Feeling the pressure to bend the truth in interviews is not unusual. The thing is, job interviews are like dating, with both you and the interviewer trying to find a great match. If you stay honest, you both have the best shot of finding the right fit. Keep these tips in mind next time you sit down to find your match.

1. 7 reasonsto treat a job interview like dating
The top 7 reasons why you should treat job interviews
like dating and be yourself to find your best career match.

2. Feeling the pressure to bend the truth in an interview is
not unusual. The thing is, job interviews are like dating,
with both you and the employer trying to find a great
match. If you stay honest, you have the best shot of
finding the right fit for both you and your employer.
Keep these tips in mind
next time you sit down to find your match.

3. Beyourself and find your
career
match

4. Build your story
In telling the story of how you got where you are and
what you are hoping to achieve in a position, you have a
chance to show the variety of experiences that have made you
unique. Being honest in talking about your life allows you to take
stock and think about the key parts of your life. Think about both
good and bad experiences to build a story demonstrating your
skills and also how you overcame challenges.

5. NOT Everything
needS to be said
There may be something in your past you don’t want to talk
about with potential employers, and they may not need to know.
If you’re not asked, and it is not a legal requirement, there is no
need to share information you want to keep private.

6. Putting a
positive spin on
something isn’t lying
If there is something that you don’t want to mention to a
potential employer, but know you should, think about re-framing
it. If you had a lot of jobs in the last few years, explain that you
had the opportunity to gain a diverse skill set while searching for
meaningful work.

7. Beyourself and find your
career
match

8. Stay true to
yourself
Building an amazing résumé with a range of extra skills and
qualifications you don’t actually have may get you in the door,
but you will end up in a situation where you don’t know how to
do the job you were hired to do.
Tell the truth, so you end up in a job suited to your abilities and
can be given a chance to grow, without hurting your future
employment opportunities.

9. What is your
greatest weakness?
This is one of the most common interview questions, and
answering it gives you the chance to show who you really are.
Be true to yourself and take this as an opportunity to show self-
awareness, and how you adjust the way you work to account for
any strengths and weaknesses you may have.

10. Beyourself and find your
career
match

11. Integrity is
important
Being honest in an interview and showing how you have acted
in previous study and work situations clearly demonstrates your
values around integrity. Not only is this a quality employers look
for, most jobs will require some degree of confidentiality, whether
in regards to finance positions or client information to adhere to
privacy laws in Australia. In showing you have integrity, you will
be selling your ability to be sensitive with this information.

12. I don’t know…
Not knowing the answer to a question might seem like
the worst thing that could happen in a job interview. Instead
of making something up, say that you don’t know, but remember
to follow that up with how you would find out, and anything
you have worked on that you think would be a similar process.

13. What to remember
Always keep in mind that the interviewer is really just
trying to find the best person for the job, and you’re trying to
find the best job for you.
Be honest about your experiences, your qualities and what you
are hoping to achieve, in order to find the best fit for you.

14. CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 29.2.4 10.2016 Graphics © Shutterstock
social.usq.edu.au
Need more help?
If you need more help to prepare for upcoming job interviews,
contact the Career Development team at Student Services.
They have lots of great information and the expertise to help you
prepare for a successful career.
Online
usq.edu.au or visit the CareerHub
On-campus
Ipswich +61 7 3470 4400 studentservicesspringfield@usq.edu.au
Springfield +61 7 3470 4400 studentservicesspringfield@usq.edu.au
Toowoomba +61 7 4631 2372 stsv@usq.edu.au