Most people know that a mediocre job interview can cause you to disappear into the crowd of faceless applicants. However, many people have good interviews and still don’t receive a job offer. Interviewing with no success might eventually leave you wondering if there’s something you can do to make your interview more memorable.
There’s no gimmick or foolproof technique that guarantees you a job offer, but going above and beyond to show a willingness to succeed will go a long way. Explore some of the best ways to stand out in an interview with JobsFuel.
Research the Company
Researching the company doesn’t mean you should read the About page on their website or memorize dates. Instead, it means you should look into the company’s mission and culture and determine how you can fit in there. Often, these things can be found on their social media and marketing materials.
What kind of values do they emphasize? What do you see on their social media: is it mostly advertising what they do, or do you see pictures of company parties and events too? What seems to be the dress code? Once you have answers to those questions and similar ones, you can determine what makes you the right fit for the position and adjust your interview answers accordingly.
Prepare Strong Answers to Questions
Interview questions are meant to get a sense of whether you have the skills needed for the job and a personality that would fit in with the company culture. Therefore, you don’t just want to practice answers to common interview questions.
Instead, shape your answers around how your skills and experience will help you accomplish the duties in the job description and how your work ethic and skills will help you achieve the company’s goals.
When you’re new to the work world, you probably don’t have a work history worthy of a world record, so answering questions related to accomplishments or experience can be challenging. But that doesn’t mean you have no way of demonstrating your skills. Consider past experience with part-time jobs, internships, and volunteer work and integrate those into your answers.
Have Warm, Open Body Language
Open body language is more than just making eye contact with the hiring manager. You also want to seem relaxed, friendly and engaged in conversation. If you seem overly formal and stiff, it can work against you during your interview if you seem overly formal and stiff, especially if the company has a more casual culture.
Stand confidently and sit up straight instead of hunching over, place your hands on the table rather than hiding them in your lap, and keep your palms facing upwards. Avoid crossing your arms or legs, as this can make you look closed off.
Ask Questions That Show Eagerness to Succeed
You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions during your interview to understand better whether the job is right for you. While you should use this opportunity to ask those questions, there are a few questions that don’t just tell you about the job: they also tell the hiring manager that you’re interested in succeeding in your role. Some standout questions include:
- “When a new employee takes this position, what do you hope they’ll accomplish during the first year?”
- “How do you measure success for this role?”
- “Of the people who have previously held this position, what sets good employees apart from great ones?”
One caveat, however: don’t ask about increases in status or pay, like promotions or raises. Asking these questions can imply that you’re more interested in “rising through the ranks” than the job you applied for, which can hurt your chance of getting the job.
Send a Thank-You Note After Your Interview
While it helps to send the hiring manager a note after your interview, calling it a “thank-you note” is a misnomer. Alison Green from Ask a Manager explains that the thank-you note isn’t really a “thank you” but rather an opportunity to expand on your discussions in the interview.
You don’t need to write a handwritten thank-you note; instead, send an email to the hiring manager that briefly touches on something discussed in the interview and shows that you’re eager to take on the role.
It’s essential to tailor your note to your interview and not seem like you’re sending out a boilerplate response. Your message should convey that you’re glad to have had the interview, interested in helping the organization, and excited about the job opportunity.
Done correctly, you won’t need to explicitly reiterate your interest in the position because it will already be clear.
Get Ahead in Interviews with JobsFuel
The job search and interview process is challenging for any job seeker, no matter where they are in their career. As you take your first steps into the work world, you’ll likely find yourself looking for guidance in your endeavors. When you need that guidance, turn to JobsFuel.
JobsFuel is ready to help you advance your career, whether you’re just starting out or need a bit of assistance. You can dive into the job market with our job search tool or browse our blog to find tips and advice on job hunting and career planning. With the help of JobsFuel, you’ll be interviewing successfully in no time.
