Hello all,
Today’s topic will be our tips for a successful interview.
Let’s start now with tips for a successful interview
After a successful application, you got the interview invitation, that means company wants to know about you more. It doesn’t matter either face to face or telephone, you should keep yourself motivated and show your interest and your energy. We collected some tips from our experiences to help you for your interview preparation and interview.
Before the Interview
- When you get invitation for an interview, answer it as soon as possible to show your interest, the interviewer can contact other candidate because of your unresponsiveness or late response.
- Interview is about your confidence and your energy that you show others, it doesn’t matter if it is Telefon / Skype or face to face interview.
- Check the route at least one day before and also at the morning to avoid uncertainties on the road. Also if the address is not well defined, you can ask the company.
- Prepare your outfit at least one day before.
Choose your clothes properly.
Clean your shoes, because especially in Germany the people gives importance to clean look.
- Print out your application documents.
- Print out the position description and also take notes on it regarding your questions and experience. That will show your interest on position, preparation.
- Prepare some questions regarding position, company, working environment, career opportunities and so on. But don’t forget that you are not the interviewer, you should limit number of questions maximum 3-5.
- Search about possible range of the salary on Glassdoor, Kununu, LinkedIn. You can also always ask directly to the people you know from university, neighborhood, who is working at the company.
- Check your availability.
When you can start working there?
What is the next possible date?
When is your graduation?
How many hours you can work in a week?
Because the manager wants to plan your mentor, who will greet at the first date and your training/orientation plan. That’s why it’s good to have a date in advance.
- Don’t eat too much just before interview.
- Search the interviewers and check their histories online to find some common points.
First impression is the key
- Put your cellphone in bag / in your pocket with silent mode. It is not good to be called during your interview, when you are sweating.
- Has a presentable look, according to the position that you applied
If you are man,you should shave yourself.
If you are woman, you should be careful with your make-up, a natural look will give a positive first impression.
Don’t polish your nails colorful, something soft is best, but if it’s not possible keep it unpolished.
- Also don’t use too much deodorant or heavy perfumes, prefer something fresh.
- Don’t put on some big jewelries.
- Take two different pens with you and also some papers to take notes.
And take some notes during Interview and questions that you want to ask.Write down the names of the participants to call them personally during interview.
During the Interview
Is a handshake that important?
- Be punctual there, ten to fifteen minutes before. It will help you to control your voice and breath.
- Handshake is the first contact, keep your right hand free, look at the eye and say your name with a little smile.If one of interviewers come late into meeting room, to greet him/her you should stand up and give a handshake.
- Greet with confidence, don’t shake hand weak and start with the woman in the room.
Take a seat after you greet all of the participants.
- After greeting you can put your belongings near to your chair, make yourself comfortable. If the room is warm, you can take off your jacket.
- If you are asked something to drink, don’t say “no”. That’s not a kind way to start a conversation. You should ask for something that doesn’t require too much for preparation, water is best option far away. Also it helps to you during interview to take time and think about the question.
- Ask interviewers if they need hard copy of your curriculum vitae, you can give them what you already printed out.
- Talk always by looking into the eyes of interviewers.
- Keep your answers precise and to the point. It is not good to walk around the question. Because it gives the impression that either you don’t know the topic or you cannot express yourself.
- There are always some ice breaking questions, like did you find our locations easily or how did you come. Don’t answer them negatively, also if there is no ice braking question then you can ask them how they are.
- You should listen them when they are talking, don’t interrupt them and listen carefully. If you didn’t get a question, then you can ask to repeat or clarify it kindly.
- Before leaving you should say you are waiting a positive feedback.
After the Interview
- Send an email after meeting and thank them for their time. And give some indication of your feelings. If they didn’t say directly before/in the meeting to reimburse your travel expenses, you can ask at the same email.
Thank you very much for reading this entry, feel free to comment below or contact us by Instagram or Facebook 🙂
You might be also interested in reading Interview Questions for Germany, How to Find a Job in Germany, CV Preparation and Cover Letter Preparation.