How to Prepare for Your First Corporate Interview?

by:

Job Interview

Do you remember the time when you were looking for your first job as a teenager?

The nervous butterflies in your belly and the euphoric ecstasy of becoming financially independent for the first time. If you think back to that time and compare it with your circumstance of the day, many things are still the same!

When an enormous opportunity presents itself in the form of your first corporate interview, taking the plunge may require a lot more than just business skills. These occasions require a healthy dose of confidence and determination. If, after toiling away in low-paying jobs for years on end, you have finally found the corporate job of your dreams, then this blog is just for you!

We understand that companies hire those who can get things done and that go-getter attitude requires confidence in your abilities and patience in times of anxiety. Here is a list of tips collected for corporate job candidates. We have tried our best to provide a comprehensive guide that will help you walk into the interview like you already belong in there.

Introduction to corporate interviews

An interview is a conversation where you share your life story in relevant, bite-sized chunks. To ease your concerns, we shall highlight a few misconceptions you might have about the event.

  • Remember that the interviewer does not care for your nervousness, nor do they have any preconceived notions of expected answers from you. When they ask about you, they do not want to hear the same template of answers as everyone else.
  • According to Eli Bohemond, an international career coach, 98% of all interviewees focus on what the company would like to hear as compared to the minuscule 2% who wish to remain authentic and differentiate themselves from the crowd. When an individual stands out and reveals the real ‘you,’ the interviewers look at their future colleagues. An individual that would be a part of a third of their life in the foreseeable future. The key here is that no one wants a scripted work-bot in an already monotonous work environment.
  • The interviewer is a human being with emotions, families, and complexities of life similar to you, which is why you should enter the room with an air of openness and human connectivity. Approaching the situation as a one-sided interrogation may lead to adverse results as opposed to taking it as a conversation.
  • Lastly, remember that your inhibitions take you nowhere. Self-doubt is your worst enemy in an interview. You must walk into the interview chamber confidently, with a singular goal to leave a lasting impression that takes you to the next interview or perhaps an employment offer.

We understand that it seems easy for us to say than for you to be seated on the hot seat. You need a foundation that helps you build an edifice on self-confidence and in-depth research. Benjamin Franklin in his eloquence, once said, “If you fail to prepare, you are prepared to fail.”

Physical presence and demeanor

Your presence and demeanor make 65% of the impact on an interviewer. The way you dress, speak and carry yourself is all essential to maintaining the image you wish to project. Here are a few tips on that front:

  • A straight posture while sitting at the edge of your seat helps you a stance of engagement. When your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and you slightly lean in towards the interviewer, the impact is amplified.
  • Your hands should be on top of the table to establish trust with your interviewer. Avoid crossing your arms on top of your chest or using too many hand gestures. A lot of fidgeting or a weak handshake all indicate a lack of confidence.
  • In the case of multiple interviewers, it is critical to maintaining eye contact with each one of them while you answer questions. Maintain an aura of grace while you scan back and forth across the panel.
  • Dress to impress, even if you have a phone interview. Smile when speaking and answer while pacing in a quiet place if that is how your mind stays at peace. Your choice of attire plays a poignant role in your selection. Wearing neutral colors and good shoes makes all the difference. Being too fashionable or trendy could have negative results. Remember to reveal your inner fashionista on dress-down-Fridays and not the first corporate interview.
  • The quality of your voice, grammar, and vernacular must all reflect that you have had a proper education and are not just Googling your way through life. It’s better to look like a candidate to the best executive MBA programs than to act like know-it-all braggadocio.

The preparation

Research

As customary to all interviews, you must know about the company and the people you shall meet. This knowledge becomes a foundation for your confidence.

For a corporate interview, the research goes beyond the generic understanding of what the company does. Knowing the financial position of the company, the challenges that they are facing, or the background of the leaders would help you answer questions and leave an impact on the audience. The ability to converse about the company would convey your expert knowledge and also reveal your inquisitive nature, which could take you to the top in the corporate world.

Revelation

Interviewers look for concrete proof in your abilities to deliver measurable results. You need to articulate your work philosophy and buttress the Mona Lisa-esque ideas with real-life examples.

Prepare for interview questions while also answering brain teasers and language tests. The interviewing panel judges you on your language, rationale, and the way you carry yourself. Don’t let tough questions shake your confidence. Instead, refer to your philosophy of work and explain how that can be applied hypothetically to reach an appropriate solution.

Final takeaway

Your first corporate interview could be a nerve-wracking experience. The stakes are high when you tout an impressive list of experience and skills-but, so are the others being considered for the job.

How can you stand out from the crowd? The key here is to stay positive in your capabilities and hold on to your confidence. Don’t let your speech patterns; the pitch of a voice or body language reveals your nervousness. Take a deep breath and practice a few power poses to release the tension. And voila! You are all good to go.

About the Author:

Alma Causey is a Freelance writer by day and sports fan by night. She writes about tech education and health-related issues. Live simply, give generously, watch football and a technology lover.

(286)

Comments are closed.