The following is a summary of the most important things to keep in mind while preparing for a job interview. Know them well and execute them competently and you will represent your strengths and potential as well as possible.
Do Your Research
This point cannot be overemphasized. Take time to research and deeply understand yourself and your skills, strengths and job preferences, the company for whom you would like to work, the industry in which that company competes, and, if possible, the people who will interview you. There are many excellent sources for such information; they include: industry periodicals and associations, general news media, online blogs, internet searches, online chat boards, job fairs, and casual conversation with current and former employees.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
The more you prepare for your interview, the more self-assured, competent, and well-prepared you will be.
Compose the questions you wish to ask, rehearse responses to questions you expect the interviewer to ask of you, and plan and prepare your interview outfit well in advance.
Don’t let the first time you answer a question – especially predictable questions – be in a live interview. Using the information found in PAC Career Coach, practice your responses to common questions by enlisting the help of a friend and conducting a mock or practice interview. Have your friend impersonate an interviewer, then switch roles so you can understand what the process feels like from the other person’s chair. It is very likely you will hear themes and often specific questions repeated within your practice interview. The more you hear and respond to those questions, the easier it will be to do so directly, concisely, and without hesitation once you begin the real job interview.
Be Organized
Know the exact time and location of the interview and how you will get there. Bring a nice folder or briefcase containing extra copies of your résumé and your list of references, a notepad, and multiple pens. Turn off your mobile phone prior to entering the building.
Dress Appropriately
Always dress in a conservative and sharp manner. Some interviewees underestimate the importance of a professional appearance, only to suffer as a result of their lax attention to detail. Prepare your clothes well before the interview to make sure they are clean and unwrinkled.
Arrive Early
Always arrive at the location of your interview ten minutes early. Allow plenty of extra time to accommodate any unexpected delays you may encounter on your way to the interview location. If you arrive more than ten minutes ahead of schedule, simply find a place nearby where you can relax and wait, possibly going over any last minute reviews or preparations. Also, it is best to think of the interview as starting the moment you leave your home. Treat everyone you encounter with the utmost respect and courtesy.
Be Confident and Passionate
Confidence comes from being prepared and from believing in your ability to bring value and competence to the job for which you are interviewing. You are selling yourself as the ideal candidate for the job and if you are not truly confident about yourself, you cannot expect the interviewer to be.
Being passionate is equally important. You must be passionate about accomplishing difficult things, about the company with whom you are interviewing, their industry, and the job position. People hire enthusiastic, qualified candidates. Show your confidence from the instant the interview starts with a firm handshake and direct eye contact. In your conversation with your interviewer, demonstrate your passion for your chosen profession, for working with others to solve interesting challenges, and for contributing to the success of the organization for which you work.
Listen
Always be sure to understand exactly what is being asked in the question, and try to understand what motivation or curiosity may be behind the question—what information about you the interviewer is attempting to discover. Sophisticated interviewers will rarely ask a direct question, especially if they anticipate a generic answer. You will be the one talking for the majority of the interview, as you respond to questions, so be careful to not talk over the interviewer, to let that person fully express themselves before beginning to respond. Also, remember that another way you can demonstrate your intelligence, familiarity with the business, and your priorities and values is in the questions you ask of the company representative.
Clear, Concise Answers Show Clear, Concise Thinking
During an interview, job candidates are commonly nervous. When nervous, job candidates can sometimes ramble on, fail to answer questions directly, or even forget or confuse the question they are answering.
A good answer usually has two parts: first, concisely answer the question in summary form. Then provide an example or how you arrived at or can justify the answer. Just be sure to remember that it is within the second part of the answer – when telling a story or giving an explanation – that candidates tend to go on tangents and/or lose focus, so be detailed with that part of your response, but not digressive.
As a general rule, answers should be about 60 seconds in length, and rarely go over 2 minutes. Of course, though, there will be valid exceptions to this rule. Paying attention to the body language of the interviewer—if they look distracted or impatient during one of your longer responses—you should take that as a signal to conclude that response reasonably quickly.
Provide Specific Examples
Professional interviewers believe the best predictor of future behavior is how a candidate has behaved in the past. Accordingly, prove your point or highlight your achievements by offering relevant, factually concise anecdotes of how you have addressed specific challenges in the past when discussing your approach to performing your job duties. And remember, it is usually within such examples that you can best give the interviewer a tangible sense of who you are and just how excited you are about working hard and solving problems. The more enthusiasm with which you relate stories of past accomplishments, the more excited your interviewer will probably be about the idea of adding you to their team.
Ask Insightful Questions
Asking great questions starts with great preparation. Be sure to have a list of questions before the interview, and try to ask some questions that reference or clarify or build on things the interviewer has told you. Also, it is often a good idea to ask a question or two that requires the interviewer to give their opinion, such as, “What do you like about working here?”
Follow-Up Promptly
Be sure to get the business card of every individual who interviews you, and follow-up with a thank-you email message or written note or letter to be sent no later than twenty-four hours after the interview. In your interview, be sure to reiterate why you want the job and why you believe yourself to be most qualified.
