If you think you have made big interview mistakes in 2023, you can make bigger amends in 2024. While you are not discarding the tips from the previous year, you are taking on new ones that can further enhance your interview performance. It is quite normal to feel nervous or apprehensive about potential missteps, but the ongoing process of learning and refining your interview skills is a valuable part of your career development. So, this year, the interview tips shared in this article, if taken seriously, can help you move to the next level in your career.

Ace your interview(s) in 2024!

You must have heard a lot of “prepare ahead of your interview,” “Research the company” and all of its variants. This time, we think you must be missing out on the non-conventional tips and we are out to share some of them:

Never break down or show signs of emotion during an interview

Showing vulnerability during your interview can tell you off as incompetent. If you can’t answer a question, there is no need to be jittery or feel uncomfortable in a way that will be evident to your interviewer. Handle difficult questions with grace, and find clarity and limitations while maintaining professionalism, which can positively influence how you’re perceived in an interview. Be open, cultured, and sincere.

Exhibit your soft skills during the interview

While you may not be able to show your technical skills during an interview, go all out with your soft skills. Communicate in the best way that you can, ensuring that whatever you say is clear, concise, and impactful. Body language is equally essential in conveying your soft skills; maintain good posture, make eye contact, and use appropriate gestures to demonstrate confidence and attentiveness.

Get Recommendation Letters from one or two of your former bosses

This is not a very common tip but it works. Firstly, it will help you answer the question “If I were to ask your former employers to describe you, what would they say?” You already have an idea of what your boss(es) think. Also, recommendation letters from former bosses serve as tangible evidence of your skills, work ethic, and character. They provide credibility to your claims offer a clearer picture of your professional conduct and strengthen your candidacy. Having these letters on hand can greatly support your job application and reveal the positive impact you’ve made in previous roles.

Take ideas from the first stage of your interview into the second

These days, interviews are now in stages; when you finish the first one, you move on to the next and the next (if there are any). Reflect on feedback or questions asked previously and use this information to refine your responses or further communicate your qualifications. There is no need to sound different during the second stage of the interview, leverage what you’ve discussed in the first place and push it harder.

Leverage all opportunities offered to you during the interview session

This is mostly for people who write tests during an interview. You may be asked to use the digital calculator some other time or given resources to solve a problem. Don’t hesitate to use these tools or opportunities effectively; they could ever be research tools. For instance, the key thing they might be looking for is your ability to research and generally how good and swift you are with it. So the idea is on your researching skill not on the answers you provide.

The best answer to a gap in your CV is the truth

If you have a gap in your CV, an interview session is where you get asked about it. Recruiters, in 2024, are already tired of canned and released answers, so they want you to tell the truth. Don’t say “You were resting” during that period because this line has been used by many people and recruiters no longer take it seriously.

Instead, be honest about the reasons behind the gap in your CV. Whether it was due to personal reasons, further education, caregiving responsibilities, or a career transition, explain the circumstances truthfully.

If you have been unable to move past your interview sessions for a while, try the tips above and see how they can help you.