So, you’ve landed your first job interview. Whether it’s at your campus, or at the employer’s office, it’s natural for the butterflies to make the rounds in your tummy.
Most freshers in their first few interviews are jittery but not when they are well prepared. To help job seekers find their feet in their first interaction, we have listed down a few interview questions for freshers along with answers.
The sum and substance of these interview tips is this:
• Be in a positive frame of mind
• Be thorough with your preparation
• Work on your attitude
• Dress to impress
Here are five interview tips and common interview questions for freshers.
1. Respect your interview
The first rule of any meeting, and therefore the interview, is to show basic respect. Honouring time is possibly the easiest way to make a good first impression. Get to the venue a little before schedule to freshen up or just calm your nerves. During the interview, ensure you make eye-contact, have an open body language, smile gently, and don’t lose sight of the dress code. Even if you’re a first-timer, you can come across as a professional.
2. Be thorough
If the content were king, your preparation will determine the king’s efficacy. Do your research for the position and company so you don’t stutter or hit a blank when asked questions like the ones below:
What do you know about the company? You’d be able to answer this question easily if you’ve ever just looked at your employer’s website. Go through it with a fine-toothed comb and familiarise yourself with every aspect. In addition, news reports and blogs might also help.
Why do you want to work here? Every company has a specific culture that can be perceived through not only interactions with its people, but also by checking out their website and experiencing their products or services. All you need to do is keep your eyes and ears open. Connect your own goals with that of the company’s to formulate a winning answer.
Why should we hire you? The answer, friends, lies, once again, on the company’s website. Check out the career’s page and typically there will be a few lines about the company’s work ethic. How do you fit in? There’s your answer!
Not sure? Here’s how you should go about answering: Why should we hire you?
How does stand out from our competitors, in your assessment? If you consume news, especially related to business and your industry, in addition to your dream company, you’ll contextualise this answer with ease.
Where do you see your career going at? The answer to most company-related questions lies in their website, the role you are being interviewed for and what the company’s ambitions are. In addition, give some thought to the options you have ahead of you considering your qualifications and interests. This will help you formulate a clear and concise answer.
3. Get technical
Irrespective of which industry you are interviewing for, you will be expected to display deep and extensive knowledge of core concepts, metrics and methods. Be thorough, be honest and also point out certifications that you may have received for specific technical abilities.
4. Attitude and behavior
Recruiters seek versatile and enthusiastic candidates – so you will be expected to demonstrate those values. Some questions to the effect are listed below:
What can we expect from you in the first quarter of your service at the company? In an ideal scenario, you should be asking this question, but if your recruiter decides to turn it around, mention the broad values that you will focus on developing and working within the realms of.
Talk about a time when you made a suggestion that was put into action at work? The interviewer would like to understand if your inputs are deemed useful. This is your chance to appear as the hero in your movie.
Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or superior? How was it resolved? Play down the obvious “yes” and talk about your listening skills and willingness to comprehend the other side and enter intra-organisational collaborations.
If you have to have to do multiple important and divergent tasks, how will you manage? This question ventures to gauge your time management skills. Talk about your mindfulness about your duties, alignment with organisational priorities and goals as backbones of your own decision-making.
5. What to wear?
They say clothes maketh man (or woman!). Your capabilities may come through in a conversation but judging your appropriateness as a future employee begins right from the moment you enter the interview room. What a recruiting manager sees is what she bases her judgment on.
Here are some tips that will go a long way:
- Women should ensure the hemline is appropriate and not too tight or too short, so you need to keep pulling when you’re sitting.
- Ditto for men’s shirts and trousers, too tight can get too uncomfortable too!
- Make sure your clothes are well-fitted – that there’s enough breathing space for comfort and free movement.
- The other extreme – baggy or loose clothing is also a big no-no.
- Comfortable but formal black or brown shoes go without saying for men.
- For women, your heels should not be too high – you may also choose other muted or neutral colours such as beige or pastels.
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