5 Tips To Excel Your Job Interview

Job interview can be very challenging especially if you really want the job. Imagine yourself sitting in front of three to four very intimidating looking interviewers, hoping they would like you on your first meet, so please, don't embarrass yourself - the situation can be very tricky but that’s just part of the fun.

So here are 5 Tips to excel your job interview. These tips are merely notes but these are some of the most essential things to consider when you are about to walk into your dream job interview.

1. Be A Beauty - Sleep!

To be well rested a day before an important job interview, I'll say is vital. This will help you to wake up early, re-energize your senses and also help you to look fresh and healthy - unless you want to work at a tattoo parlor, then looking like a Zombie is an added advantage. Enough sleep varies between one person to another, but the normal hours in bed for a normal person is between 6-8 hours. Then again, like I said, it varies from one person to another.

A friend once told me that guys usually sleep less compared to the ladies due to their genetic traits but I don't want to make any assumption (Let’s not be sexist). If you are a guy and you need 8 hours of sleep to look like Ken Doll, then do that. I am not judging (…or maybe I do. Lol).

Another point is, please avoid any alcoholic drink/party the night before. Keep the celebration after you get the job or after you actually finish the interview. Alcoholic drinks can be very addictive - a shot is never really a shot if its tequila right? Plus it also DOES NOT help you in looking fresh or neither will it help you to wake up early the next morning.

Finally, avoid spicy foods or seafood for dinner the night before or breakfast on the day itself. I know we Malaysians love our Nasi Lemak Sambal Sotong or Curry Chee Cheong Fun, but these kind of foods together with our nervousness will make us gassy and will not be helpful in the interview room. The last thing we need, is to worry if or not we’ll crap ourselves in the interview room (lol, you better not.).

2. Rise To The Occasion.

First impression is very important. It will reflect on how you will be perceived. You might be the most promising candidates in the pool but dressing up like a hobo would definitely not help you in getting that job you want. Some people don't want to look like they put in so much effort in their appearance but it is totally okay to be simple while still keeping everything smart and clean. (Everybody loves a good looking candidate.)

Next, TRY but don't be desperate, unless you are applying for a job in the fashion industry or any field where eclectic flair of fashion is acknowledged. Then again don't try too much. Layering is a way of putting things together, mix and match is always a good way to show your personality. Some colors might pop you out of the boring all-white-candidates but every piece you put on must be well thought and considered. I'll write a piece on what is considered as interview appropriate dress up in the future. (Stay tuned).

Owh, smelling good can attract attention too. In job interviews, every little thing is being considered so give them no reason to judge you on the non-technical aspect of the interview such as your body odor. If you hate wearing perfume, please roll on the deodorant - be kind to the people around you. We might not realized our natural body odor but let me tell you, not everyone smells like honey. (Trust me on this, honey.). If you are actually wearing perfume, be moderate, spray on certain parts of your body such as the neck, back of your ears and the wrists. If you can smell your own perfume, it’s already too much.

3. Be Smart! (But Never Be Mr Smarty Pants)

It’s obvious you can't just wing it to these kind of interviews. No matter how well-versed you are on the industry, there must be something you don't know about the company that you're applying. Get to know the prominent figures behind the company; who their major competitors are; who their target market is; what is their nature of business; how was their performance last year; what their recent achievement et cetera. Being able to answer their questions can also drop some jaws by you dropping some facts about them. It really shows your effort and interest towards the company.

In order to prepare yourself for the interview, do your own mock interviews based on some expected questions. First tip: Do not memorize the answers. Second tip: Don't ever lie. It is always a good move to ring the company before hand and find out how the interview will be conducted. Some companies might do it in group of three and some might just ask you to complete a case study. There are many ways to conduct an interview and you will be ahead of the others if you prepare yourself for it. (Come on, we can do this!)

4. Sell Yourself! (But Don’t Be Cheap)

There is a saying in the recruitment department, the most qualified candidate is not always the one with the highest CGPA. It goes down to how you conduct yourself in the interview. Your personality must suit the nature of the job offered. If the job requires aggressiveness, show them that. If not, please don’t be crazy with it. (Kill them with your personality)

On the other hand, In order to show that you are not the typical candidate, instead of just answering questions from the interviewers, ask them insightful questions when you were given the chance to do so. By asking brilliant question, it will elevate your value. Just make sure the questions are not racist, sexist, politically bias, or plainly offensive.

Don't be afraid to show your personality. Since you have already shown your personality through your appearance why not spice up the dull and very serious interview session with some humor (Not dark humor please. Don't be too weird though.)

5. Be Courteous & Have Some Common Sense. (Seriously, We Mean It)

These are the two very rare attributes to have right now. Common sense is not so common nowadays. Asking permission to sit, greeting the interviewer, saying thank you after the session ended, and sometimes even the simplest 'smile' can make a major different.

Being courteous in an interview is not about opening the door for them or helping them with their chair and such but how you carry yourself after the session ended, simply by saying thank you to each and every one of your interviewers, and even writing a thank you letter or email shortly after the interview will help you to stand out compared to the other candidates.

Last but not least, we really hope this article do help any one of you who will be sitting for any kind of interview. We might not have a lot of experiences but we nailed most of it. (We didn't mean to brag but yeah, we nailed it. Or at least we think so).

That’s it for now. Good luck and have fun.