The Art of Interviewing: Three Important Basics That Are Often Overlooked

You’ve secured an interview for a job you’re excited about. This is your opportunity to make a positive impression and demonstrate your suitability for the role. Before you walk into that interview room, it’s important to be prepared with the right strategies. And no worries, WFS PRO has got you covered! Of course, let’s not go into the very basic do’s and don’ts like showing up on time for the interview (or at least being very creative with a good excuse why you’re not), but there are other additional basics we’ve noticed that some candidates may overlook. Let’s dive into them, as they can be absolutely essential for interview success!

1. Telling your story

The first key skill is to be able to talk about yourself during a job interview. To some, this may feel a bit uncomfortable. However, if you know this about yourself, then try to practice your pitch beforehand. Otherwise, you may unwillingly come across as chaotic or insecure if you are suddenly put on the spot during the interview. It’s all about striking the right balance: Keep it concise. You don’t have to share your entire life story, but don’t be too short either that it feels like you’re rushing through a grocery list. Instead, calmly try to go through your career highlights. If you are not sure how much information you need to share, don’t be afraid to just ask the interviewer. Remember, it is not an interrogation, so try to relax and enjoy the interview process.

2. Show genuine interest

The second must-do during an interview is to show you are genuinely excited about, or at least curious about, the job and the company. The ideal candidate would be someone who is enthusiastic but also critical and curious about the role and the company. This shows your engagement and careful consideration for the job. So also prepare questions on what you would like to know! Remember, it’s a mutual exploration. Aim for that perfect match where you can see yourself flourishing for the long haul. To make sure the job would be the right match for you, try to get specific. What exactly about the job or company sparks your interest? Being able to talk about this in a positive and clear way will really help you out in finding a job that matches your interests.

3. Dress the part

Last but not least: try to get some information on the company culture beforehand in order to avoid showing up over- or underdressed to the interview. Sure, it is hopefully common knowledge that showing up in your joggers is a no-go for most gigs, but showing up in a three-piece suit might be an overkill as well. In reality, it’s all about knowing your audience. Use your intuition; a neat blouse and pants often do the job when interviewing for WFS PRO’s tech industries. However, when in doubt, it is better to slightly overdress than underdress. Although dressing for the interview tells us nothing about whether you would excel at the job, your awareness and dressing appropriately for the interview are vital soft skills. Of course, you wouldn’t want to work for someone who judges solely based on appearance, but it’s equally concerning to hire someone who is already unwilling to present themselves in a professional manner for an initial meeting.

If you get these three basics right, you will find that interviewing for a job is not that complicated after all. So go ahead, dress to impress and tell your story with finesse! Good luck!