How to Become the Candidate of Choice

A good politician can be a great role model for someone applying for a job, although they can be somewhat distrustful with the words that come out of their mouths, their actions can be fruitful! When politicians want to gain votes, they tend to appear to be an active part in the community, smiling, talking with locals and taking part in activities.  To impress your interviewer, you need to adopt a similar mindset. Below are some tips on becoming the Candidate of Choice: 

• Make sure you make lots of eye contact, engage with a smile and a shake of the hand at the beginning and end of the interview. Remember to thank them for their time. 
• If they ask questions about your personal life, for example, what you do in your spare time, have an answer ready. Don’t lie about what you do, but be aware that they will generally ask this question, or a variation. Having a hobby outside of work, such as team sports, or other extracurricular activities, like being a part of a group or studying university or Tafe, is important, as it promotes the fact that you can work in a team, and communicate effectively with other people.
• Relax into the interview. If your interviewer tells a joke, laugh freely at it, and engage with a response. Just make sure you aren’t too relaxed, that it becomes unprofessional.  
• Prepare for questions that you know are going to be asked, regardless of who will be interviewing you. Guaranteed, they will always ask what your strengths and weaknesses are, as an example. Make sure you have an idea of what you are going to reply with.
• Research the company you are interviewing for. It is impressive if you can give them facts about, or at the very least, understand what their company and business is all about.

Preparation is key to performing well in an interview, as is confidence. If you can be confident and sincere in your interview, then you are one step closer to becoming the Candidate of Choice, as your interviewer will need to like you as a person, as well as for your skills and experience.