How to Prepare for Your Next Job Interview
We have all experienced the nervousness that comes when you are going into a job interview. To help with your nerves, you probably would like to be more prepared than the other candidates. Here are seven tips to help you prepare for your next interview:
- Learn all about the company you are applying for. This will help you to stand out in your responses to the recruiter’s questions compared to less-prepared candidates. Research the company website, learn the company history, the position you are applying for and learn about your interviewer. It is also a good idea to go into your interview with some thoughtful questions of your own that you have formed from researching the company.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to emphasize what you’re good at, and minimize, but be truthful about, what you’re not. Double-check your skills and qualifications and compare it to the job requirement. This will help you identify which strengths you would like to highlight in your interview.
- Plan what to wear. A study found that 64% of bosses said clothes could be the deciding factor between two similar candidates. Dress appropriately to your interview and give yourself a competitive edge.
- Arrive Prepared. You should bring any items you may need during your interview with you in a professional bag, briefcase or folder. Some items you should have include copies of your resume, a pen or two, a notepad, your prepared questions, a list of references, contact information, and breath mints or gum (although you should spit this out before actually entering your interview.
- Pay attention to your non-verbal communication. Your body language says a lot, even when you’re not talking. It is important to be aware of this while you are in your interview and avoid gestures that give the wrong message. Start the interview with a firm handshake, make eye contact throughout the interview, sit up straight, and don’t sit with crossed across your chest as this can make you seem defensive and guarded.
- Follow-up after your interview. Send the interviewer a personalized thank you letter or email a couple of hours after your interview. The follow-up should express your interest in the position and include specific notes from the interview. This will keep you top of mind for the interviewer as well as show you appreciate the time and effort they put into considering you as a candidate.
By integrating these simple tips into your interview preparation you can ensure you stand out against the competition. Good luck with your interview!
Interim Pathway for Caregivers – The Basics
The Interim Pathway for Caregivers is a dedicated pathway to permanent residence for qualifying in-home caregivers in effect March 4, 2019 until June 4, 2019. If you have work experience in Canada as a home child care provider or home support worker, you may be able to apply for permanent residence.
To be eligible to apply, you must have the required:
- status in Canada
- work experience
- language levels (CLB 5 in English or NLCL 5 in French)
- education (equal to a Canadian secondary school, also known as high school, diploma)
You must also plan to live outside the province of Quebec.
At the Time You Apply
To meet the status requirements when you apply, you must either have a valid work permit; have applied to extend your work permit and be waiting on a decision; or have applied to restore your status as a worker.
For your work experience in Canada to be eligible, you need to have worked as a home child care provider, a home support worker, or a combination of the two. You will also need to have gained this experience while working in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
You will also need to have at least 12 months of full-time work experience (at least 30 hours of paid work per week) since November 30, 2014. Breaks in employment (for example, periods where you weren’t working, on sick leave or parental leave) are allowed, however, any work experience you had while you were a full-time student doesn’t count.
It is important to note you’ll have to include documents to show proof of your work experience in your application.
If you’re interested in applying and believe you meet the above criteria, contact us. We would love to assist you with the application process.
