Everyone has experience with interviews and moving jobs and everyone has an opinion, but please just stop and think before you accept these common pieces of advice. They could do you more harm than good. Here are some common pieces of advice and what you might want to do instead.
‘Be Yourself’
Instead – Use emotional intelligence to read the situation and respond accordingly. Respect the organisation and what the expectations are regarding behaviour, you can be yourself once you have the job and you understand the organisation better!
‘You don’t need to sell yourself if you’re good’
Instead – Research the company, what are their problems and what experience do you have at solving these types of problems. Alternatively, what are the main issues in the job you are going for and how have you made things better in previous companies? Nobody likes a show-off, but the organisation needs to be clear about the benefits of employing you as opposed to another candidate.
‘Don’t tell the interviewer that you have any weaknesses’
Instead – Look at the job description and be aware of what you have experience of and note the things you have not done before. Put together a simple self-development plan and openly talk about how you have been working hard to improve your skills, knowledge, and experience. This shows a willingness to be open and honest, as well as showing that you are proactive and can solve problems.
‘Do what you’re good at’
Instead – Don’t limit yourself, you might be good at other things if you try them! Always assess the pros and cons of any opportunity, making sure you stick to your values.
Please get in touch if you need any help with anything that has been discussed in this article.
