How to Rock your Interview

After sleep-less nights and stressed out days of submitting your CV, searching for jobs and listening to depressing music, you have finally landed an interview.

So, what to do?

Sure, you can chill out for a day and appreciate the hard research you have done in writing your CV and being constantly on the prowl for your job hunt, but just like Julius Caesar, you need to come up with a strategy for domination.

Since this is the last step of the recruitment process, you need to be sure that you are ready, steady, and concentrated, as if you were the great Caesar himself.

"ESSEC Business School has tips to help you rock your interview hard, just like Nirvana, and trust me, you’ll need all the help you can get."

ESSEC Business School has tips to help you rock your interview hard, just like Nirvana, and trust me, you’ll need all the help you can get.

This advice will not only help you shine when speaking with the panel, but calm your nerves and makes you sane – the last thing you want to have is a fight club episode with yourself.

Preparation is the secret Ingredient.

Don’t wing it. Ever. When passing an interview, you need to make sure that you know everything there is to know about the company or school you are applying to.

Get familiar with the entity you want to work or study at – stalk them, prowl their social media websites to know the recent gossip, news, events, make coffee dates to find out about the company or school from alumni or current employees or students – anything that will help you understand the company or school in a better light.

Know exactly about which programme or job position you are applying to, especially its’ missions, paths, and strategical implementations.

"...make them see that you are not only offering your 

skills but the company or school you are applying to will 

offer you something in return." 

It’s also a big plus to have a set goal in mind of what you want to achieve and how you want to grow in position you want – make them see that you are not only offering your skills but the company or school you are applying to will offer you something in return.

It’s Okay to Practice

Talking out loud to yourself might seem like you are crazy at first, but in fact, it will help you practice for the real thing.

Preparing for a Q&A sesh is a fantastic way to get ready for that important interview, especially when you know that the panel will ask you something like, “So, tell me about yourself”.

Though this seems like a piece of pie, once you actually sit in front of those judging eyes, you want to be well rehearsed, without all of unnecessary stage fright.

"...you want to be well rehearsed, without all of 

unnecessary stage fright."

When you are repeating your answers to yourself in front of a mirror, (I know, it’s weird, but go with it), work on putting your best foot forward – make sure that your answers are logical, well thought out, confident, and reflect your self-potential and the added value that you are sure to bring.

Communication is key in an interview – work on communicating clearly, with a good rhythm – work that groove that you got going on and the panel might start to break dance. 

 "...work that groove that you got going on and the panel 

might start to break dance." 

Body Language is not only Precious, it’s Transparent

Your body is a vessel of words. The way you sit, look, and walk will be judged. So, there is no need to say that putting your feet up on the desk is disastrous.

When sitting in an interview, make sure to always make eye contact with the person speaking. Never cross your arms, always cross your legs, and make arm gestures that seem inviting, open, and willing to listen.

"...Your body is a vessel of words."

This will not only let the jury know that you are an open and trustworthy person, but that you are confident in what you are saying, while being attentive to the other party.

Ask as a River of Questions

It is never good when an interviewee does not ask questions at the end of the session. This makes the candidate not only seem uninterested in the position or entity, but uninterested in the people that he or she was interviewed by.

This is definitely a big mistake – prepare to ask some questions the day before your interview, as to make sure that you seem very interested and enthused by the position offered.

Questions signify interest – interest creates a good impression.

"Questions signify interest – interest creates a good 

impression."

Be Yourself!

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to be yourself. Recruiters and judge panels like originality – it is paramount to them that the candidate can bring a fresh pop and new creativity to the team.

So, talk about why you are unique, what makes you you, and why your path of life has pushed you to apply for this position. Don't make a soap opera, of course, but differentiate yourself from the other candidates by preparing a personal story of some kind of why you are here and what this position means to you. 

"Recruiters and judge panels like originality – it is 

paramount to them that the candidate can bring a fresh 

pop and new creativity to the team."

Personal struggles and achievements are gold - this lets the panel see your potential, uniqueness and color. 

And….Don’t Stress

The people interviewing you are just people, like you. Remember that they too have fears, goals and dreams.

During your interview, it is important that you attempt to relate to them in a human way, and build a connection. They will appreciate the anthropological side of you.

"...it is important that you attempt to relate to them in a human way, and build a connection."

With that said, go knock ‘em dead.

Go get ‘em tiger.