Interviews aren’t easy at the best of times; you have to demonstrate a multitude of things, your skills, ambitions, enthusiasm and much more. It’s not then easy to be yourself whilst trying to convey your ability to be the ideal employee, which is a lot to achieve in a stressful situation that typically lasts around an hour.
You would be surprised at the amount of candidates that find being ‘themselves’ is actually one of the most challenging parts of the job interview.
Interview Tips
First off, don’t be afraid of being you! Obviously you need to act like a professional but it’s important that your interviewer can see you’re going to be a good cultural fit, as they could be working with you day to day. It’s important to note that if you try and fake it, acting like someone you’re not, if you do get the job you may find the culture is not quite right for you.
Dress for the job you want….
Whilst we would never advise turning up to a job interview in beach shorts and vest, having a clear understanding of the company culture and dressing accordingly can reveal great insights into your character. If you’re unsure about the correct attire you should ask us (your recruiter) or have a look on the company’s social media accounts.
Being yourself…
Plan: match relevant examples (of real life scenarios) where you have shown the attributes in the required job spec and where ever possible have examples to hand. Planning answers ahead of time means that when you’re asked one of these questions, you’ve got a good answer ready, rather than flying by the seat of your pants trying to come up with a good response right away. It also leaves you feeling more relaxed and in control of the situation, which in-turn boosts your confidence.
Dress to impress: interview attire that reflects what you would wear to work. Working in the sectors we do, we know how important ‘fit’ between a candidate and a client is. This includes the dress code. Now, agencies and digital companies have their own interpretation of “smart-casual”, so as we said earlier it’s important to find out.
Communication: truthful, clear and concise communication is what’s required. Only answer with what you know and believe, as opposed to what you think the interviewer is looking to hear. Speak clearly and concisely, don’t rush your answers and keep them to the point, it’s easy to get side tracked and you may end up rambling! The answers that come naturally from you will best represent you and ensure that should you get the position, you will be happy in your new role.
Job interviews are an opportunity for both the employer and potential employee to decide whether the fit and job role are going to be right for them. If you don’t fit being yourself, then perhaps the role and agency aren’t for you. You may also want to read our 5 Tips To Nail An Interview.
If you have any questions about how to be yourself (or experiences you would like to share) please leave them in the comments below. Alternatively if you would like some friendly advice you can call us on: 020 3879 9700.
