In order for you to successfully approach a job interview with no experiencie in the working world, here are 5 powerful strategies.
One of UIE ‘s priorities is to maintain the high degree of employability in all our degrees. Our training program is essentially practical and our students acquire the ability to go to their first job interview with a high professional background. We maintain relationships with public and private companies of national and international relevance to offer an internship program of the highest quality.
However, to be on the safe side, we invite you to read these 5 keys to prepare for your first job interview.
5 strategies to prepare a job interview without experience
#1 Take care of your image
Have you heard about the importance of first impressions? Well, it’s true, and all the more so when you’re applying for a job. Your image speaks as much or more about you than your words. It is a factor that is highly valued and even more so in a job interview without experience.
Job interviews take place in a serious and formal environment. Therefore, the image you project must convey these qualities. Remember that the first contact between you and the interviewer is visual. So you start with a point in your favor if you make a good impression.
In addition to the corresponding and logical formality in clothing and personal grooming, there are other non-verbal elements that influence a job interview, such as looking into the eyes when communicating, maintaining a confident and firm tone of voice, sitting correctly, remaining calm or not gesticulating angrily.
#2 Research the company
Gathering information about the company where you intend to work is one of the most important parts of preparing for the interview without experience.
You can start with something simple, study thoroughly the tasks and responsibilities of the job. Try to understand them well and think about how you can best perform them.
In addition, it is almost certain that the company has a website where you can see exactly what their activity is, their history, their products and services, if they have an international presence, the sector, organization chart, mission, vision and values. You can also see the latest news about the company or the news of the sector.
All this information will give you a better idea of what kind of professional they are looking for and will give you security and confidence when answering the interviewer’s questions. In addition, it highlights your interest in the job and that is always a positive point that the interviewer will value.
#3 Study your CV and be prepared for some prossible questions
There are some questions that are common in job interviews, along with the famous “tell me about yourself as a professional”. For example:
- Why do you think we should hire you?
- What can you bring to this company?
- What do you expect from this position?
- Tell me your strengths and weaknesses.
It is recommended that you prepare your answers to these questions well. But you should also keep in mind that the interviewer will have read your resume and may have some doubts or want to expand on some point.
In this regard, it would be helpful if you study your own CV well and try to answer these possible questions as naturally as possible. You can also practice a more detailed explanation of each of the headings in the CV.
A Good strategy is to think about how you can adapt your resumé and your speech to the needs of the company, the industry and the job you have previously studied.
#4 Emphasize your strengths
Taking advvantage of the questions the interviewer asks you, you can open the door to show your strengths. Of course, first you need to know and align them.
You can be a curious person, eager to learn. You can also have the capacity for self-management, be decisive, be motivated and not get discouraged in the face of problems. You can think strategically, work well in a team… and many more options. Make a list of those characteristics that define you positively and take the opportunity to illustrate them with examples of experiences you have had or obstacles you have overcome. A good story-telling is always effective.
The point is that, although this is a job interview in which you cannot demonstrate experience, you will have acquired a series of qualities, values and personality throughout your university years. It is now that you have to assert them and highlight those strengths that best suit the needs of the job and the culture of the company
#5 Talk about your college experience
You can counteract your lack of work experience by talking about the tasks, internships and projects you have carried out during your university life. At UIE, degrees include a large number of internships and other types of experiences that help students become familiar with solving everyday professional problems.
This is how from the UIE we reinforce your employability. Even if at the end of your studies you do not have extensive work experience, you will be able to talk about all the projects you have developed in your degree/postgraduate degree or the internships you have carried out.
In conclusion, when you face your first job interview without experience, you will be able to present practical examples in which you were able to perform functions related to the job effectively. An advantage that UIE offers you so that you enter the world of work stronger.
