Acing that Interview!

Job interviews are something that most of us are really familiar with, and if not, it’s something almost all of us go through, and often more than once. So, whether this is your first or hundredth interview, let’s get prepared and ace it with the many tips and tricks below!

Preparing for your Interview

Half of the interview starts at home. What this means is that much of the interview will be based on things you should already know before you get there. To begin, thoroughly review the job description. Often, there are details with what qualities interviewers are looking for and reading it again may even enlighten you to what kind of questions they will ask during the interview. Next, think about why you want this job (yes, usually just for money but that is not the appropriate answer here), and be ready to explain this and why you fit this role best. After that, it’s time to research about the company. What is this company? What are their mission statements and goals? What do they specialize in? What products/services do they sell? Understanding the company also means learning about all its individual roles (like the one you are applying for) and its culture. If you can, try to find reviews from prior employees or others in these roles to have a better idea of what your day-to-day will look like. You can also do this to learn a company’s work environment. Try taking a look on the business’s social media to determine what their values are and what kind of culture they have/are growing. Now that you’ve learned all you can about the possible new workplace, it’s time to focus on those interview questions!

The main part of an interview is being questioned and even asking questions. While there’s no way to know every question that you may be asked, there are some very common ones. A few of these include: “Why do you want to work here?”, “What interests you about this role/job?”, and “What are your greatest strengths?". Here is a longer list of frequently used interview questions to prepare you further! Since an interview is meant to go both ways, you should also have some thoughtful questions for the interviewer. You want these questions to reflect your research, but also feel free to ask about anything you need to as well. Two good examples are: “Why do you enjoy working here?” and “What qualities do your most successful employees have?” When you have reviewed all your questions, conducting a mock interview may prove beneficial. By doing this, you can ensure you’ll be able to talk smoothly and concisely by learning from your mistakes. After this, print off your resume and be sure to bring it in with you; even if they should already have a copy. It may make it easier if they do not have your resume on hand and if they don’t have it all, it shows preparedness. Additionally, make sure that you’re able to professionally speak on your resume. For instance, if the interviewer asks why you left a job, and let’s say you really left because of bad management, find a better reason to explain this. By simply saying your boss sucked, you are showing them you speak negatively of companies/individuals and giving a bad impression. Remember that the interviewer knows nothing about you and they only have little to go on. For any reason that you have a gap in your resume, (meaning a larger period of time you did not work), you’ll also want to figure out the best way to answer that. If the gap is caused by understandable life circumstances (medical leave, family care, etc.), you’ll want to communicate that you are not a risk to leave/lose. Finally, sell yourself and don’t be late! Selling yourself can be seen as a negative thing, but it doesn't have to be. Be confident, be yourself, and highlight your achievements! You don’t want to come off as arrogant, but at the same time, it’s important to show you have valuable skills that set you apart from others trying to get this position. When you are reviewing how to answer questions, keep this in mind as you practice. And as we’ve all been told a thousand times, be on time. It’s always better to be early than late.

Tips & Tricks to a Successful Interview

Having all the basics covered will make your interview go much better, but there are many small things you can do to make it even more successful. For starters, and it’s mentioned all the time, think about dress code. Decide what you are wearing in advance and ensure that it’s clean, wrinkle and stain-free. Additionally, each place has a different expectation of what is acceptable/looks nice so it may be worth trying to see what others appear like in the company. (Remember this is still an interview so even if it’s normally casual, dress up; not down!) On the topic of appearance, try to practice good body language. Maintain good posture (sitting upright, feet on floor, arms uncrossed) as well as keep direct eye contact and smile! Next up, if you are having a hard time figuring out how to answer questions, one method that may work is the STAR method as pictured below.

After you have fully prepared, take some time to relax before your interview. Going to bed stressed/panicked/etcetera can affect your mood the next day. (Self-care is tremendously important and you can read about that with our other blog here!) Lastly, keep in mind there are multiple reasons that you may not get the job and many of these are outside of your control. (Check out this article to see a list of top reasons candidates don’t get chosen that you can have some control over!) Don’t let any possible failures ruin your chances in the future- you got this!

Shine on in Your Interview!

By being thoroughly prepared, you are ready to conquer that interview!