How to prepare yourself for a job interview
The time came for you to get a job. You have applied for a certain position and you’ve been invited to an interview. Naturally, you’re thinking about how to make a positive impression in order to get the job. Perhaps you even think that you’re not fit for the job you applied for and that you won’t perform well. Perhaps you feel a different job would be better for you.
What should you do?
Analyze and try to determine what your qualities and abilities are, what are your strengths and your weaknesses. We usually know that since an early age or in our youth. That is why it is of utmost importance that you analyze your childhood and adolescent period in order to recognize your areas of interest. Think about your childhood and your adolescence. What was it that you enjoyed doing the most? Did you have a particular interest in something? Did you enjoy creating construction masterpieces? Did you enjoy sports? Did you like creating making new things or researching? Were you praised for doing something? Did you like playing with numbers or letters? Analyze everything that you can think of. That can help you discover the optimal career path for you as well as learn about your weaknesses, your personal value, and your qualities. By analyzing your childhood and adolescence, you can also realize whether you’ve got the skills needed for your future job or not. If you don’t agree with the challenges of your chosen career, you should rethink your choice of profession.
Why it is important to know your advantages and disadvantages?
You’ve been invited to a job interview and you want to make a good impression. Your employer will pay attention to your awareness of your personal worth and your weaknesses. At every job interview, special attention is paid to the questions of personal worth and weaknesses. Many candidates find it hard to admit their weaknesses. Others underestimate themselves to such an extent that they are unable to present their qualities or exaggerate them. Anyway, many candidates are afraid and struggle with the questions of personal worth and weaknesses even though it lacks foundation.
The answers you provide during your job interview should be trustworthy and represent who you really are
The question of personal worth and weaknesses is well-known and emerges frequently. Basically, there are two goals. The question of personal worth and weaknesses serves to show how the candidate perceives themselves and whether their assessment matches the reality. A candidate’s opinion about their weaknesses is important because it shows how they deal with themselves and with this issue. Body language is important because it shows how confident, self-critical, and authentic the candidate is. Therefore, it is recommended that you study these questions well because the answers you provide should guarantee credibility about who you really are and not who you think or want to be.
When speaking about your positive characteristics and your qualities, it is important that you justify them. It is best to provide proper documentation and work samples. Your employer won’t be satisfied with just a few words. Anyone can do that. Tend to stand out thanks to something positive in order to get an advantage over other candidates. Provide examples and if possible, documentation on how you would help contribute to the improvement of business processes if the manager decides to hire you. Also, avoid self-praise and lies. Remember that truth works best with truth because if you have nothing to hide, then you can remain calm. Even if the employer believed the lies and hired you, they would soon discover them, usually shortly after you are hired. If you want to make a good impression on your job interview and keep the job you want, you should pay attention to these questions.
Examples of personal qualities are:
- Persistence,
- Teamwork,
- Probity,
- Discipline,
- Self-confidence,
- Diplomatic skills,
- Ambition,
- Honesty,
- Dedication,
- Willingness to make decisions,
- Readiness to learn,
- Efficiency,
- Diligence,
- Flexibility,
- Amiability,
- Patience,
- Willingness to talk,
- Mental flexibility,
- Generosity,
- Usefulness,
- Innovation,
- Politeness,
- Attention to detail,
- Principles
Remember that whatever quality you choose, you must adequately present it. And as for weaknesses, if you have any, it is important to choose those which are not crucial for the job you applied to. Examples for weaknesses are the opposites of the examples for personal qualities.
Assertive Communication is Important!
If you have sent a successful job application and you have been invited to an interview, it is extremely important to make a good presentation and assertive communication is the key criterion for that. The person who made a positive impression on the interviewer will have the advantage, especially if there are a lot of candidates. The best way to achieve that is to stand up for yourself and your rights but without hurting others. Express your thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and beliefs with confidence, but without the tendency to dominate, humiliate or degrade others. It is important to maintain your self-esteem as well as your respect for others even though their attitudes and opinions differ from yours.
