How to prepare for a job interview? With us, you can handle it with ease.

Author: Zuzana Kocáková

Career

8 reading minutes

The search for a new job has several stages. One of them is the interview, which is usually not very popular among applicants. Stress and tension can often be overwhelming. But you can improve and simplify the whole situation. You just need to prepare properly and leave nothing to chance. Do you know the basic interview questions? This is the only way to make sure you leave a good impression and provide appropriate answers to all questions. How to prepare for an interview? We have some practical job interview tips for you.

Update your CV

To get a job interview, you need to impress with your CV. A CV is like your social media profile. It represents you without the company knowing who you are. Based on the information the recruiter gets from it, they can form their opinion about you. They find out if you’re the right person for the job offer, or should invite someone with more experience or a different educational background to the interview.

Since your CV is a showcase of your work history and other data, it has to look like one. Make sure it contains all the information at the beginning. If it’s missing something, fill it in and update it. Be sure to include every job title and all your skills. How to do it, we summarized in the article Skills and abilities on your CV.

Graphic design is also important. It may not decide whether you get the job or not, but it can be interesting for the employer. Your CV can stand out from dozens or hundreds of others. Elegant and simple design looks the best. Avoid multiple garish and chaotic combinations of colours and fonts.

Grammar and stylistics should not be forgotten either. If there are too many mistakes on your CV, it can put employers off, no matter what job you want to do. You don’t have to apply for the position of editor or editor-in-chief. Everyone should know the basic rules of spelling.

Expert advice

Do you have problems with Slovak and don’t know if you made mistakes in your CV? Have someone in the area read it, or use the services of professional proofreaders. That way you’ll be sure your CV is in order and represents you well.

Send CV correctly

It may not be important to you, but the actual sending of the CV is key. Many people make the mistake of not filling out the subject line. Such e-mails end up in spam or are not even opened by HR. They don’t look professional and are definitely not a good start for a candidate.

Next, focus on the content of the email. For most, a CV is the most important thing, but it needs an introduction. Say hello, introduce yourself and say that you are interested in the job offer. Then don’t forget to refer to the CV in the attachment and say goodbye.

Send your CV in PDF or Word. These are the most versatile formats. Every operating system can open them. Choose the classic and most used fonts to open to absolutely everyone. Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri in sizes 11 and 12 are a safe bet.

When sending an email, you’ll do well to choose your work email inbox. You can also choose a personal email, but it should include your full name or at least your initials. Addresses with nicknames do not look professional. Of course, it’s just a small thing, but use these small things to build your success on them.

Provide only truthful information

Your CV must include your experience, knowledge and work history. It is true that more experience can make you more interesting in the eyes of a recruiter. Your resume will stand out from the pile of others. But be careful not to overdo it. Even the biggest little thing, like a higher language level, will reveal itself over time. Usually right at the interview.

Lying will get you nowhere. It might help you get an interview, but that’s where you’ll end up. An experienced recruiter knows the tricks and ways to find out if information about you is really true. So be careful what you put on your CV. Lying is worse than the fact that you’re a level or two down.

Get it right from the start. If you want to get better at something, take a course. Don’t give false information. It’s useless.

You’re not just writing a CV for the recruiter, you’re also writing one for yourself. You update and recap everything you want to emphasise in the interview. It’s another way to prepare for a job interview and to be successful in it. The CV always determines the course of the meeting and the questions often asked in the interview are based on the CV. The more details you give, the fewer inconsistencies in communication there will be. At the same time, these basic points allow you to think about what questions to ask in a job interview. Pick up something you missed in your previous job and ask if you’ll find it in this one.

Remember to behave appropriately

Your resume can be as good as it is, but if you can’t behave, you won’t get the job. Late replies to emails or failure to communicate politely is a big negative. Make sure you get the structure of your email right before you send your CV. Find out what it should look like.

As a rule, a greeting and an address must not be missing at the beginning. Next, write down what you need. Remember that you must use capital letters for words like Mr., Mrs., Ms. End the email with “thank you”, say goodbye and include your last name.

Be punctual

One of the little things that doesn’t work well is tardiness. Of course, sometimes it happens that a person is not to blame for being late. In most cases, however, the delay is because they left home late or stopped somewhere.

Arrive at least 10 minutes early for the job interview. Check in at reception and wait. It’s better to arrive early and wait a while than to be late.

In case of an online interview, please allow for technical problems. Test beforehand to see if the connection link works. See if the app works for you. If you’ve never worked with it, install it and go through the basic functions. Avoiding similar complications will make the interview process easier.

Don’t forget to set aside enough time. How long does the interview take? Sometimes thirty minutes will be enough, other times it can stretch to two hours. It all depends on how the job interview goes, whether it is a first round, whether there is a test involved and so on. Nowhere is it specified exactly how a job interview is conducted, so if you set aside enough time, you can pass the interview without stress.

Expert advice

Do you live in a house or apartment with your family? Don’t forget to wear headphones at the interview. They’ll ensure you hear the recruiter well. Plus, they won’t hear what’s going on behind the door in the other room.

