Have you ever got any experience of having a job interview? Trust me. It has always been difficult to have one because I have just gone through one of the most arduous tasks in my life during my first summer job interview at a kindergarten.
I thought I was well-prepared for the interviewing due to my great effort in doing research about the reputable and eminent kindergarten, but it turned out to be nothing of that sort. I arrived at the kindergarten in Tsim Sha Tsui an hour earlier than my time of the interview and started to memorize, if not scram, all the information I gathered one day before. I strutted into the interview room before the interviewer bombarded me with a barrage of questions which were totally unexpected, barely anything that I expected. “Do you think you are capable of showing your love for the children at our kindergarten under any circumstances? And also could you ensure that?” I was taken aback and could hardly utter any words. Stuttering some insensible sentences was all that I could do. I put wrong focus on preparing for questions related to the history of and awards attained by the kindergarten. This was my first mistake.
The second mistake which was the fatal one was my lack of enthusiasm for the job. “If the salary and the fringe benefits of a teacher, the job you’re applying for, are greatly reduced, would you insist on getting the job?” My mind went blank once again. I was too obsessed with the salary and perks of the job that I didn’t pay attention to the nature of the job. There was a period of dead silence before I came up with a few words which further displayed my ignorance about the job. Furthermore, I failed to ask my interviewer any questions regarding the job because the interview didn’t go according to my plan and anxiety and nervousness got the better of me.
To cut a long story short, my interview was a total failure. It bombed because I didn’t stick to all the golden rules of interviews. And I am going to share them with you.
First, be punctual for the interview. It’s of prime importance to make sure you are mentally prepared for it because it plays a vital role in your performance. Your answers to the questions will be more well-organized and clear if you can calm yourself down.
Second, do showcase your passion for the job. You might try to do so by asking questions related to the nature of the job. It helps to show that you want to gain a better understanding of the job and your desire for the job. They assist in leaving a good impression on the interviewer. The questions can be very simple, such as “Could you tell me more about the details of the job nature?” “How would you advise me to get prepared for the job?” These questions can make a world of difference for your interview performance.
Finally, you might have to slightly sugar-coat your weakness when asked about your negative qualities. You don’t have to be brutally honest or too slick. The nub of the matter is to turn your negative qualities into positive things, for instance, “Some people say I am too demanding for myself”, “Some say I’m too humble to voice my opinion sometimes”, etc. Your interviewer will be impressed if you can do that.
I sincerely hope that every single one of you can brace yourself up for your job interviews in the future at a young age. Just try remembering the aforementioned rules when needed. And I wish you wouldn’t follow my footsteps while seeking a summer job.