Research the company on their websites ( check below on how to research)
Check mission, values, community involvement, awards, etc.
Go to websites such as Glassdoor or Indeed to check interview platforms, salary range, benefits, and reviews
Scan profiles of hiring managers on LinkedIn and recruiter to understand their career path and their interests
Practice 15-20 examples based on a CAR model interview
Practice case studies and presentation skills, some companies will have a test on the spot
Look at a mirror and practice
Record yourself to check on areas of opportunities, get feedback from your circle
Practice a mock interview with your friends or family members
How are your body language and facial expressions?
Avoid filler words, such as hmm, um, ah, you know, like, etc.
Dress for the success
Avoid smoking before the interview
Watch for shaky and sweaty handshakes
Practice a firm handshake and maintain eye contact
Don’t sit before the interviewer sits down, wait until they ask
Skip heavy pieces of jewelry, bright makeup, and strong perfume
Groom yourself, clean your nails, shave if possible, and style your hair
Avoid bad breath, use mint (don’t chew gum during the interview)
Check what is under your nose beforehand (buggers)
Women wear closed shoes, with comfortable heels, tie up hair or pin it up, a collared blouse, stockings for the short dress above the knees
Men wear Suits and Ties or business casual
Bring 3 copies of resumes, one pen, and a notebook
Turn off or silence your phone before walking to that building and wait there, without playing with your phone
Maintain eye contact, move your hands, and smile throughout
Ask questions, check what to ask here
Ask for the business card before you leave to send thank you note
Follow up in a week if you haven’t heard back through emails
Connect with hiring managers or recruiters on LinkedIn if possible, to maintain the relationship for future opportunities
Thank them regardless of the rejection
Follow up with everyone after the interview and let them know you are interested in future roles. Keep them all close and here is how.
Why researching before the job interview is important?
If you want to know the culture and environment, find out with informational interviews. The interview is a two-way street. As much as employers try to identify the fit, you should do the same.
Are you fit for one another?
Do you see millennials or older folks?
What about diversity and inclusion?
Are there people who look like you?
Do you see pictures of the visible minorities on the leadership team/board of directors?
Do you see a clear gender representation?
Check the website, and look at the organization hierarchy chart.
Check the media releases and data on the workforce.
Go around and ask people who worked for the company and have left.
How about going through the process of being a client with them?
Let's say you want to work in the bank, how about you seek to understand how to open a bank account?
Understand the internal process that impacts your targeted role. This step will come in handy during the interview process to solve the pain of employers with real-life experience.
Try opening a bank account, logging in to their website, visiting their branch, or calling the call center, there are many things you could research, but try to connect the dots to the role you are applying for. Make a mini little project for informational interviews or future job interviews.
Do you like the client experience overall?
Is there a metric to measure customer satisfaction?
How did they treat you as a client?
Are the staff trained well?
What do you think about the website experience, could the experience or process be way better?
Is there anything you disliked, and you might have recommendations?
Bring your experience to the interviews, and make a list of PowerPoint recommendations. Leave your work behind. See, nobody will be doing this kind of research. You need to stand out by going above and beyond if you want to get in!
Try sending out the email to someone with authority by using the script below. Customize based on the targeted title.
I am your client & I have a future interest to work in xxxx department. Last week, I called the contact center/ visited the branch & noticed there was a 45 mins wait time for customer service (Pain). I understand your branch has limited hours due to COVID-19 and calls are being transferred to the call center. No wonder there was a long wait. I called multiple times and the average wait time was over 45 minutes. I received the customer satisfaction survey later and provided my rating. It was really not fair to the agent as longer waits were not his fault ( know how they measure results).
I have expertise in reducing average handling time (AHT) within the contact center/ branch resulting in lesser wait time, higher customer satisfaction, and minimal call abandonment (solution). I have saved $xx for the last company by fixing the root cause of higher AHT. The framework would work even if you are short staff or have no budget. I have a deck attached with a few recommendations. If you have 15- 20 minutes next week, I’d love to walk you through how you can decrease the “wait time” which will result in positive employee engagement, higher customer satisfaction scores, and reduced cost!
As your current client, I would also love to understand what are the measures which are currently being implemented to avoid long wait times.
Let me know what works with your schedule next week on Thursday or Friday. I will plan my schedule.
Thanks
XXX
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Sweta Regmi is a hiring manager from award-winning companies turned into Founder and CEO at Teachndo, a Certified Career & Résumé Strategist.Sweta Regmi is a globally recognized top career expert, speaker, and LinkedIn Top Community Voice for Career Development, Job Search Strategies, Personal Branding, Public Speaking, Resume Writing, and Interviewing with over a decade of experience empowering career professionals. Sweta's insights are featured in CBC National News Prime Time & Local, Global National News Top Story & Global Local News, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, CTV News, City News, FOX 26 News, Daily Mail, BNN Bloomberg, 5 times in Globe and Mail, Yahoo News, National Post, MSN, theaustralian.com.au, FORBES, Toronto Sun, 80+ times in LinkedIn News, LinkedIn Hello Monday award-winning podcast, LinkedIn Creators, Indeed, Employment services, Top Colleges and Universities, Career Conferences, Leadership Conferences, and 100+Top media outlets have widely recognized Regmi's expertise, see here. Regmi has also partnered with leading brands and organizations to elevate and spearhead career strategies, career sites, and outplacement and establish non-profit employment services partnerships. Her RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards nomination by Women of Influence in 2022 and 2023 further demonstrates her success as a recognized career expert in Canada. Regmi is also the Amazon Best Seller of 21 Resilient Women: Stories of Courage, Growth, and Transformation. The book has been recognized by libraries, ministers and MPs in Canada.