Job hunting is the first step in everyone’s career, and it is near enough a full-time job in itself trying to land a position, especially if it is your dream job. Finding out how to apply to the right jobs and ace your interview is a must to increase the chances of getting your dream job in the digital marketing industry. Experts at digital marketing agency Hennessey Digital reveal the top tips for getting that dream job.
Interview Tips
Be yourself:
Just being genuine and showing interest helps much more than trying to be someone you’re not. Explain why you’re a good fit for the company and talk about your best self. This helps the interviewer be straightforward about the job and start genuine conversations.
Be truthful about work experience:
Interviewers have heard it all and are able to tell when you’re being dishonest.
If you’re asked about why you have a gap in employment or reasons for leaving your previous job, be honest. If you were in the wrong, show recruiters how you have learned and developed yourself to be a better you because of it.
If you don’t meet the work experience requirements, use others to explain how you will make up for the gap with transferable skills you have learned.
Prepare for the interview:
You need to prepare yourself for the interview, but don’t overprepare by writing a script for your responses. This makes it more likely for you to only read the script and come across as less confident and stiff. Having some notes will be helpful to know the key points to mention, but don’t read word-for-word.
Test your technology:
Technology always finds a way to fail right when you need it to work perfectly. To try and minimise the chances of this happening during your interview, test your system before the interview. Also, download the app for the meeting software the recruiter uses on your phone. This allows you to be ready to quickly re-join if your computer does crash.
If Plan B also fails, then stay calm and troubleshoot the problem. Good employers will be empathetic, and it also shows them how well you can perform under pressure.
Key things to do in your interview
Don’t be slow to respond:
A quick response time always impresses the hiring manager. Reply to emails the same day, or the next day at the very latest. Showing you have a quick response time also demonstrates you can keep up with the fast pace of the digital marketing industry.
Show up on time:
Recruiters are very busy with the high number of applicants they need to interview, so it is important that you show up to your interview on time. If you do happen to arrive later than the allocated time, apologise and provide an explanation for why you’re late. If you know you’re going to be late or need to reschedule, let the interviewer know immediately.
Don’t talk disparagingly about your previous employer:
Saying bad stuff about your previous job shows the interviewer that you have a poor attitude and wouldn’t be able to fit into the company culture. Use your poor experiences with your previous manager as inspiration for questions to ask the interviewer.
Avoid generic answers:
Show that you have researched the company you are applying for and how you will be a good fit for the role. Interviewers will likely ask behavioural interviewing questions, and providing a personal story is what they want to hear.
Read up about the culture of the company and how they work. Within your answers, connect the job requirements to your work experience to help show how you fit into the company and role.
Ask Questions:
Not asking a good question makes the interviewer wonder if you have done your research. Having questions to ask shows you have interest and want to learn more about the role and the company. Plus, it is a perfect opportunity to learn insider information to see if the job and company are right for you. Google has plenty of potential questions to ask in your interview, and it is good to have some stockpiled.
