Interview Preparation - How Much Time Should You Give?

Interview Preparation
It's very easy when you're looking for a job to apply for every suitable job vacancy available but what if you're putting all your energy into a job which you have a very low chance of winning, and not leaving yourself enough interview preparation time to jobs which you have a greater chance of winning? The result is that your interview self-confidence is dented and it becomes more and more difficult to exude confidence in each consecutive interview.
Before you prepare for an interview you need a framework in place to analyse and prioritise your job opportunities so that you can make an informed decision about the job to apply for, and you can then channel your resources to prepare for an interview which is important to you. This requires you to research the results of your job hunting over the last six month but the effort is worth it.
Interview 'sales funnel'

• How many job applications have you applied for?
• How many times have you been asked for an interview?
• How many times have you been short-listed for the job?
• How many job offers have you had?
• How is your interview preparation process?

Analyse each job application in as much detail as possible. Look at the industry sector, the type of job, location, level, and salary. How did you come across the job? Can you see any pattern emerging? If you discover than you're losing jobs at the first stage and not being invited for an interview then you need to review how well you understand the job specification and how well you meet it? Make sure that you avoid the most common CV mistakes. If you have all right skill set and experience then this suggest that you need help preparing for an interview.
The first step is setting career objectives. However, if you feel that there are no barriers to stop you achieving you career goals then you need to look at how you sell yourself. Promoting yourself starts with understanding your strengths and competences and selling your 'brand values' on the CV. It is essential to sell the interviewer the skill set they value.
Not being short-listed for Interviews?
If you're getting interviews but you're not being invited short-listed for a second interview then this suggests that you might need interview training. Interview training can significantly improve your preparation for the interview so that you make a confident first impression. An interviewer will inevitable choose someone they like and feel they can get along with. It's helpful to learn techniques to control interview nerves and to have some interview practice so that you know how to answer common interview questions. Today communication skills are an essential competence for most jobs so you should expect to be asked communication interview questions. Interview preparation and interview practice is essential if you want to make a favourable first impression.
Short-listed for Interviews but no Job Offers?
If you're regularly being short-listed for jobs you're obviously preparing for an interview well. So why didn't you get the job? Some typical questions to ask yourself are:

• How much did I want the job?
• Did I have a track record in this area to support my pitch?
• Did I recognise my weaknesses and support them?
• Did I substantiate my expertise to carry out the job?
• Did my references support my application?
• Was I assessed in an area that I am less experience in such as a job interview presentation?

Interview training can help to provide an independent assessment of how well you perform in the more stressful second interviews, and give you strategies to cope with competence based questions and tough questions. Interview training can give you greater self-confidence in an interview. Subliminal Message software can be an easy and effective method to give yourself a boost of confidence throughout the job hunting process.
Interview Training
Now you have applied your criteria review what you have learnt? Following your review of your interview 'sales funnel' would you apply for the same jobs? Do you need interview training to build confidence and get the job you want?
Interview Preparation

• create a great first impression
• voice techniques and body language
• handle nerves and strategies to perform well on the day
• improve your personal branding
• identify what's needed
• explore your transferable skills
• explore your strengths and weaknesses
• identify competences
• interview tips

Interview Practice

• questions and answers
• a mock interview
• strategies to answer competency based questions
• explore story-telling based on your experiences
• identify tough questions & practise the answers
• explore insightful questions to ask Article Source: ezinearticles.com