Choose the right place

Use this point when the interview is online. As a candidate, you need to find a place where it is quiet and peaceful. Also make sure you have a good internet connection and nothing is disturbing you.

Many people are trying to work hard, so they go to coworking spaces or coffee shops. The problem with these places is that there’s a lot of other people and hustle and bustle around you. So you can’t focus well on individual questions from the recruiter.

Some cafés do not have a stable internet connection. Many other computers and mobile phones are connected to it. Online interviewing can cut in and out because of this. Make sure nothing like that happens. Stay at home where you have everything you need. You’ll be sure that nothing will go wrong and it won’t negatively affect the job interview.

Job interview dress

The recruiter will especially notice your outfit when you come in for a personal interview. You should choose formal clothes. Avoid ripped jeans and loose sweatshirts. What to wear to a job interview? A shirt and smart trousers will be the right choice.

When interviewing online, think especially about your upper clothing. You don’t have to overdo it, but it’s good to wear something that looks good and you feel comfortable in. Knowing how to dress for a job interview can form a significant part of how to succeed at an interview.

How to prepare for an interview

At this point, the situation you have been waiting for so long is already occurring. So the question may arise: how to prepare for a job interview? What else to study? What are the correct answers to the interview questions? Alternatively, what to ask at the interview?

It’s only natural to write to multiple companies and interview for jobs with multiple companies when you’re looking for a job. After all, the more emails you send out, the better your chances of getting a job. But with many different job offers, you may not remember all the details. And one of the most common interview questions (and also the most difficult ones) is why you are the right person for the job.

Therefore, find out about your chosen job before the interview. You should find it in the job offer itself. Write down the key points and then use them in the interview. Show that you’re genuinely interested in the job and ready to get started.

In addition to the job title, it’s a good idea to find out about the company offering the job. Find information about company culture or products and services. If it has its projects posted, check those out as well. Think about why you want to work for the company and what you find most interesting about it. Develop a tactic for answering interview questions.

Many times you get a question related to the company in a job interview. Why are you interested in the offer? What do you like about the company? The more you say, the better for you. If you say some interesting information, you will get good points. You show that you really took the time to find out additional information. It’s one more way to impress in an interview.

How to succeed at a job interview

How to behave in an interview? Mood and how you come across are essential in a job interview. Try to calm yourself down, don’t get too nervous and stressed. Put on a smile and be positive. Be polite and courteous. Don’t jump in, answer questions honestly and try to represent yourself and your work experience correctly.

Make jokes when the situation allows, but don’t overdo it. A joke can lighten the mood, but it doesn’t always fit. It is very much appreciated if you ask some questions yourself to indicate more interest in the job. What questions to ask at the interview? Although the interview questions and answers don’t have clear-cut rules, be sure to ask about the job description, career development or training opportunities.

Every recruiter appreciates questions from the candidate during the job interview. Don’t hesitate to ask how the second round of interviews goes. You may be wondering how to ask about the outcome of the interview. Finally, politely ask the recruiter if they think you are suitable for the role and express your belief that you will be part of the shortlist. There is no exact guide on how to ask interview questions, but it’s always better if you ask some.

There are also no awkward or unusual interview questions. There is only an unprepared candidate.

Your salary expectations

The job offer often gives only approximate salary information. Either it is a range or just an estimated amount. It all depends on the candidate’s experience and expectations. When it comes to this question, stay within that range. The final amount must depend on your experience. Definitely don’t underestimate yourself, it’s also important to know how to sell yourself in an interview. So think it through beforehand. This is one of the most common questions in the interview.

How to prepare for an interview in German or English?

At msg life Slovakia, the interview is most often conducted in Slovak. For jobs that require a higher level of German language skills, an oral test should be expected in the first round or on the phone. It is therefore a good idea to prepare for an interview in German. How does the interview in a foreign language work? In some cases, you can also expect a German language test or reading comprehension. For jobs where a basic knowledge of German is sufficient, we of course require a very good knowledge of English. An English interview is a quick test of your knowledge for recruiters.

The preparation consists of the same steps as for the Slovak interview. However, you’ll do well to brush up on your German or English beforehand. If you haven’t spoken it in a while, try talking to someone. Look up the vocabulary you’ll need and don’t often use. These may be actuarial, mathematical, tester or technical terms. You should not underestimate your preparation for an interview in English or German.

Leave nothing to chance

Looking for a new job and job interviews can seem challenging. But when you prepare properly, you can simplify the whole process. Many recruiters say that preparing for an interview is half the battle. Focus on the practical points, don’t skip anything and don’t leave anything to chance. This is the only way to increase your chances of a successful interview. We hope we’ve helped you a little in how to handle the interview. Remember, it’s the little things that can set you apart from others. Build on them.

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How to prepare for a job interview? With us, you can handle it with ease.

Zuzana Kocáková

At msg life Slovakia I take care of the company culture, events and I am part of the marketing team. I like a job where I can be creative and contribute to making my colleagues at msg feel good. I regularly prepare for you not only news and interesting things from the world of information technology and insurance, but also from behind the scenes events at msg life Slovakia.