How To Crack Your First Interview?

Excited for your first job interview? However, you would be nervous as well. These are the two emotions that every job seeker goes through before appearing for their first interview. While cracking your first interview is difficult, it is not an impossible task. Cracking becomes more important when the interview is with your dream company or for your dream job. But how can you crack your very first interview? Let's find out!

Effective Tips to Crack Your First Interview

Following are some of the most effective tips to crack your first interview:

1) Research the company

An employer will know whether you know anything about the organisation or not. Therefore, it is important that you research the company that you are going to interview with before sitting for the same. This will create a good impression in the minds of the interviewer and make it easier for you to crack the interview.

2) Show Your Interest in the Company

Why do you want the job? What's in that company that you are willing to work for the same? Show your genuine interest in the company and the job role. Don't exaggerate when appreciating the company and the work culture but put out genuine points about why you like the company and aspire to work in the same. This will show the interviewers that you are genuinely interested in the company and the job role and will be the best fit for this role.

3) Match the Job Description to Your Skills

For this, firstly you need to understand what is your job description and how your skills align to the same. You can use this to your advantage in the interview. Once you get to know what the employer is looking for in the candidate and you can present that you fulfil those needs and requirements, then cracking the interview won't be the tough part anymore.

4) Prepare Your Portfolio

You read that right! It is about your portfolio and not only your resume. A resume limits the information to certain parameters while a portfolio will provide the much-needed details and insights about you to the employer. A resume simply highlights your educational qualification, experience (if any, considering this is your first interview), skills and achievements. However, when it comes to a portfolio, then you can showcase your certificates, photographs, references etc. in an organised manner. This is a sure-shot way to stand out from the rest.

5) Dress Professionally

Your dressing sense matters, especially when you are going for your first interview. Therefore, you need to dress professionally. A business professional outfit can do wonders for how you present yourself in the interview. Further, if you dress in professionally, it will increase your confidence and help you ace the interview. Take care of the basics like ironed clothes, properly tucked-in shirts, clean shoes etc.

6) Practice Before Appearance

It is important to practice before your first interview. Nervousness can chew up your confidence and you might end up making mistakes you never imagined in your wildest of dreams. Therefore, it would be better to practice for the interview beforehand. You can do so with any of your friends or relatives. Or else, just go for mock interviews. You will get hands-on experience for the interview that will help you during your actual interview.

7) Prepare Well

Whether you will crack the interview or not depends a lot on how well you perform in the technical round. As this is your first interview, the experience won't be the predominant criterion but how much technical knowledge you are equipped with. If you can answer their questions well and to the point, then you will ace the interview.  

8) Do's and Don'ts

Well, every important situation has its dos and don'ts. When you are going for your first interview, the following are the dos and don'ts that you should keep in mind before going for the same:

- Do Stay Calm: It is important to remain calm and cool before you appear for the interview. There is no point in getting too much into the stress. Take a deep breath and believe that everything is going to be fine.

- Do Share examples: It shows that you have dealt with the situations in the past and you can handle the situations that you will face in your current job as well.

- Do show Gratitude: Simply a thank you note to the interviewers shows how much you appreciate the fact that you got the chance to appear for the interview.

- Don't bring in your personal life: Keep your personal life away from the job interview unless asked for. Try to maintain the conversation professional as much as you can.

- Don't Ask Too Many Generic Questions: Don't ask many generic questions, especially the ones that you are already answered. It will show that you lack listening skills.

- Don't Appear Late: It is important that you appear for the interview on time. It's your first interview and you can't be late at any cost.

- Don't Ramble Off-topic: Stay relevant to the conversation and discussion. Don't ramble too much off topic and try to be direct and to the point. Once you go off track, you will have a hard way finding your way back.

In a Nutshell

Cracking your first interview is important as this will mark the beginning of your career. Therefore, it is important that you ace your interview and come out with flying colours. If you keep the above points in mind, then there's no one stopping you from getting your dream job. Researching about the company, dos and don'ts, preparing your portfolio etc. are the little things that will create a good impact on how well your interview goes. Thus, prepare well and best of luck. Believe in yourself, you will crack it!