Summertime is right around the corner, and millions of workers everywhere aiming to change jobs are gearing up for their next big job interview. Countless younger folk in particular are gearing up for their first interview ever, as well, and many are concerned they don’t have what it takes to succeed. So, what common advice and key tips alike should you be briefing up on to ace your forthcoming interview?
Keep these 5 tips in mind as you near your next interview, and you’ll have the job secured sooner than you ever thought possible.
1. Learn to dress for success
If you’ve yet to learn how to dress for success, don’t panic; while the fashion world may have you believing trends come and go in the blink of an eye, there are many fashion staples that are tried-and-tested which you can rely upon to look your best before your interview. More than anything else, you should be focusing on what you desperately shouldn’t be wearing to your interview. Showing up in the wrong garb is a surefire way to dim your prospects from the get-go, thus making it imperative that you learn to robe yourself for success.
2. Understand the common limitations
You may be getting held back by some common limitations that you refuse to acknowledge; for instance, a tremendous number of young workers enjoy piercings, exotic facial hair, and such things as vibrant hair colors. While these fashionable facets of your personality help make you who you are, they can hold you back when it comes to the interview process; employers regularly ignore applicants who have clearly-visible tattoos or piercings, meaning you may need to cover up before heading in to your next interview.
While this isn’t a pleasant thing to acknowledge, it’s a fundamental part of the interview process, and ties closely into our original tip; appearances matter, and quite a bit, at that. Before you make any life-changing decisions about altering your appearance, then, be sure to weigh the pros and cons ahead of time to ensure you don’t end up making a regrettable decision that holds you back in the long run.
3. Master the art of public persuasion
Many like the champion the art of public speaking, which is often more accurately addressed as public persuasion, precisely because it’s an imperative part of any individual’s success in the contemporary business world. No matter what job you’re applying for, you’ll need to sharpen your social skills to succeed, even if it’s just for the sake of acing the interview. That’s why you should brush up on improving your public persuasion skills by reading what experts at Harvard have written about the subject.
Not all public speaking initiatives need a crowd to work; you can practice in home, at your mirror, which sounds seemingly trivial until you realize that it’s the most time-tested and effective measure of practicing one’s performance of a speech act in recorded history. From Churchill to Kennedy, the world’s greatest persuaders and orators have recognized the value of private practice, so don’t be afraid to rehearse what you’ll say and to practice precise enunciation in your off-time.
4. 1. Know that your image is everything
It’s unfair, it’s often infuriating, and it’s in many ways inexplicable, but it’s fundamentally undeniable that human beings judge one another on the basis on their appearance, and can be harsh, unforgiving creatures even in the best of times. This isn’t to intimidate you, or to say that you need to be rocking supermodel looks to ace your next job interview, but rather to emphasize how important your image is to your daily success. This could mean having great hair using a leave in conditioner for men, or getting a manicure before turning up for your interview.
Before you even begin getting dressed or rehearsing your lines, you’ll want to brush up on the psychology of how we judge others, which should be kept in the back of your mind as you’re presenting yourself to the world. Your facial appearance is incredibly important, but savvy dressing skills and a calm confidence that’s evident in your body language are also crucial to success, which is why it’s so crucial to.
5. Don’t hide your personality
We’ve read quite a bit about how appearances
matter, and how it’s vital that you present your best-self to your potential
employers. The crucial bit of information you need to succeed rest in
understanding that your best-self is still you at the end of the day; you
shouldn’t be doing a total personality makeover to pass off as someone you’re
not to ace an interview. Let your true self shine, and don’t be afraid to stand
out with some unique (if not tame) mannerisms and dress, and you’ll be acing
your interview in no time. Finally, we have the most important tip of all; if
you fail, as we all inevitably do, remember to brush yourself off, pick
yourself up, and get back out there to try again.