How To Best Prepare For An Interview

Tips For Before The Interview

In the days before your job interview, set aside time to do the following:

1. Start by researching the company and your interviewers. Understanding key information about the company youre interviewing with can help you go into your interview with confidence. Using the companys website, social media posts and recent press releases will provide a solid understanding of the companys goals and how your background makes you a great fit. Review our Complete Guide to Researching a Company.

2. Practice your answers to common interview questions. Prepare your answer to the common question: Tell me about yourself, and why are you interested in this role with our company? The idea is to quickly communicate who you are and what value you will bring to the company and the roleits your personal elevator pitch. Review our guide to answering

Tip: You should come prepared to discuss your salary expectations. If youre unsure what salary is appropriate to ask for, visit Indeed’s Salary Calculator for a free, personalized pay range based on your location, industry and experience.

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Tips on responding to “Tell me about yourself:

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What To Say When You Meet The Hiring Manager

You may have to wait a few minutes for your appointment. Then, you will either be escorted to the interview room, or the hiring manager will come out to meet you in the reception area. Even though you have an appointment, take the time to introduce yourself so the interviewer knows who you are.

Stand up if you’re seated, and offer to shake hands even if the interviewer doesn’t offer their hand first. It’s proper etiquette to include a handshake as part of your introduction.

Tell the interviewer that it is a pleasure to meet them, smile, and make eye contact. For example:

• I’m Tina Lionel, it’s a pleasure to meet you.

Avoid common interview mistakes, like not paying attention or dressing inappropriately. And if you know that youre prone to interview stress, avoid a problem by researching the company, preparing for the interview, and practicing positive thinking.

To avoid sweaty palms, stop in the restroom prior to the interview and wash and dry your hands. If that’s not feasible, use a tissue to dry off your hands ahead of time.

Interview Preparation Step #: Memorizing The 7 Core Interview Questions

One of the easiest ways to become a better interviewer is to prepare yourself for the obvious questions.

After going on 50+ interviews at dozens of different companies, I began to realize something pretty much every employer asked a variation of the same questions. I knew that if I could memorize concise answers to a set of core questions, I could walk into pretty much any interview and succeed without much additional interview preparation.

It may sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people spread their brains thin by trying to cram in answers to every single question they might ever be asked. Instead, start by mastering and memorizing your answers to the 7 core questions you’re likely to see in any interview:

The easiest way to start is by writing down your answers to each question in a Google Doc. Get all of your thoughts down on paper and don’t worry about length or wording just yet.

Once you have your answers down, begin rehearsing them whenever you have a free second in the shower, during your commute, at the gym and iterate as you go. Focus on one answer at a time.

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What Did You Do In The Last Year To Improve Your Knowledge

This question may come up as a result of the pandemic. Employers want to know how people used their time differently. Know that you dont have to feel scared about answering this question if you didnt spend your time brushing up on skills or taking courses. We learn from any experience we have.

If you spent time honing your professional skills, you might say the following.

Example: The extra time on my plate really allowed me to get introspective around where I want to take my career. I read a lot of journals to keep abreast of the latest ideas in my field, and sharpened my skills by taking some online courses, such as .

If you chose to work on your personal development, you could say something like the following.

Example: Like everyone else, I, too, gained some time last year from not having to travel two hours a day to and from work. I decided to spend my time on things I love. So I got back to learning how to play the guitar and journaling. I feel it brought me closer to myself and has been really great for my mental health and productivity.

Top 10 Tips To Prepare For A Job Interview

The interview card is proof that youre a fitting candidate for the job you applied to. Now, all you need to do is scan the common interview questions and requirements to make a good impression on the recruiters. If you dont want to feel jumpy, overexcited, or nervous during the job interview, we can help you out with expert ways to ace an interview and lose the jitters! Use the following tips for a job interview to boost your flair.

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Get Comfortable Selling Yourself

Interviews are nerve-wracking, period, and selling yourself is a unique challenge. For many, whether you hate being the center of attention or dont want to come off as self-aggrandizing, it can be uncomfortable and awkward to talk about yourself.

Be prepared to clearly communicate the value you bring to the team, career coaches say, and use examples to make your point. In interviews, be specific. Show, dont tell. Share stories that demonstrate your successes. And when talking about a project you completed, explain the impact it had. Perkins recommends the STAR method: identify the situation, task, action and result.

