Job interviews are a great opportunity to change the direction of your professional life, work for a company that better aligns with your goals, get back into the market, or even grow within your chosen field.
However, the hiring process can sometimes be quite stressful, leaving candidates either overwhelmed or unsure of how to succeed.
With an interview being a multi-step process that begins the moment you send a resume, it’s important to understand how and what to prepare at each stage.
Thus, consider these five crucial tips before, during, and after your next interview. You may just land yourself the dream role.
1. Understand the job requirements
During the job hunt, candidates typically send out many different resumes. While volume may increase your chances of getting hired, it’s important to understand what each specific role will entail.
Before clicking “send” on your application, be sure to analyze the job description in order to gain a complete grasp of the necessary qualifications, potential day-to-day tasks, and why you would be the right fit.
Consider making a list of the skills and experience you possess that are directly related to the job posting. This will help you target your resume toward the role itself and determine if the position aligns with your strengths and interests.
Whether you’re looking to change companies, careers, or set out on your own, playing to your existing skills will help demonstrate what makes you the ideal candidate for the job.
At AHK Accounting Recruiters, we know how to help you harness your skills, attributes, and experience for being hired for your dream job.
Specializing in tax accountant jobs in Ontario, we can help you combine your technical knowledge with the necessary soft skills that make you the ideal candidate for the job.
2. Know the company
It’s best before both applying for a new job, and heading into an interview, that you have as much information about the company as possible. Always review the company’s website, browse any blog posts they’ve written, and check out their most recent social media.
This gives you a brief insider look at the company’s values, tone of voice, and existing brand identity, all of which make it easier to align your qualifications with the hiring process.
Also, consider researching any current news or industry trends related to the company’s work, products, or services. What type of work culture do they appear to offer? Are they in a growing field, or is the role within a startup environment?
How have they positioned themselves within the industry alongside top competitors?
This type of research shows an interviewer that you’re prepared and demonstrates your investment in the role and a desire for professional growth.
Our team of experts at AHK Accounting Recruiters brings years of industry knowledge, which we apply to help candidates land the best tax accountant jobs in Ontario. We recognize that certain qualifications can appeal more to larger organizations than startups, or to particular industries more than others.
Through our recruitment process, we can help you find the best position possible that aligns with your goals.
3. Practice interviewing
While this may seem obvious, many job seekers neglect to prepare interview questions and answers ahead of time. Now, we understand it’s not possible to know exactly what questions an interviewer may ask.
However, rehearsing some responses beforehand allows you to practice sharing your professional experience and discussing qualifications that directly relate to the role.
You can also use this as an opportunity to practice proper body language, which in turn may help alleviate any additional anxiety or stress before the interview. Completing mock interviews in front of a mirror or with someone else allows you to rehearse how you might answer certain questions, both verbally and physically.
The goal before any interview should be to feel confident. Treating your prep time like a dress rehearsal will help build your self-confidence and ensure you understand how your specific qualifications relate to the role being offered.
As part of the methodology at AHK Accounting Recruiters, we apply each of our candidates’ qualifications, soft skills, personality, and fit towards not only common interview questions, but towards the introduction and follow-up, unique interview tasks, as well as assignments we’ve come across in our years focusing on tax accountant jobs in Ontario.
4. Listen to the interviewer
This is another obvious one, we know, but active listening is often overlooked during the interview process. Potential candidates are typically so hyper-focused on their own qualifications and desire to make a good impression that they forget a crucial step in the process: listening to the interviewer.
While you may think you’re effectively listening during an interview—they’re asking questions, and you’re answering—there’s a chance some key information is being missed.
Without effectively implementing active listening techniques, you may miss out on important prompts or points from the interviewer that are meant for you to engage with directly.
Remember to be dynamic and interactive during the process. You want to show interest in the position at every stage of the interview. This involves demonstrating knowledge of the company, pausing when necessary to collect your thoughts, reiterating questions to ensure understanding, and even posing questions to the interviewer.
At AHK Accounting Recruiters, professional growth is paramount to our recommended connections between candidates, companies, and positions. We focus on the ability of our candidates to showcase their unique qualifications, so they can move vertically in tax accounting jobs, not laterally.
5. Know why you want the job
It’s important to articulate why you want a specific job during an interview. Keep in mind that most companies aren’t looking to hire someone specifically qualified to do every aspect of a new role; some on-the-job learning is always expected.
However, if you cannot demonstrate passion or interest in the work that they do, then the odds of being hired are very unlikely.
Think about how the combination of your work experience, personal qualities, and academic studies make you uniquely qualified for the position. Do you have a personal connection to the company itself? Is there any overlap between your hobbies and the work they are currently doing? How does this specific role fit into your long-term goals as a professional?
Knowing how a new job relates to you and your personal objective will make it easier to connect with the role during an interview.
With AHK Accounting Recruiters, our personalized advice, recommendations, and support play an important role in developing our candidates and ensuring that they can find the tax accountant job of their dreams in Ontario.
How to Connect With a Recruiter
To connect with one of our recruitment experts at AHK Accounting Recruiters, call us at 855-630-0383 or contact us online.