You’re fresh out of university, looking to find a job in Malaysia. Most likely, you’ll be looking for a job in Kuala Lumpur, but regardless of whether it’s in a big city or wherever, making a good impression is important! 👨💼💼
Not going to lie, it’s really daunting starting out in the working world. But, we all have to start somewhere, don’t we? So, let’s explore some job interview tips to help prepare yourself for this new transition in your life, shall we?
Top 6 Job Interview Tips for Fresh Graduates
- Polish Your CV
You’ve probably heard this job interview tip a billion times: “Write a good CV. Write a good CV.” Everyone including your career counsellors are telling you this.But, have they told you everything? Probably not. 😉 Here are some CV writing secrets you probably didn’t know before. 🤷♂️Keep it short and sweet. Did you know many Malaysian fresh graduates unnecessarily stretch their CVs to 5 pages long? The average recruiter shifts through hundreds of CVs a day. You can help make their lives easier by keeping your CV short and succinct.In countries like the UK, British employers expect job applicants to stick to a maximum of 2 pages only. Brevity is key when it comes to good CV writing. If you’re interested, you can follow this guide to observe the best CV writing practices in the UK. 🇬🇧
Or if you’re an adventurous person, you can create a video CV. This will surely get your recruiter’s attention! Not many Malaysian job seekers are using this tactic. To do this, you can use free video creation tools such as Powtoon, iMovie, and Renderforest.
- Research the company
Get to know your company and industry better. Your research should cover information about your company’s products or services, the awards they’ve won, their competitors, and recent news. 📰Research all you can for your interview, and use this information you’ve gathered to write your cover letter, explaining how your skills can meet the company’s expectations. Keep your cover letter short and persuasive!
At the interview, remember to bring up what you’ve learned about the company during your research. Don’t just save your research for your cover letter.
Sometimes your recruiter may not have read your cover letter, or missed it. So, it’s worth repeating what you’ve researched about your company during the interview. Plus, it shows your recruiters you have passion and interest in your work. 💼
Other useful job interview tips are using Google News and Google Alerts to keep up with the latest news on your company. You can easily read and monitor relevant news using these platforms. Global corporations such as PwC Malaysia, Mckinsey Malaysia, and Accenture are often on the news, so be sure to stay updated in your industry.
- Practise, Practise, Practise
Do you get anxious easily? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. 🙂 Many people are like that too. You just don’t see many of them because they’ve learned to hide their anxiety well. In time, you’ll learn how to overcome yours too.It’s so easy to memorise common interview questions and answers in your head. But it’s another story entirely to answer your recruiter with confidence, sincerity, and boldness. So, why not try practising a mock interview with your friends and family members starting today?Mock interviews are a great way to prepare yourself for the actual interview 🗣️💬 Mock interviews should be conducted in a realistic interview environment, and you should also dress the part for it. In the beginning, you can start by referring to flashcards. Don’t be afraid to refer to them whenever you’re stuck. The end goal is to train yourself to speak confidently until you don’t have to refer to your cards anymore.
As a fresh graduate, you have a great future ahead of you, so don’t waste any job opportunity that comes by. Grab your interview by the horns, and show your recruiter what you’re made of! 🏋️
- Dress Smart & Professional
Still wondering how to prepare for your interview? Aside from the job interview tips above, you can start making an effort to dress smart and professional. 👨💼💼
At Emmer Zecna, we have a wide collection of Bamboo Fabric Shirts, made to give the wearer a smart and professional look. Our shirts come in many patterns and colours such as white, black, blue, lilac, mint green and pink which are specially tailored for Asian fit.
Emmer Zecna’s business shirts are versatile to be worn for any occasion. Every man, especially fresh graduates like yourself, deserves to wear comfortable business shirts at a wallet-friendly price.
Here’s why our business shirts are different:
Bamboo fabric
Designed for Asian fit, our business shirts have the softest, most comfortable bamboo fabric 🎋 you’ll ever find. You’ll never have to worry about rough uncomfortable fabric brushing against your skin again, whilst wearing them at job interviews or office meetings.Easy-iron
Hate ironing? Try ironing shirts with bad fabric! 😱 The more you iron, the more your shirt gets creased. Make life easier for yourself, and get an easy-iron business shirt at Emmer Zecna. Spend less time at the ironing board, and more time pursuing your personal goals and career!Breathable
Malaysia’s hot weather is unbearable ☀️, don’t you agree? Most of Emmer Zecna’s business shirts are made with a breathable layer to release trapped heat and moisture, and adapts well to any weather condition. It is moisture-wicking material! Travel safely to your job interview today and say goodbye to bad body odour!Quick drying
Does your job require you to be on-the-go 24/7? ⏰ Our business shirts are made from quick drying material to fit your hustle and bustle lifestyle. 🏃♂️ They can be worn as quickly as the next day after washing! Look polished and confident at your job interview.Easy-care
High maintenance is not in our vocabulary. 📚 Our business shirts are easily maintained, so that you can go about your day with ease. Above all else, they are extremely versatile to be worn for any occasion: job interviews, work wear, formal events, and weddings.Browse all our men’s business shirts or classic business shirts now! They’re available in slim fit, regular fit, and modern fit cuttings.
- Folow-up After the Interview
This is the most important job interview tip to remember. Once the interview is over, send your recruiter an email or Whatsapp message, thanking them for taking their time to see you, and also for the interview opportunity. It’s little things like this that makes a good lasting impression. 😌Now, comes the hard part: waiting. The waiting period can be nerve-wracking. But it’s worth the wait, especially if you get the job in the end. It’s hard, but try not to come across as pushy by messaging your recruiter too soon. Give them at least two weeks after your interview to get back to you. ⌛If your recruiter still hasn’t got back to you after two weeks, you can resend them an email asking about your application progress, with an attachment of your CV and cover letter to refresh their memory, or just simply give the office a call. Bear all of these job interview tips in mind, as you walk into your upcoming interview.
You’ve probably heard this job interview tip a billion times: “Write a good CV. Write a good CV.” Everyone including your career counsellors are telling you this.But, have they told you everything? Probably not. 😉 Here are some CV writing secrets you probably didn’t know before. 🤷♂️Keep it short and sweet. Did you know many Malaysian fresh graduates unnecessarily stretch their CVs to 5 pages long? The average recruiter shifts through hundreds of CVs a day. You can help make their lives easier by keeping your CV short and succinct.
Hopefully, these job interview tips helped prepare you better for the workforce. Emmer Zecna wishes you the best in your future endeavours, and may you kickstart your career with a bang! Remember; stay sharp, dress smart with comfort always. 👔
