Doing a job interview can be very stressful, especially if it is one of your first times and you’re not used to it. Anyway, you shouldn’t worry too much about it: be sure to follow these simple tips and your possibilities to be hired will increase without any doubt!
Study the company’s values and identity
It is not a good idea to show up at a job interview without knowing anything about the company you have applied for. That’s because some questions the interviewer will ask you will probably investigate your rate of compatibility with the values of the company. Moreover, for instance, if you know that the company you’ve applied for really cares about sustainability, mentioning your passion for recycling during your interview could be a good idea! 😉
Be yourself… but be smart!
The best tip to keep in mind when it comes to job interviews is to always be yourself and never lie about your experiences and skills. Lies shouldn’t either appear on your CV, but trying to be someone else during an interview could be counter-productive.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t “brighten up” a bit what you say. For example, you could try to focus on the best skills you have and try to talk about them by using storytelling techniques: make the interviewer feel involved in what you’re narrating, tell your own story and emphasize the fun parts!. If you want to know more about how to use storytelling in your interviews, check this out!
Have some questions prepared for the end of the interview
Anyway, once the interview is finished it is not totally finished. Before greeting the interviewer and thanking him/her for the time he/she devoted to you, it could be a good idea to show more interest in the position you have been interviewed for by asking things like: “If you could design the ideal candidate for this position from the ground up, what would he or she be like?” or “Who would I work with?” or even “What do you think is the best thing about working here?”. Those questions will make you appear committed to the cause!
There could be many more things to say, but you could start by putting this into practice…. and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
(And if you haven’t done it yet, check our tips about how to look for a job in Madrid!)
By: Alessia Cuofano, University of Naples L’Orientale ’22
