Tees Skills Issue 1 | Page 23

* No guarantees but follow these rules and you ’ ll increase your chances

SUCCESSFUL *

SETTING YOUR PATH

Hopefully , your school or college has given you lots of opportunities to practice interviews . Practice makes per …. well , it is never perfect , you are human .
Preparation and practice make you feel more comfortable in an interview . You spend less time wondering what is going on and focus more on the task in hand . Everyone is nervous in an interview - and that includes the interviewer or panel . They don ’ t want to make a wrong decision , they want the right person .
Of course , you will be nervous too - you don ’ t want to say the wrong thing or not be able to answer a question . Well , guess what ? Your answers are only a small part of what the interviewers are looking for . They actually want to see what

HOW TO CHEAT

There have been no secrets in this article . But let ’ s make it simple . What can you do , more than just passing exams , to give you as much success as you want in life ?
Be aware - a huge amount of research says , “ If you find out about different jobs when you are younger , you earn more money later in life ”. If you make time to do this , you will almost certainly earn more when you are older .
Use whatever career services are available to you . You can also make time to ask older people you know about the job that they do . Take the opportunity to talk to businesses when they hold open days or visit your school or college .
It is also a good idea to follow local business news online . You
you are like , how you react , how you communicate , your personality .
They know you are nervous , so they see past that . You can only find out what someone is like by meeting them , and that is what an interview is . They want the person who will fit best . Sometimes , that is you … and sometimes it isn ’ t .
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT TO EXPECT : will see future opportunities and get to know who local employers are .
Be connected - who gets the job , the person you know or the person you don ’ t know ? There is an old saying that goes , “ It ’ s not what you know , it ’ s who you know ”. And it ’ s partly true .
So take the opportunity to meet people . Attend open days or career fairs and make sure they know your name . Where possible , try to keep in contact either through email or connecting on social media . If they know you , they are more likely to invite you to things .
Using social media such as LinkedIn is a good way to start connecting with businesses professionally .
Be self-aware - when it comes to applying for a job , your exams become less important and your skills and attitude become the focus .
There are lots of articles , videos and resources online that focus on what skills and attitudes employers are looking for . Take time to enhance your own skill set by looking for opportunities to develop them . It will also give you examples to talk about in interview situations .
And that ’ s it . It isn ’ t hard .
At the end of the day , that is what sorts the people who achieve from the ones who don ’ t . It comes down to a bit of commitment from you . A small extra effort today makes a big difference for your future . Your decision .
Find out more about SPARK Tees Valley at sparkteesvalley . com
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