Nowadays, many companies use recruitment and selection platforms and job portals to facilitate selection processes. And it's not because these tools are digital that there is no human contact, quite the contrary.
They help with something extremely important for Tips
make selection processes more humane: the time.
These tools streamline steps that can be automated and facilitate the analysis of each person's profile, but always with the recruiter's human contact to analyze each of the steps.
Despite already having the human touch even at points that use technology to help, it is in job interview where the connection is deeper.
That's why today we're going to help you do well in one of the last steps for you to get a job.
How to prepare for a job interview?
If you were called for a job interview, it's probably because the company liked your profile and saw potential in you. That's why it's so important to do well right now.
Recruiters and professionals from other areas who work at the company and will interview you already know your professional history, have seen your resume, analyzed your test results, researched you...
So, they already know your most objective information and professional history.
But if they already know all this, what's the point of the interview?
It is in the interview that the deepest human contact is found.. It is there that the recruiter will be able to get to know you more deeply as a professional and person, will be able to assess your tone of voice, personality, behaviors, will understand the way you tell your story, etc.
It is at this stage that you must charm the recruiter and show why you deserve to be part of the company!
Only in the interview is it possible to demonstrate your excitement for the purpose of the organization, analyze the way you communicate, how you talk about former co-workers and projects. It is the moment for the interviewer to be able to evaluate you more closely.
Therefore, train and research a lot to prepare for that moment. Have self-knowledge and also study a lot about the company, so that you can argue about the reasons that make you the right choice for the vacancy.
How to behave in a job interview?
After a basic preparation, one of the next questions that arise is: How should I behave in an interview?
Don't worry about the nervousness that may arise during this step, as it is completely normal and recruiting professionals will not eliminate you for it. Even because, usually this is an important moment in people's lives, so getting a little tense is natural.
But some things can help calm you down, such as:
- Leaving home early;
- Have a good night's sleep the day before the interview;
- Eating light foods;
- Prepare in advance.
A little preparation and planning can help lower your anxiety and give you more peace of mind.
But now let's get to the actual interview!
The main point at this point is be yourself. It sounds cliché, but we'll explain why this is so important.
If you try to look like someone you're not, no matter how well you've prepared yourself, the recruiter will probably notice, as these professionals are trained to ask clear questions that help them identify this type of thing.
So, to be consistent from start to finish and not be caught off guard, just be yourself! Without forcing characteristics that are not naturally yours.
Another very important point is to show interest and excitement. Would you hire someone who seems indifferent to your company? Or someone who doesn't know how to tell their own story in an interesting way? Well, neither do companies. So show passion for the company's purpose and its history!
But be careful how much you say in your answers. Before answering, first think about the final message you would like to convey, in order to be objective and coherent in your message.
How to dress for a job interview?
To know what clothes to wear to the interview, search the dress code from the company. dress code is the nomenclature used to define the dress code of a place.
Try looking on the organization's website for something related to this. If you don't find anything specific, look for photos of people in the workplace. Almost every company has photos of employees, both on a daily basis and at parties and informal company events.
From these photos you can already identify what the dress code should be like. For example, if in the photos everyone is wearing business clothes or if everyone is wearing the same type of clothing, it is likely that there are stricter rules about dress.
If in the photos everyone is dressed in a different way, or if there are more relaxed events, such as pajama day, costume party, etc., it is possible that it is an organization that has more flexible rules regarding what to wear.
In addition, also pay attention to the segment of the company. startups, for example, tend to have more informal environments, where employees can even wear flip flops and shorts. In banks, social clothes are more common.
Remembering that this varies from company to company, the ideal is to research each of the companies that will apply for a job vacancy, to understand their particularities.
That said, if you're still wondering if there's an ideal outfit for a job interview, the answer is: NO.
All this research will help you precisely to identify what is most suitable for each company, there is no rule.
If you go with a social and super formal dress in a company that values a more fun and relaxed work environment, it may not be very suitable. And the opposite is also valid.
Therefore, the most important thing is for you to research how the employees of that company usually dress and try to adapt to that, don't limit yourself so much in clothing.
Always use common sense and don't go in pajamas or any other type of clothing that you wouldn't wear to go out on a daily basis.
7 job interview questions
Now we're going to give you some practical tips to get away from cliché answers and show you what recruiters want to know with each of the questions.
But first, it is worth mentioning that there are different types of interview, in general three:
- Initial;
- Technique;
- Cultural.
Not every company has this division, but it is common to have an initial interview with someone from HR, to get to know you a little better, analyze your general profile and see if you match the company.
