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Get ready for new challenges as talent hunt begins
For the past several months there has been a practical lull in the job market. Now that the economy is showing signs of recovery, the job market is gaining momentum too. Most companies have lifted the hiring freeze imposed during recession and are looking forward to induct some fresh talent into their organisations. So, it is time for you to gear yourself up for new openings in the job market.
Whether you are a fresher looking for your first break or an experienced professional looking for a change, arm yourself with a well-written resume in order to make an elegant entry into the job market.
Once you get the interview call that you have been waiting for, your countdown for the D-day begins. Here are some tried and tested tips to have a smooth sail in the interview process:
Friendly conversation: Don’t go to an interview thinking that you will be thoroughly grilled. Instead, think of it as a simple conversation meant to exchange ideas and insights. Remember that being your natural self during the interview is just as important as good preparation to make the right impression. You can project yourself in the best light only when you are not nervous.
So, you must make every effort to relax during the interview. Having a natural and spontaneous conversation makes the interviewer feel comfortable and makes him like you.
Display versatility: Given the collaborative nature of present day workplaces, don’t be surprised if people from different domains interview you. While they don’t expect you to be an expert in every area, they certainly appreciate if you possess basic knowledge and understanding of other functional areas apart from your core expertise.
Use whatever cross-functional knowledge or experience you have to the best of your advantage. Relate how you have been successful working with different functional areas to achieve organisational objectives.
Highlighting how you worked together with other teams will let them know that you value inputs and goals of other functional areas as well.
Show appreciation: For instance, you are in IT and are being interviewed by HR. You can tell him/her how the HR in the previous company has identified good training programs for you and helped you hone your skills further. Showing appreciation for their functional area makes them feel good about what they do and more importantly they start liking you.
Exhibit a collaborative outlook during the interview and show that you understand the bigger organisational picture and appreciate the contributions of all the functions in the overall value creation.
Explain tactfully: The interviewer will be naturally curious to know why you want to change your job. So, when asked about it, you must tactfully answer the question.
No doubt, certain workplace issues have been bothering you and you have some genuine reasons to look for a change. But revealing reasons like bad boss or unchallenging work send wrong signals to the interviewers.
They may get doubts about your ability to cultivate good work relationships or your capabilities to endure adversities.
So, you must put it in such a way that you look good in their eyes. For example, the present job no longer interests you, instead of saying so, you can tactfully list whatever you have achieved presently. Then conclude by saying that you are ready to take on bigger challenges and are therefore looking for a change.
An interview is not just about the employer knowing about you.You must also try to find out as much as you can about the company by asking them the right questions.
To decide if you really want to join the organisation if selected, you must take this opportunity to gather certain important facts. First of all find out more about the nature of the job.
Don’t go by fancy titles, learn about the exact roles and responsibilities involved. See if the job fits in with your personal values.
Also learn about the training opportunities and growth prospects in the company so as to analyse if it happens to be the right career move in the long run. Get set to make the most of new opportunities but always remember to think before you leap!