When you talk about the process and the outcomes of your work, thats when I believe you and I trust youand thats when I make a hire, says Eonnet, who also oversees hiring at the Muse.

And that old standby advice to be yourself? Its true. If Im hiring, I dont want to buy a façade, says career coach Wayne Pernell, who has worked in HR for companies including Whole Foods and AAA.

Interviews can be daunting, but dont let nerves detract from who you are. Its really important to find a way that feels genuine to talk about yourself that really showcases the energy and the motivation you have in your work, Eonnet says.

Make Sure You Have A Good Reason To Apply For The Job

Before your interview, you should be very clear about why you are applying for the position and your career goals. The interviewers would like to ensure that you are applying for the position for the right reasons, and many of their questions will be to figure out what those reasons are. This is because all employers want to hire someone who cares about their career and really wants THIS job, and not just any job.

Read The Career Path to Becoming a Software Engineer to learn more about the software engineer career path.

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Research The Company And The Job Position You Are Applying For:

Write down any questions you may have about either so you can ask during the interview. If there any requirement of the job that you are unsure of, you should definitely ask during the interview. It always looks nice when you go into an interview with intelligent questions. It shows you put effort into preparing for the interview. However, never ask questions just to ask questions. The interviewer will see right through that. Your questions should be genuine and relevant.

Treat It Like An Interview For A New Role And Company

Treat this interview like how you would treat any other interview. Dress professionally and greet the interviewer with a confident handshake. Speak professionally and ask smart questions about the role. Use formal body language, such as sitting up straight and making eye contact with the interviewer. By taking this interview seriously, you’re showing your employer you plan to work hard in this new role.

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Always Act Like You Want The Job

You have one goal in any interview: Convince them that youre the best candidate for the job and get invited to the next round.

So you should be selling yourself in the interview, not deciding if the job is desirable.

Then you can go digest the info and make a decision once you get home. If you start using this approach youll have a big advantage throughout the entire interview because youll have one single thing to focus on. Other applicants will be juggling everything at once.

Sample Recent Graduate Interview Questions And Answers

Through interviews, an interviewer can evaluate a candidate’s skills and capabilities to determine if they’re fit for a position. As a recent graduate, you may not have enough work experience, but you can impress an interviewer by providing answers that highlight your strengths. Reviewing sample interview questions and answers can give you an insight into practical ways to answer questions and increase your employment chances. In this article, we provide eight recent graduate sample interview questions and answers and share relevant tips that can help you succeed in your interview.

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What Are Your Preferred Working Conditions

Interviewers ask these questions to determine your fit in the company’s work culture. As you likely don’t have in-depth information on its work environment, you can provide an answer that can assure the interviewer you’re flexible and adaptable to various working conditions.

Example answer:”I prefer working in an environment that promotes growth and development. As this company has a record of providing the best working conditions to its employees, I’m positive I can adapt to whatever conditions it provides. I also don’t mind working under a leader who encourages me to perform better and provides constructive criticism that can help me grow in this field.”

The Week Before The Interview

Research the company

Interviewers expect candidates to have a good grasp of what their organisation does meaning your ability to research effectively is essential.

Consider aspects like: how big the company is, how its divided up, who their customers are, and who their main competitors are as well as any recent developments or plans within the company.

With this knowledge, youll be able to add value to the conversation, whilst showing a genuine interest in what they do.

Read the job description

When it comes to interview preparation, the job description is your best friend.

Not only will a thorough examination of the duties and required personal qualities help you to understand more about what the role entails itll also help you to recognise exactly what the employer is looking for.

Then, you can tailor your answers accordingly coming up with tangible examples that prove youre the best candidate for the role.

Figure out the format

Interviews can take a number of forms from one-on-one and group interviews, to position-specific tests, role plays, and psychometric questionnaires. And each one will require a different type of preparation.

Often, this will be explained when youre invited to the interview, but theres no harm in asking for more information if needed. Researching online to find out how the process has worked for other people in your situation will also help you to figure out what to expect.

Write things down

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Review The Job Description

The first step you need to take when preparing for an interview is to review the job description. The job description is chocked full of critical details, including the must-have skills and traits the hiring manager needs to find.

