When I was just starting out and oh so naive, my job interview preparation was pretty much “how do I look” and “do I have the right address and time.” While both are important, it’s like heading into the lion’s den without bringing anything to help you survive. Winging it is not your best defense.
While solid preparation of course helps you give a better interview, it also shows the interviewer something about how you approach things that matter. Do you take the time and make the effort to prepare or do you just leap into things and hope for the best. And that reflects on your work style.
More than ever in this tight job market, what you bring to the interview can make or break your chances. The competition is fierce, as are some of the interviewers at times. That’s not meant to scare you — most interviewers don’t bite. But they also don’t want you to waste their time by not taking your interview and them seriously.
So what is job interview preparation?
Being prepared at the very least means knowing yourself, your work history, the job, the company, and why you want the job. And above all knowing the job description and how you and your skills match it. And believing it — if you don’t they won’t.
So here are some basic checklist “to-dos” to help you enter the interview room feeling you’ve done all you can. Confidence — based on reality — is your number one ally. It helps create a positive first impression and can do a lot to tamp down those interview nerves.
Job preparation checklist:
Feel free to adjust this list to match the specific job and industry. But simply doing the following in advance will let you relax into the conversation — and just be yourself — which is all an interviewer really wants.
1. Start by knowing yourself and what you really want in a job & career. And maybe even take time to put that in the context of the life you want to live.
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2. Know your resume well. Nothing worse than being asked about something on your resume that you stumble over. [Make sure the resume they have is targeted to THIS job.]
3. Review the job description carefully and think about every way you are a great candidate based on your experience. How do you give them what THEY need. Prepare stories to help.
A secondary thing to have ready, but only if it feels right based on their questions, is why this job and company are ideal for your goals. First and foremost, they need to feel you’re a fit for them.
4. Research the company and industry. See if you can find people on LinkedIn who work there. You may even find clues about the company culture. Also articles about the company that may point to why this job is available. To help, set up a Google Alert to be notified about any news related to them.
5. Practice interview questions by answering them in a mirror or with someone you feel comfortable with. {See below for links to sample interview questions.]
5. Take time in advance to do relaxation exercises and positive visioning to help lessen any interview nerves. Yes, visioning can help even if just to help you enter the room feeling more confident and ready to do the job for them.
6. On the day of your interview, bring your resume with you, dress appropriately to the company, make sure you have the correct address & time, and get there early to account for any unexpected delays. And treat everyone, even the receptionist, with respect and a warm “excited to be here and ready to be part of the company” smile.
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Interview questions to practice
You never know what they’ll actually ask, so just be prepared for anything. But you’ll find some often-asked questions on our Job Search & Interview Resource page [link below]. Practice lets you get the feel of answering questions, whatever they may be, in a way that helps you paint a picture of a great candidate for them.
And remember … although there are exceptions, odds are no one answer is going to get you the job or lose you the job unless offensive or just totally off base (listen carefully to what they’re asking). So relax. It’s the whole feel they get from you — and how well you seem to fit the job — that creates the picture that leaves them feeling you may be the one.
Job Search & Interview Resource Center
Oh … and likeability is a big part since they will have to work with you if hired. So once again, relaxing into the conversation and just being yourself can go far toward adding points to the picture you paint.
Good luck!
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