By Ilene Rein, Executive Recruiter and Job Search Strategist
The first interview is the most important step in getting your dream job. It determines whether or not you will get a second one! And with how many people who have been interviewing lately telling me they're intimidated by this process, it's more than just disconcerting.
When you're getting ready for an interview, it's easy to believe some of the common misconceptions about them. Here are five that may come up - and truthfully what the reality is in regards!
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#1 – The best candidate is always offered a job
In an ideal world this would not be true but in reality there could be many reasons why you don’t get the offer and they have nothing to do with your ability or willingness to do the job.
Maybe there's been a change in staff since your interview, or the company has been acquired and new leaders are now in place. There may be a rift between hiring managers who liked you against those who didn't. Possibly your references were good, but they interviewed them separately instead of together – so only one person said good things about you.
The bottom line is there's no way of knowing why you were not hired. Learn from your mistakes and move on, but don't let it shake your confidence.
#2 – The interview is like a performance
This could not be further from the truth. If you're performing, then you're trying too hard. The key to a successful interview is getting into conversation mode. You need to be relaxed and able listen, ask questions that show you've done research on the company/position yourself so they can better assess your fit for said position as well as give an accurate representation of who are personality may potentially turn out being within their organization's culture - whether this means interviewing more than once (or twice!)
#3 – Your first question should be, "How am I doing?"
This can backfire. Instead of making the interviewee feel at ease it makes them think you're nervous - why else would ask? It's better to wait until near end and then express how they felt about your performance during that time period. They'll be more honest with their responses because there won't really be anything left up in the air once everything has been said.
#4 – The interviewer makes up their mind about you in the first 10 seconds
Plenty of people make the mistake of thinking that because they only spend 10 seconds looking at someone, then their assessment is sufficient. But as any professional will tell you, spend more time than this and your opinion could change drastically!
Ask yourself this question: how much do you know about the person you interviewed within 10 seconds? Chances are it's not much. Assuming you were well-prepared, there's a good chance you haven't said anything about yourself until after minute three. That may seem like an eternity in the interviewee's mind, but to the interviewer it makes sense that they'd want to discover who you are and what you can do before they make up their mind about you.
#5 – You should always try to negotiate your salary
Although you might be willing to accept a lower rate, don't even approach this topic during initial interview. Now is the time to focus on what you can bring to the table, not what they can do for you. Remember, most interviewers are willing to negotiate – but only if you've first established that you're a great fit for the position.
Save the salary talk for later, after you've been offered the job. If the employer is reluctant to budge on pay, then you can always counter with a request for additional benefits instead.
There you have it, five of the most common interview misconceptions – debunked! Remember, the best way to avoid any surprises is to do your research in advance. Know what the company is looking for and how you can articulate how you're a perfect fit. Good luck!
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🔴 Ilene Rein is an Executive Recruiter and Job Search Strategist. She teaches job seekers exactly how to market themselves with laser precision to employers using inside secrets from the view of the Recruiter exponentially increasing their chances of getting noticed and hired rapidly!
If you are serious about your job search and want to learn how to land your dream job in record time, schedule a complimentary consultation to speak directly with Ilene: http://talktoilene.careers
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