your achievements will help you on the day.
Research.
Company – go through their website, news stories (including google), sector,
Competitors' LinkedIn company page – this gives you an excellent overview of the business plus, you can access their feed, where they will get access to news and the milestones they have achieved. Often an organisation will have a "life" section to give you a feel for what it is like to work there. See a great example at CMR Surgical.
The product – have a read-up of the products, their benefits, stage of development/commercialisation etc.
The stakeholders you are meeting – the recruiter should help you get insight on this, or don't be afraid of LinkedIn to look people up. You may share everyday experiences, educational background, and worked in the same previous companies that you can point out and discuss. They're on there for a reason. This information can help you ask questions about them and build rapport and their journey in the business to date.
Yourself - This is why they are here! To see you and get to know you. Individuals can focus on prepping for the organisation only to forget about themselves. You may have years of experience, so it is difficult to remember everything, so it's worth going through the following.
The job spec – What is and isn't familiar? They are parts you are familiar with (and there should be given you have got to this stage!), then use the STAR technique to help you structure an answer. This was also mentioned in my previous blog, The Job Hunt. Simply put, this will help you give the interviewer(s) context on how you have demonstrated using your experience in a real-life scenario while making a positive impact.
Your CV – using the STAR technique go through your CV and recall how you added value to a business. What problems did you solve? Where did you demonstrate taking the lead or initiative? What was the outcome? Try and quantify success where possible.
Questions.
Prepare for them! Think of what the opportunity offers short, medium, and long term. Ensure you understand the organisation's needs and the purpose of the role, so don't be afraid to ask for detail. This information will allow you to explain further how you have supported those needs. Just as importantly, it will clarify whether the role interests you.
Short term questions - this is an opportunity for clarity on what is expected day to day/week to week.Medium-termm – What are the objectives of the role overall?
Long-term – What's the vision of the organisation? Where can the role go?
Development opportunities.
Other questions – Culture, Team, Competitors (how do they see themselves
against the competition), Research & Development, Pipeline of new products, why are they a good company to work for? Consider adding; Ask about the people you will be working with – why did they join, where their career can go within the company, what challenges they face, what they love about their role, and what advice they have for someone starting with them?
For Startups/SMEs - how are they financed, what milestones do they need to meet, are they profitable or when will they reach this milestone, what is the focus, are they subject to the sale?
Tell them you are keen and why! I have been in countless situations where the client has chosen a less experienced candidate than others because of their genuine interest and enthusiasm for the role.
Closure.
Don't be afraid of asking what reservations they have about you doing the role. It allows you to attempt to address the concern(s). You could find out how you compare to others and What are the next steps? Consider letting them know that this would be your preferred job role and why
Having an interview via Indo Professionals will mean we will support you with the above with an interview preparation call. Still, we would be happy to help you whether it's through us or not, so don't hesitate to call us.
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