There is also the technical interview, which is done with a person from the area for which you are applying to test your technical knowledge of the position. And, in some companies, there is also a culture interview, which is precisely to verify that your values and behaviors are aligned with those of the company.
There may be other types of interviews and these three will not always be done by all companies, but it is interesting that you prepare for different scenarios.
Now, here are some questions that may appear in job interviews:
1. Tell me more about yourself.
The keyword here is storytelling. Storytelling nothing more than the way you tell stories.
If it's an interview for a vacancy where you need more experience, be sure to talk about yourself, but focus more on your professional career. If it is for a more beginner position, such as an internship, you can focus on your life story as a whole, since there will be no or few professional experiences.
A tip in this case is to tell the recruiter what you've learned from the facts you're reporting, that way they can see your growth. If you're recounting an experience that might not seem relevant, saying what it taught you makes it important.
You might, for example, tell them that you attended a college bake sale to raise money for graduation and say that you learned a lot about how important the quality of what you deliver is to ensure your customers come back. This is a learning that adds a lot to the job market!
At this initial moment, it is important for you to master your story and know how to tell it in a way that enchants whoever is listening. Don't be too objective or go on too long, try to find a balance so that your story is interesting and holds the listeners' attention while you're telling it.
In addition to the time and events you will choose to talk about, it is also essential to pay attention to the way you will tell this story. Speak with excitement and enthusiasm to make people pay even more attention to what you are telling them.
You can train at home and observe all these elements: tempo, intonation and events you will report. Write your story in a summarized way on paper, see if you haven't forgotten anything important and then train in front of the mirror, record yourself, talk to people in your house. Prepare well to make a great first impression!
2. Why do you want to work for our company?
Here, you need to demonstrate that you've researched the company's purpose. Don't mention features related to benefits or information that is too general, try to find more information about culture and purpose.
To find out what the company's culture is, just search its name on Google and enter the organization's official website. After that, look for fields such as: vision, values, our culture, or any related nomenclature, usually the company's culture is available on the website so you can consult it.
This not only demonstrates interest, but also helps to show your alignment in building a future with that company.
3. Tell us about a project you participated in.
This question will usually be asked in technical interviews, to dig a little deeper into your technical knowledge.
To prepare a good answer, you can use the methodology STAR, that means Situation, Task, Action, Result, translating, it would be something like Situation, Task, Action, Result.
This method helps you craft a more structured response to what a recruiter really wants to know. So, when talking about a project, think about the situation and contextualize it, then say exactly the task you had to do, the actions you took in response to this demand and, finally, the result you got.
To answer this question, remember projects that are related to the vacancy for which you are applying, highlight skills that you have demonstrated and that can help you in the day to day of the new job.
4. What are your strengths?
Don't go quoting a list of words without any context, on the contrary, select qualities that actually match your strengths.
Think carefully about your greatest qualities and know how to describe in which situations they appeared, because the interviewer may ask you to cite examples.
So, to prepare well for this question, select the qualities that you believe are strongest in you and think of examples for each of them.
5. What are your weaknesses?
Avoid the cliché “I'm a perfectionist”, quote only if it's true, but really try to think of points you have to improve.
In that question, what the recruiter or recruiter wants is to know if you have self-knowledge. So, they want to find out if you really can identify your points of improvement and the main thing: if you're doing something to change it.
Therefore, to prepare yourself for this question, do the exercise of thinking about what your real defects are and what you have been doing to improve them.
6. When someone has an opinion you don't agree with, what do you do?
To answer this question, you need to show that you know how to deal well with criticism and points of view that are different from yours.
Demonstrate that you have the emotional intelligence to resolve conflicts peacefully and empathetically and be flexible to other opinions.
Emotional intelligence can be understood, briefly, as the ability and ease of adapting to different situations, dealing with stress, knowing how to identify one's own emotions and those of others, and communicating clearly and putting oneself in the other's shoes.
It is worth mentioning that you should say all of this if it really is something that has already worked on you, to have concrete examples and be able to talk about situations in which you managed to resolve possible conflicts.
7. Do you have any questions?
In general, this is the last question. So, this is the moment for you to show that you have thoroughly researched the company and your role. Always have a few questions to ask at the end of the interview, this demonstrates curiosity and interest in the organization.
Avoid questions about pay and benefits, try questions about company culture, the organization's next steps, or work routine.
In short, the most important thing in a job interview is to show who you are, always have examples of different situations to justify your answers, research and prepare a lot to do well!
We hope you enjoyed our tips and good luck in your next job interview 💙
Source: Gupy – Image: Playback/Internet
