Found the job of your dreams? Don’t wait till you come face-to-face with your potential employer to make an impression. You need to get it right from the resume stage.
To help you side-step common hurdles in acing a job interview, we asked senior HR expert Prashant Deo Singh to identify common errors that candidates make.
Here’s what he advises:
1. Begin with a proper resume
Make sure that your CV is short and precise. And always stick to facts. “Many companies conduct a background verification process. Falsities will be caught and result in the candidate being disqualified,” says Singh. More importantly, this kind of deception reflects poorly on your character.
2. Don’t bad mouth your former/current company
Nothing is as off-putting to an interviewer as a candidate who whines about his former/ current employer. Steer clear of badmouthing any organization or person you have worked with since it will be held against you. Never divulge professional secrets. “At times, candidates—in a bid to impress—reveal information that is sensitive and which isn’t even asked by the interviewer. I think that is a strict no-no,” says Singh.
3. Ask yourself – are you right for this job?
Singh feels candidates need to clear about the job role and apply only if they have relevant experience. If it’s a job for a person with experience in Photoshop, for instance, don’t land up for the interview with extensive experience in CorelDRAW.
From the application stage through the interview, a candidate should have one underlying focus— the value he or she brings to the organization. Dress well, conduct yourself professionally and always be polite and courteous.
