NederlandsYou have put a lot of effort into decorating your resume and writing a beautiful cover letter. And this effort is rewarded and noticed: an invitation appears in your mailbox or you receive a phone call. Now you think, 'YES. Finally landed a job interview.”
You can't believe your luck and immediately start preparing for your job interview. Because you want to put your best foot forward! During this preparation, it is of course also good to know what recruiters do not want to hear. After all, you don't want to come across as 'made', because that's what a recruiter can see right through.
Patting yourself on the chest
If you meet most of the requirements stated in the vacancy text, you can confidently enter the interview. And that's only good! Still, this is no reason to pat yourself on the back. Everyone has flaws and makes mistakes , that's what we are human for. Of course you can exaggerate your story here and there to show the best version of yourself, because there are probably even more candidates who do exactly the same.
But to stand out, you really have to dare to be yourself. This allows a recruiter to better assess whether you are suitable for the position. Because what distinguishes you from all those applicants who all repeat the same tune? Exactly, your unique personality. It is also nice to show what you have to offer, for example by telling something about work that you have performed before. You can even include a photo of a previous project as an example.
My pitfall is…
Many job interviews ask about pitfalls or bad qualities. It is therefore good to think about a good and honest answer to that question. Sometimes applicants indicate that they can be too 'perfectionist', but recruiters often don't see this as a good answer. By such an answer, you are actually saying that you cannot or do not want to name a bad quality of yourself. You do not score points with this, because the candidates who went before you probably also gave this answer by default.
If you really don't know what your pitfall is, ask your friends or family. Try to turn your pitfall into something positive. Suppose you are not good at criticism, then you just say so and indicate that you are working on it. That shows guts and personality.
Say it looks like a nice company to you
The most standard answer you can give to the question why you want to work at the company is that it seems like a nice company. This is obvious, because you don't just apply anywhere. It is clear that you like the company. This question is therefore not intended to glorify the company, but more to find out why you really want to work here and whether you have prepared well. See it as your chance to convince the recruiter that you really like this company, for example by telling them how you know the company (or the work they do) or what you already know about your future colleagues.
Do you have any questions?
Your job interview is coming to an end and the recruiter is curious if you have any questions. Now you may have heard that it's good to always ask a question to reiterate your interest in the company. However, this is not necessary per se. Is everything clear and have all your questions already been answered during the conversation? Then you can say that you have no more questions and that everything is clear. Never ask questions because you think you need to ask questions. Only ask them if you really want to know something. The recruiter is not waiting for that.
So make sure you already know quite a bit about the company you are going to apply for. And don't forget to come across as sincere. Do you have questions or would you like to discuss? Please feel free to contact us. Good luck!