Generally speaking, half the battle when it comes to landing a job these days is securing an interview. With candidates from far and wide applying for advertising and marketing jobs en masse via online channels, it can be challenging for people to set themselves apart from the crowd and entice potential employers to speak with them. With that in mind, whenever applicants manage to prove themselves worthy and persuade recruiters to request an interview, they need to capitalize on the chance to strut their stuff and bring their A-game to these interview tips. By dominating interviews and showing they have more to offer than the credentials printed on their resumes, job seekers will be more likely to secure a position that is right for them and ultimately set themselves up for professional success.
Say the right things about yourself If you have personally landed an interview for an advertising job, you may feel like the pressure is on. Fortunately, if you prepare well in advance, consider the most frequently asked interview questions and come up with optimal answers for those inquiries, you can increase your odds of receiving an offer in the end. For instance, NerdWallet explained that among all of the curiosities recruiters voice in interviews, one that is most prevalent is “tell me about yourself.” As you can imagine, sitting down in front of a potential employer and having them present you with such a broad instruction can be daunting and even throw you off-guard. There is a seemingly endless list of information that you could fire off. So how do you differentiate the tidbits recruiters want to hear from ones they would find inane? The source advised that you strike a balance between highlighting your personality and keeping it professional. If you think about it, recruiters have already studied your resume and they’ve familiarized themselves with all the nitty-gritty details of your professional profile. For this reason, you don’t want to take your opportunity to shine and use it to harp on the same points outlined by a piece of paper. Instead, you should divulge more profound details about yourself, making sure to tie them back to the job at hand so you can demonstrate how they would enable you to excel in that position. One word of caution, though, is that oversharing “can be dangerous, so be concise and authentic,” Patty Bishop, director of career development for St. Mary’s College of California, told NerdWallet. “Remember, interviewing is not just a question of whether you have the skills to do the job; it oftentimes is a question of a personality fit.”
Show your similarities As you tell interviewers all about yourself, you may want to keep in mind that people generally bond with others like them. According to Time magazine, repeated studies have shown that a crucial factor in having recruiters similar to you is to come off as having things in common with them. While you don’t want to pretend to be someone you’re not, making an effort to connect with potential employers by finding common ground and showing how you’re similar could render more favorable results when it comes to snagging a marketing job. The best way to go about this is to gauge an interviewer’s attitude, as well as their general disposition so that you can match them in terms of energy level and outlook throughout your interactions. For example, if they appear more calm, cool and collected, you should assume the same approach to your conversations. At the same time, you have to meet strong and aggressive types with an equal amount of vigor.