10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE TAKING AN INTERVIEW IN NIGERIA

10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE TAKING AN INTERVIEW IN NIGERIA.

With the competition tougher than ever, recent graduates in Nigeria need to thoroughly prepare for job interviews. It’s no longer enough to simply offer a firm handshake to your interviewer, make eye contact and nod pleasantly now and then. You need to have certain tips in your arsenal to effectively prepare you to take an interview for the job you want to covet. Of course one can never know all as far as taking job interviews are concerned, but there are some basic things you must know before taking an interview to set you apart and give you a better edge over other candidates. I present to you ten things to know before taking an interview in Nigeria.

1.Review your resume. Surely by now you know you’ll need to have a killer resume in place, which should contain different career objectives for different jobs you apply for. Before you go into an interview, you will need to first review your resume; check for misspellings, typo errors, check for omitted information and so on. Revisit your resume from the interviewer’s point of view. It may provide insight into the company’s employee needs, something that would certainly be advantageous to know. Do not underestimate the importance of going through your resume over and o er again before taking an interview. Sure, you know it like the back of your hand, still it is essential to determine what must have caught the attention of the recruiter or the HR pro. Could it perhaps be your specialized experience? Your unique training? Your educational background? Or a steady history of career advancement? Review your resume to determine these.

2. Dress for success. Before every interview you plan to take, remember your dressing. And as a matter of fact, in this phase of your life as a fresh graduate, your wardrobe should be largely designed for interviews. Always be ready at all times for interviews until you successfully land your dream job. An interview is a performance with people playing different roles. In this case, you play the role of a “perfect job prospect”, play the part and play it well. Regardless of whether you’re a male or female, the conservative business suit is the recommended attire for any interview. In addition to this, make your dress code decision in accordance with the culture of the company: is their appearance very professional or are they more relaxed and comfortable with semi-casual clothing? Anyways, just know that in the corporate world, a book is judged by its cover. So if you’re unsure of how to dress or the company’s dress code, then it’s better to play safe and go all out to look like a clean looking professional, because even before you get a chance to say anything, they will have formed an opinion about you based on how you appear. Putting on a wristwatch will also help put you in a better light because it gives the impression of one who doesn’t take time for granted.

3. Practice positive visualization. This is how it works, the resume gets you an interview; the interview gets you the job. Anytime you get invited for an interview, understand that it’s your opportunity to shine. Practicing positive visualization is a great way of projecting the kind of future you want and results you desire from some projects you’re on to. Professional athletes do it. So should you, and it really works, really! In the days leading up to the interview, picture yourself sitting opposite the head of HR. Picture what you want, see the positive results you desire from the interview. See yourself getting the job. Picture yourself relaxed, comfortable, at the top of your game. Play these visions over and over in your mind until it becomes so familiar, and then actually becomes a part of your self- image. You will need it, your confidence during an interview cannot be overemphasized. Your confidence should be obvious and genuine.

4. Never lie in your resume. Okay, so creating your resume is most definitely the first hurdle you have to handle to land you an interview. Right. Noe it’s critical to know that giving incorrect information in your resume is a no no. Don’t do it. Stating skills which you do not have is something you should never do in the professional world. Lying usually and will easily backfire on you. As soon as you get in the interview, any skilled and observant interviewer will easily spot you out. Don’t want to be in this kind of situation? Don’t lie. What you can do is to say you know or understand something on a basic level and then go ahead and express how you encountered the skill, this kind of openness shows the employer or recruiter that you already understand the basics. Right?

5. Go for what interests you. When applying for a job, you should consider applying for a job that includes your interests and things you are really positive about. Applying for a job that interests you allows you to show off your skill for that particular job and gives you courage when talking to the interviewer, because you are better prepared for it, as you must’ve been training for this in your daily routine. Truth be told, it’s not easy to display or describe something which is outside of what you know during a job interview. Hence, it is recommended to go for what interests you. Trust me you’re better off doing something that interests you than not and it also gives you a better edge than other candidates because you’re operating within a scope you’re familiar with.

6. Be ready for anything. The reason why you got invited for the interview is because the recruiters are already interested in your resume. All you need do once there is, to prove you are better than the other candidates. Hence,  it is important to be there ready for anything. The interview is only just one step way for you landing the job and adequate mental preparation is crucial to make it work. Anticipate possible questions from the interviewer. Be ready to use the right professional jargon during the interview session, it gives the impression that you are well aware what you are talking about and not just trying to simple hustle your way through a tough interview. So go into every interview fully prepared and in readiness for whatever the interviewer will throw at you.

7. Willingness to learn. Asking questions during an interview is highly recommended, and interviewer will expect a number of questions from you, as it shows them that you’re interested in the job and in the company, and especially your readiness to learn more about the organisation. Large companies are known for sending their employees for training to improve in a certain aspect. Whenever you’re presented with something that may be slightly out of your scope, you should be able to demonstrate a willingness to learn. Show the interviewers that you are eager to learn, this will invariably shoe the interviewer that you are up for the challenge and willing to work harder than others to deliver the objective. Be open-minded , show flexibility of ideas, even though you have just graduated from the highest level in the academic world, always show a willingness to learn.

8. Don’t display arrogance. Right from when you step into the interview venue, you will need to be conscious of the kind of physical manifestation you’re projecting. Even the person of the receptionist will observe everything about you, so you want to be sure you don’t project an air of arrogance. The people you meet in  the venue may be your superiors once you’re hired, so be careful not to display unnecessary pride or arrogance and try to contain your ego. Also during the interview session while answering question, put yourself together, show confidence and not overconfidence, watch your body language, make sure it’s not projecting an arrogant demeanor without you being aware it’s there. Right?

9. Your story. Every interview session must certainly present the necessary question, “Tell us about yourself”. So you need to make sure that before the interview, you’ve got a prepared story about your life as it relates to the position you’re applying for. Read through the story over and over again and cram if necessary. The idea behind presenting a story about yourself is to enthrall your audience ( in this case, the interviewers ). Ensure that your story highlights your key strengths and leadership skills such as team building, organisation and so on. Play down on your weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

10. Social media. Are you aware that your potential employers always double check your background by going through your social media profiles? If no, well now you do, so be very careful and discreet about the kind of stuff you post on your social media handles. Your potential employers will use any information they find on your social media handles to determine your kind of personality; what goes through your mind, how you respond to situations, your tendencies, and even the kind of activities you involve yourself in generally, so you need to be really cautious about all your online activities.
So there you have it, check yourself on these ten basic points before you go on that important interview. Remember, the job interview is a two – way discovery process. So do your own homework well before taking any interview. Hope this article was helpful?