Planning for an interview is always nerve-wracking. While moving up in the world is an exciting prospect, getting there isn’t always so simple. If you want to take some of the stress out of your next interview, these 4 tips will make sure you’re interview ready.
Before the Interview
- Research – Before you meet for your interview, research the company. Check out their website for a better and more clear understanding of who they are and what they do. Learning about their objectives, awards, and accomplishments will bring you up to speed and help you feel more at ease during your interview. Failing to look into this ahead of time could lead to an awkward silence if they mention any of these things and you didn’t do your research.
- Review – Go over your resume. Re-acquaint yourself with what you’ve written about your education and work history. During the interview, questions or comments about what you’ve done are very likely to come up. If the information on your resume is fresh in your mind, you should have no problems breezing through this part of the interview.
- Practice – If you want the job, it’s worth it to ask yourself some common interview questions and then answer them. You don’t need to memorize your answers, but having an idea ahead of time of what to say will help steady your nerves. You’ll also sound more confident and will hopefully be better able to answer the questions you hadn’t anticipated. This is also the ideal time to come up with a list of your own questions you’d like to ask during the interview.
- Prepare – Don’t wait until the morning of your interview to pick out your clothes or find your way there. Plan ahead. Even if you know where you’re going, it’s an excellent idea to give it a practice run first. Find out how long it takes you to get there, what traffic’s like, and where to park. There’s nothing worse than knowing where you’re going but getting stuck in traffic or struggling to find a place to park. Also, give your outfit some thought and set it out the night before. Seems simple enough, but it saves time and energy when you’re getting ready to walk out the door to your interview. It’s also a part of the first impression you’ll make, so make sure it’s fitting for the company you’re interviewing with.
For more tips and ideas about improving your interview skills, contact us.
