You’ve done your research, prepared your resume and cover letter with the help of a few resources, and created an online portfolio to showcase your best work — now you’re ready to interview for that job of your dreams. Here are some tips to prepare to make the best impression possible.
Research the Employer
When you’re preparing for an interview, it’s essential to do your research on the company and its culture. Asking these questions will give you a good idea of how they work:
- Brief history and background of the company—When was it founded? What does its mission statement say? What are their goals for the future?
- Who are their customers and competitors?
- What products or services do they provide?
Practice Interviewing
Practicing interviewing is an essential part of the preparation process. Practicing in front of a mirror or with a friend is good, but you can also record your interview and then watch it. This will help you identify any areas that need improvement and see how you look when being interviewed.
You should practice talking through your answers so they flow better during the actual interview. You should also practice speaking at an average volume level, as this will make it easier for the interviewer to hear and understand what you are saying even if the room is noisy or there are background noises (like someone typing on their computer).
Prepare for Common Interview Questions
- Why do you want to work here?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Why should we hire you?
Be Ready for All Possible Interview Questions
There are a lot of different types of interview questions, and you should be prepared for all of them. You never know when an interviewer might ask something completely unexpected, so it’s good to be ready. Here’s a list of some common interview questions that you can use as a guide:
- Tell me about yourself?
- Why do you want this job?
- What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
- What have your most outstanding achievements over the past five years (or at any time)?
And here are some more tips on preparing for job interviews:
- Make sure your resume is up-to-date and error-free before sending it out.
- Come equipped with plenty of examples to back up any claims made on your resume.
- Research the company beforehand so that there will be no awkward silences at the beginning or end of an interview.
- Prepare questions that demonstrate interest in working for them; these may include “What would someone in my position do first?” or “What personality traits are most common among employees here?”
Practice Your Body Language
Body language is critical to a good interview. If you’re not confident, or if you come across as nervous and uncomfortable, it can be very off-putting to the person interviewing you.
To avoid this, stand up straight with your shoulders back. This makes you seem taller and more powerful than slouching would. Your eye contact should be direct but not aggressive; nothing turns people off faster than staring them down like a snake about to strike! Make sure your hands are open and relaxed at all times; fidgeting shows anxiety and nervousness, so keep them still if possible by putting them in your pockets or behind your back when possible.
Smiling help, too: research shows that smiling makes people feel calmer around others because it is associated with happiness—so don’t be afraid to smile during an interview! Although some experts advise against smiling too much during an interview because it could make you appear insincere (see below), we suggest doing what feels most natural for YOU!
Consider What You Will Bring to the Job
A good interviewer will ask you to prepare a list of questions they can answer. You should do this, but also consider what you will bring to the company if they hire you. What skills or experience can you contribute? How do your skills and experience translate into helping the company achieve its goals?
You also need to be prepared to talk about any gaps in your employment history. If there are any gaps in your employment history, have some good reasons for why there were gaps and how those affected your ability to get a job during that time period.
Prepare Questions to Ask During the Interview
During the interview, you’re likely to be asked a few questions by the interviewer. Asking your own questions will help you get a better feel for what it would be like to work there and whether it’s really a good fit for you. Here are some things worth asking during an interview:
Dress Appropriately for a Job Interview
- Dress appropriately for the job.
- Be aware of your body language and facial expressions.
- Create an image of yourself that represents who you are, not just what you do.
- Reinforce positive behavior by asking yourself these questions:
- How can I improve? When should I share this information? Who else could benefit from it? (If they don’t ask, then they probably don’t need it.)
- How can I anticipate the needs of others before they know them themselves? What will make this person’s life better than it ever was before today’s meeting with me?
Give Yourself Ample Time to Get Ready and Arrive Early
Arriving on time is an integral part of a job interview, especially if you’re interviewing for a position in which punctuality is critical (like an auto mechanic). However, there are other reasons why it’s helpful to give yourself ample time to get ready and arrive early.
If you don’t want to risk being late or rushing through your preparations the night before, give yourself plenty of time to prepare—and then some! You should also plan ahead when it comes to transportation. Use Google Maps or Waze (or whatever else suits your needs) to know how long it’ll take you to reach the location where your interview will take place.
Don’t leave anything up in the air or assume everything will go as planned—this is one of those cases where Murphy’s Law can really rear its ugly head. If possible, try arriving even earlier than necessary so that there’s no chance of being late due either an unforeseen traffic jam or something else out of your control.
Do your homework before any job interview.
Before you walk into a job interview, make sure you’ve done your research. Research the company and learn about their stated mission, values, and goals. This will help you determine if this is truly a place that aligns with your own professional goals and interests.
Check out their website to get a sense of the culture and atmosphere of the organization. If there’s not one readily available on their website, ask someone in human resources (if they have one) or look up reviews from other employees if possible.
You should also prepare questions to ask during an interview so that it feels like a conversation rather than just an interrogation by an employer who thinks he/she knows everything about what’s best for you as an employee.
What are some things I would be doing on my first day?
How does this role fit into what I’m hoping to accomplish over time?
It’s always good practice strategy-wise when preparing for a job interview: You want them to think about what YOU can do for THEM so that when YOU walk away from each other after spending time together talking through how great it would be if YOU worked here together–therefore making them feel good about themselves while simultaneously helping YOU land YOUR dream position at THEIR company!
Conclusion
The hiring process can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to prepare ahead of time, so that you’ll walk into your interview feeling confident and ready for whatever questions are thrown your way.
