Job interviews are stressful, but they don’t have to be hard. Let’s take a look at the different stages of job interviews together and break them down.

How to prepare for and impress at a job interview

Looking at each individual stage that leads to an interview, we can highlight the main ones.

Job hunt

Some might suggest quantity over quality in this stage of job hunting. when you’re looking for jobs and just sending your CV everywhere you think you might have a chance. But try to think long-term if your situation allows is. Yes, you might get lucky with this approach but you can just the same make a big mistake that’s gonna cause you stress later on. Consider doing some research on the companies where you’re sending your CV and making sure they’re a good employer. If you need more help in deciphering what makes a good employer, Keith’s blog can shed some light – “Signs of a good employer“.

Writing a CV

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it a thousand times. Your CV is the first contact you’re making with a potential future employer. Please ensure it’s easily understood and grammatically correct. There’s always time to proofread your CV before sending it. In addition, a lot of programs now offer free spell check as well as grammar check. If for some reason you don’t have it in your Office pack, check out Grammarly. There, you can do your spell check online.

Good CV plays a huge difference in whether or not you get called forth for a job interview. If you have additional questions on what a good CV needs to have, check out our article on CV writing.

Job Interview

With the basics out of the way, let’s dive into the job interview itself. Here are just the main bullet points but master these and they’re easy to build upon.

• Dress for the job interview – if you are wondering what job interview attire looks like or you want to know which outfits are a safe bet, have a read of our article “What to wear to an interview”
• Relax and smile throughout
• Be ready to back up any answer with an example
• Promote yourself: Give examples of when you did a really good job, any awards or recognitions you have received
• Be truthful and honest WITHOUT bad mouthing your previous experience (you already know which experiences were “meh” – come up with alternative ways to relay them in advance)
• Ask the employer what role-specific questions and what benefits come with it – find out what some common job interview questions are in “Job Interview Questions”

Worried because your first interview is online? Check out “How to prepare for an online interview“.

Lastly, ff you’re wondering how long do job interviews last, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. However, for managerial positions, it is usually considered a bad sign if the first interview lasts for less than half an hour. There are always exceptions though. Ideally, if the interview is over half an hour, the interviewer looks engaged and they ask you for your availability (either for the job itself or the second interview), it’s a good sign.

Don’t give up

The last factor in a job hunt is persistence. However, this does not mean you need to spam a hotel, restaurant or recruitment agencies. Persistence means checking job portals regularly and applying, applying, applying. You can also use google to find out what the best hotel recruitment agency is in your area. Get in contact with them and let them do the search for you. Moreover, draft a nice and easy to read cover letter. This way, the employers or recruiters can get to know you better.

Also, if you are using a hospitality recruitment agency, make sure to take their suggestions into consideration. You wouldn’t be using them if they didn’t have their finger on the sector’s pulse. Whatever you do, don’t lose hope. Keep on pushing because it always gets better.

And as always, happy job hunting. If you want to check out what hospitality jobs we have, please follow this link.