Q I have an interview very soon and I'm quite anxious about how I will come across on the day as my mind always goes blank. Do you have any advice?
A Preparation, preparation, preparation. No matter how many times you hear this, you cannot change the fact that the more preparation you do the more prepared you will be going into that interview. The more prepared you are, the less anxious you'll be.
Firstly, change your thinking - you are not preparing for an exam. There are no right or wrong answers. Only clear, truthful and relevant answers that demonstrate your ability to do the job. Remember, the interviewer is looking for the best person for the job, and you're there to fill the bill. So you both have essentially the same agenda.
Take each one of the key competencies required for the job, take a blank page, and go through your experience to see where and when in the past you've had the opportunity to demonstrate that competency.
If the interviewer asks you about teamwork, then you should be ready to talk them through the part you've recently played in a team.
When the interviewer looks for more detail, they're not trying to trip you up - they're simply trying to get more information from you.
Research the company.
Talk to someone who works there and look up their website. It's respectful to a potential employer, and the extra knowledge will make you more confident.
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