Feeling the jitters for your first call center interview? Don’t worry about it too much. Use your anxiety as your springboard for smart preparation. It’s worth recalling a common wisdom: courage is not the absence of fear but your ability to continue despite it. Your best tool to prep for an interview is is practice, practice, and more practice. But how do fresh graduates get ready? Learn the 6 helpful tips to preparing smart for your job interview.
1. Power Up Your Mental Attitude
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Your job interview is basically a mental challenge. It will test your capacity to quickly think and respond to the interviewer’s questions. Some people think that having a strong mental attitude is something you’re born with. However, the truth is it can be achieved with practical exercises and paradigm shifts. Firstly, it’s important that avoid thinking that you’re the best candidate. This can result in complacency and poor performance. Your focus should be to stand out among the numerous applicants and to communicate your qualifications well. Do this by confidently sharing, but not overselling, your skills and experience. For call center agents without experience, your objective in your resume and during the interview is to emphasize your potential. Focus on your learning and adapting abilities. You should relieve know that good call centers are encouraging towards fresh graduates and applicants with no previous experience.
2. Look at the Bigger Picture
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Whether you’re researching about the company or preparing your resume, it’s vital that you look at the bigger picture. Good preparation doesn’t mean that you will only skim through the company’s Wikipedia page. Go beyond surface-level information and find out as much as you can about company culture and work values, as well industry trends. Collect and remember relevant information related to the company, including policies and key players within the organization. If possible, try to find out who your interviewer will be, so you have a better chance of connecting with them during the interview.
Preparing for a job interview also means aligning your resume to company values. This will enable you to position yourself as the good candidate for the job. Know what skills and experience the company values. Go to the company’s career page and reach out to current employees to gain better knowledge of what is valued in the workplace.
3. Prepare Questions and Smart Answers
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One of the best tips for fresh grads during their interview is preparing smart answers for common questions. You should feel less nervous knowing that you can anticipate almost all the questions you will encounter. Usually, you will be asked why you’re applying for the job and will be encouraged to say something about yourself. Questions about your strengths and weaknesses will also likely pop up. These questions are generic, so there’s no excuse not to anticipate and prepare for them. The same goes for challenge or trick questions. “The boat is sinking” type of questions are best answered honestly and tactfully.
Think of smart answers as those that complement your skills, experience, and requirements of the job. The best way to present some of your answers is through stories. Stories are more convincing and engaging than simply sharing factual data. our stories should be relatable, simple, to the point, and interesting.
4. Never Underestimate the Value of Looking Your Best
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Appearances matter during interviews. In a recent international study, 70% of participating managers and employees considered personal appearance as decisive. From the way an applicant applies makeup to body scent, clinching the job significantly relies on first impressions. Ladies should apply light makeup only. Using bold makeup colors can either be distracting or send the wrong impression. For the guys, a common mistake is using too much perfume. Two spritz on each side of the neck should be enough. You never know if the interviewer is allergic or sensitive to overpowering scents. For clothes, stick to neutral colors such as white, navy blue and brown. These colors work best because they look polished and professional. If you smoke, it’s better to save the urge until after the interview. Non-smokers have heightened sensitivity to the smell of cigarettes, which can linger even after you wash your hands or take mints.
5. Observe Winning Body Language
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Building a connection with your interviewer is crucial. But don’t think that it’s just about smiling and being clever during small talks. A great connection fundamentally involves adjusting based on the situation. For example, what comes to mind when you imagine your interview day? How do you think the call center looks like? Is your interviewer intimidating, strict or relaxed? How does the interviewer respond to your answers? Doing this mental experiment will help you with resume preparation and overall performance. Master the basics such as appearing confident, giving a firm handshake, being amicable, and maintaining eye contact. But always be flexible. Remember that not all interviewers are exactly the same, so not all the tricks of forging a great connection can universally apply.
6. Practice Smart with a Friend
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Seeking a friend’s help can make a world of difference. Your friend should be able to point out your weaknesses while still being supportive. As a fresh grad, it’s also smart to have your friend help you in drafting a sample resume for call center application. Ask your friend to proofread it and assess if it’s error-free and easy to understand. Role playing with your friend can also help calm the nerves. While it’s great to assume the interviewee role, it’s also smart if you switch sides and put yourself in the position of the interviewer. This can help you understand how an interviewer’s mind works. You should be more comfortable and confident if you take turns playing the part of the interviewer and the interviewee.
So, are you still feeling nervous? Employing these interview tips for fresh grads can help you give a winning performance and get hired. Succeeding might feel like a distant dream, but remember that anything is possible if you prepare your mind and heart smartly.
Author Bio: Kimberly Grimms is a futurist who spends most of her time monitoring social behavior in search for new consumer trends. She uses the information to create viral and useful content as part of the new media strategy. She’s interested with technology, market behavior, new media, environment, sustainability, futuristic scenarios and businesses.