Once you bring up the original vacancy announcement, go over it word-by-word. When you spot skills and qualities, consider highlighting them or writing them down in a list. Anything the hiring manager felt was worthy of inclusion will likely come up during your interview.

Essentially, the job description is a cheat sheet. If the hiring manager listed a skill or quality in the job description you should be prepared to show the hiring manager you possess them!

Write Notes To Refer To Later

During the interview, take notes of the candidates answers to help remember important information or crucial details. For example, consider writing answers that impress you or thoughts on a candidates body language, confidence level, and appearance. Notes can often give you assurance when its time to decide on which candidate to hire. Remember to balance note writing with active engagement during the interview.

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How To Prepare For A Job Interview: 6 Tips

Interviews can be intimidating, and having a good system in place to prep for job interviews is essential. From knowing what to wear to how to handle sensitive subjects, job interviews are full of formalities, emotions, and questions.

To help you make the most of your time in front of hiring managers, the following tips will help you prepare for job interviews.

Take Time To Thoroughly Research The Company

Never show up for an interview without a solid understanding of the company. Take time and thoroughly research the company’s website to learn about its history, philosophy, and products or services. Try to identify their biggest competitors and target markets, so that you can better answer any questions the interviewer may ask. Use that research to craft a list of reasons why you want to work there.

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Vary The Question Types

Varying the question types during an interview can help it feel fresh and allow you to see different attributes of the candidate. A well-rounded mix of questions can also let you explore different facets of the job position and assess how well an applicant might perform. For example, consider using a combination of these questions:

• Closed-ended questions: You can use these to gain basic information, like How many years of experience do you have? or You graduated with a degree from Ontario City College?

• Open-ended questions: These let a candidate expand on a topic, like What is a challenging goal youre proud of achieving? or Explain a time you had to change your approach entirely.

• Logic questions: You can gain insight into how an applicant approaches problem-solving with these questions, like How many trees are there in Banff National Park?

• Hypothetical questions: These questions invite a candidate to anticipate how to handle an issue, like How would you react to a colleague who misses a deadline?

Dont Forget To Say Thank You

Following up is key, and timing is everything. Perkins recommends writing a message within 24 to 48 hours of the interview. Dont be afraid to ask for an address where you can send a handwritten note.

Whether you send email or snail mail, be sure to include at least one specific reference to the conversation you had. This shows interest and attentivenessand just might jog the memory of the hiring manager enough to offer you the job.

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Common Job Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

Interviews can be high stress, anxiety-driving situations, especially if its your first interview. A little practice and preparation always pays off. While we cant know exactly what an employer will ask, here are 10 common interview questions along with advice on how to answer them. The questions include:

• Could you tell me something about yourself and describe your background in brief?: Interviewers like to hear stories about candidates. Make sure your story has a great beginning, a riveting middle, and an end that makes the interviewer root for you to win the job.
• How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?: Share an instance when you remained calm despite the turmoil. If its a skill youre developing, acknowledge it and include the steps youre taking to respond better to pressure in the future.
• What are your salary expectations?: Before you walk in for your first interview, you should already know what the salary is for the position youre applying to. Check out websites such as Glassdoor, Fishbowl, or Vault.com for salary information. You could also ask people in the field by reaching out to your community on LinkedIn.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here.

Below is a list of 10 common job interview questions, along with answering techniques that will help you dazzle your prospects, and hopefully, secure the role you want.

Plan Your Time And Agenda

If possible, clear your schedule at least 15 minutes before and after each interview. Its best not to leave candidates waiting while you finish up a meeting, or having to rush them out if you have a meeting right after the interview. Giving them time and your full attention is more likely to earn their respect. If youre doing a video interview, check your laptop, camera and microphone a few minutes before the interview so youll have time to correct any possible issues.

Also, plan a rough agenda for the interview. Completely unstructured interviews, where the interviewer improvises, are not effective. By having an agenda, youll be able to guide the discussion more efficiently and make sure you wont forget to cover any important topics.

Determine how youll open the discussion and how youll close. Many interviewers make small talk at the beginning but this may introduce bias that will affect how you rate candidates answers. It could be useful to standardize the opening small talk questions as an effort to make your hiring more effective. Another approach would be to begin by introducing yourself and talking about a test or assessment candidates took as part of your hiring process. For example, if your candidates for an Editor role were given an editing exercise, ask them what they thought of it and discuss their performance.

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