One of the biggest outreaches we get is for advice on how to get interviews. 

In today’s market, it’s hard. Most jobs here in the Middle East get over a thousand applicants - even the most qualified candidates get lost in the mix. 

BUT, patience X quality does bring results. We know this for a fact as it’s what we spend all day every day doing. 

You’ve overcome one big hurdle in obtaining an interview, now how to prepare best for what comes next? 

An interview is not a guarantee of a new role. They are multi-tiered, unpredictable, competitive and can play out over long periods of time. They are marathons not sprints. 

Preparation is crucial and will set you apart from the crowd.

Here’s how to go into your next set of interviews in peak condition and ready to perform. 

Here’s a question that I know 99% of our clients ask that catches a lot of candidates out. 

What do you know about us? 

Basic, right? You’d be surprised at how many people this trips up.  

They’re not looking for a Wikipedia style monologue on the company but an assurance that you’ve gone into this with a basic level of prep. 

It’s a valuable thing to do as it also reinforces your own level of confidence.  

If you know the backstory and context to a company and how you can support them it will support your answers to their questions. 

You should also check out the interviewer on LinkedIn, see who they are, where they come from and if there’s any points of commonality between you that you can leverage from in the process. 

To go one step further with your preparation - a great way to showcase your enthusiasm for any position is with well-researched questions based on your research. 

These show that you’re not just interested, but also invested in the opportunity at hand. 

“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Mega cliche but also very true. 

Everyone knows that in today’s current market it’s hard enough to get an interview in the first place. 

Why would you turn up having not done the legwork to make sure it’s going to be a success? 

An overriding sentiment in the market among our clients is that they’d prioritise attitude over a perfect match on skillset. 

It’s incredibly clear who has turned up to an interview having practised and prepared vs who has turned up ready to wing it. 

The confident someone gives off from turning up prepared and ready is contagious. Interviewers can feel it. 

The AI revolution has also made it a lot easier to prepare. We featured a great free AI tool on our blog a few weeks ago which is perfect for interview preparation, Interview WarmUp (by Google). 

We’ve seen some of the best candidates on-paper fall apart at the interview stage through lack of preparation. AI means there’s no excuses anymore.

To really nail an interview process, it’s important you understand the purpose behind them and adjust your psyche to reflect this. 

The stereotype interview is that they’re interrogations with terrifying HR Directors looking to catch you out. 

The reality is that they are two-way streets. A client is giving up their time to speak to you, in the belief that you might be a good fit at helping them address a pain-point within their company. 

As much as they are assessing whether you are a good fit for their company, you should be doing the same back. 

Most of the interviews we facilitate veer towards the informal end of the spectrum, with chemistry playing a huge part in the decision. 

The best way to ensure success? Prepare for the worst-case scenario and embrace whatever comes your way.  

Chances are it won’t be as bad as the scenario you have played out in your head.

Videographer

My client is looking for a talented Videographer to work from their Dubai offices. 

They are a luxury retail company with a strong track record of success and big-names brand under their umbrella.  

They are looking for someone with a passion for the industry that can help them produce successful content which elevates their brand to a large Social following.

Previous experience in this role is essential and the role is a hybrid model, based in Dubai. 

Please reach out to me on LinkedIn and I will be happy to chat if your profile matches the requirements.