When you’re trying to land a job, there are several hurdles you have to overcome and job interviews are one of them. Interviews can be nerve-wracking since it’s your chance to market yourself and make your first impression. However, with enough preparation, you can succeed! Here are some ways you can prepare yourself to make your mark at your job interview.
Prep Work Before Your Interview
What can you do on the days leading up to your interview up until the day itself? Here are some things to keep in mind (Herrity, 2023; University of Georgia, 2024):
Research
Know what you’re getting into by doing your research. Remember key information from the company such as its mission, values, projects, goods or services, and more. For bonus points, try to know your interviewer’s name. Showing the company that you’ve done your research proves your interest in joining them. Remember to also reread the job description and understand the skills and attributes required. If you know what they’re looking for, you can highlight them in your responses. You can also show how you can be a fit for the organization.
Reflect
Think of your past work and experiences including times you succeeded, times you failed, times you solved a problem, times you faced a challenge, and other specific relevant experiences. Also, reflect on your characteristics like your strengths, weaknesses, personality traits, and more. These things are bound to come up in the interview, so doing some reflection can help you answer these questions more easily. It also displays great self-awarenesson your part, a trait recruiters look for.
Rehearse
Practicing can boost your confidence and give you a “script” for your interview. Make a list of common interview questions and write down possible responses or key points. Try to remember your answers since bringing your “script” to the interview proper may be unprofessional. Then, you can practice doing an interview with a relative, friend, or career coach. Doing a mock interview is also a great time to practice how you will present yourself such as having proper body language and maintaining eye contact.
Ready Yourself
During the interview, your interviewer may ask for additional copies of your resume, list of references, or portfolio, so make sure you have some copies of these beforehand. Make sure your attire is also formal and appropriate, whether your interview is face-to-face or online. Additionally, prepare questions for the interviewer. These can be about the next steps going forward or what working at the company or position is like. Asking such questions can further show your interest in getting the job.
Reach Out
The couple of minutes before your interview is when you can start making your first impression. Be sure to arrive on time - at least 10 to 15 minutes before your interview. If you’ll be visiting the company building, treat everyone that you encounter with respect since their opinions may also be accounted for in your evaluation.
How to Answer Different Kinds of Questions
Your interviewer will ask you a variety of questions to gauge your fit for the job. Here are the different kinds of questions and how you can answer them (Helens-Hart & Dolechek, 2022):
Introductory Questions
When an interviewer asks you questions like “Tell me about yourself” or “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”, they may want to clarify something on your resume, assess your experiences, or see how you fit in the organization. Remember your research on the company and job as well as your reflection on yourself, then connect these with one another. Express yourself in a way that aligns with what the company is looking for by mentioning relevant experiences and qualities.
Behavioral and Situational Questions
These questions are used to gauge how you will perform a task in a specific scenario. While behavioral questions ask you to describe past experiences, situational questions ask how you will respond in a future hypothetical scenario. To answer these questions, you can use the STAR format:
(S)ituation – Describe the context or event you performed in.
(T)ask – Explain the tasks you had to do and the challenges you had to face.
(A)ction – Elaborate on what you did to complete the task or address the problems.
(R)esult – Highlight the result of your actions and what you achieved in the end.
Job Knowledge or Technical Questions
You may be tested on your level of experience with a job or your proficiency in using a software or equipment. They may also ask what the proper processes and procedures are to get a job done. To be prepared, make sure you know what skills and proficiencies they are looking for based on the job description. Review how to use relevant materials and how to perform relevant processes.
Some Bonus Tips!
Be sure to keep these in mind as well as you go through your interview:
Answer truthfully! Lying or overexaggerating about yourself can cause more problems down the line.
Never say anything bad about your previous employer or school. Doing so may reflect poorly on you rather than on them.
Make your answers complete and concise and be straight to the point.
Be courteous and attentive to your interviewer to leave a more favorable impression.
Remember to thank your interviewer afterwards and ask when you can hear back from them. This can further cement your interest in the company.
It’s normal to feel nervous for your upcoming interview. However, we hope that these tips can help you ease your nerves and land your next job. Good luck and continue to do your best!
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References:
Helens-Hart, R., & Dolechek, R. (2022). Introduction to professional development: A business communication approach. Fort Hays State University.
Herrity, J. (2023, December 1). How to make a great impression in a job interview: 20 tips. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/job-interview-tips-how-to-make-a-great-impression
University of North Georgia. (2024). Tips for a successful interview. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://hbr.org/2021/11/10-common-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them
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