How To Prepare For It Interview

Prepare Your Travel Arrangements

Job interviews tend to be stressful for most people for many reasons, but getting to the interview can be a challenge in itself. If your interview is an unfamiliar area or even an entirely new city, it can be a source of anxiety to find your way around and make sure that you show up on time.

To avoid becoming too anxious for your commute, prepare yourself to ensure everything goes smoothly on the day of the meeting. Here’s how:

Job Interview Questions And Answers

Here’s a list of common job interview questions, with examples of the best answers about you, your work history and experience, the job, your goals, the new job, salary, and what you have to offer the employer.

If you’re in a hurry and want to speed up your interview preparation, here’s a list of the top 10 interview questions employers typically ask, example answers, and tips for giving the best response.

What Did You Like Least About Your Last Position

This question can tell employers about types of work you enjoy, your experience level with certain workplace scenarios and whether or not you would be a good culture add. Avoid saying anything negative about your former employer, managers or colleagues. Dont mention any aspects of your last role that youre aware would be part of this role. Make your answer about your career growth and enthusiasm for joining their organization.

Example answer:While I enjoyed my time learning and growing in my last job, there was a lack of opportunity in the way I wanted to progress in my career. I deeply enjoy being challenged and getting better at what I do, which I understand is a top priority for managers at your organization. Thats why Im excited to continue having conversations about this opportunity.

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Plan Your Journey To The Job Interview

When preparing for a job interview one of the most important things to consider is how you are going to get there. A failure to plan is a plan to fail. If you are planning on driving to the interview, make sure you fill your car with fuel the night before. You dont want to be filling up on the way dressed in your suit.

Make sure you arrive on time, or better yet, at least 15 minutes early. Ensure this by knowing the address and if you can, have a trial run a couple of days before. The morning of the interview, check the traffic reports and have a backup route planned just in case. If you are travelling by train or bus, make sure you check the weather report the night before and keep an eye on the public transport websites for any delays. Look out for track works or traffic conditions that can potentially delay your train or bus trip.

Go to bed early the night before and wake up early to give yourself plenty of time.

How To Prepare For Different Formats Of Interviews

Modern employers use different formats of interaction with applicants. Even though the list of questions and the gist of the conversation can often remain identical, each type requires an individual approach and preparation. To give a good account of yourself, take note of the guidelines for personal, online, telephone, and group interviews.

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What Does Customer Service Mean To You

If youre applying for a public-facing role, an employer may ask this question to determine what aspects of customer service are most important to you. . A good answer will align with the companys values, which you can glean through researching their customer service policy, understanding their products and clientele and reflecting on your own experiences as a customer. Your answer can either come from the perspective of a customer or a customer service provider.

Example answer:In my experience, good customer service involves taking responsibility when something goes wrong and doing what you can to make it right. For example, on a recent flight, I had pre-ordered my meal only to discover they didnt stock enough of my dish. Instead of simply stating the facts, the flight attendant apologized sincerely and offered me a free drink or premium snack. To me, this apology went a long way in smoothing things over. The freebie was a bonus that made me feel valued as a customer and choose the same airline for my next flight.

Read more: Interview Question: What Does Customer Service Mean to You?

Print Out The Directions To The Interview And Be On Time:

Allow enough time to get there and anticipate traffic. Its ok to be up to 10 minutes early, but no more than that. Otherwise, the interviewer may not be ready for you. Bring the phone number of your interviewer just in case you get lost or are going to be late. If you are going to be late, call to let the interviewer know.

Follow these tips and you will successfully know how to prepare for a job interview. Interviewers can tell whether or not a candidate has prepared for it or not and they will appreciate it if you did.

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How Do You Define Success

Employers ask this to help them understand how your definition of success influences your goals and how you measure them. A good answer will show that you know how to define and measure goals and youre willing to challenge yourself and work hard to meet them.

Consider your proudest achievements, your long and short-term successes and how the company youre interviewing with views success. Give specific examples of how youve succeeded in the past.

Example answer:I define success as fulfilling my role in my team and in the company. I work toward completing my individual duties as effectively as possible, balancing that with professional growth and contributing to larger organizational goals. In my previous role, success meant exceeding weekly metrics, implementing processes that supported the companys KPIs and meeting quarterly professional development goals.

Read more: Interview Question: “How Do You Define Success?”

Ask Questions At The End

In the end you will be asked if you have any questions. Therefore, you should prepare some questions about the job, workplace, institution and personal development on the job. Even if the panel has covered most of what you wanted to know, ask a question that is relevant and thought-provoking. This can show that you’re genuinely interested in the role and really listening to the panel. To not ask a question may make you come across as disinterested.

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Remain Positive And End Strongly

Be positive throughout your presentation. When discussing difficult points or past challenges, turn them into opportunities to show your resilience. As you conclude your presentation, consider using a memorable ending, such as using a relevant quote or asking an open-ended question referencing your presentation. Close by inviting questions or feedback from your audience.

Review The Job Description Carefully

It is important that you review the job description to understand what would be expected of you and so you can explain how you’ll be able to fulfill those expectations and be a good fit for the employer. You can use the job description as a guide because it will typically specify the required qualifications, experience, qualities and background that the employer wants in an ideal candidate. Familiarize yourself with these details and conduct a self-evaluation to determine if you qualify. The more you become confident that you are qualified for a particular position, the better your performance during the interview will be.

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What Is The On

The final stage of the interview process is usually referred to as the on-site. This is often the most in-depth and the most important to perform well at.

One of the main questions the company would like to have a good answer for is, how does this person work? The answer to this question is usually echoed through multiple levels as well, personal, technical, and professional.

Companies seek this answer by giving the candidate various exercises, technical and interpersonal, to gauge your skills and how well you will fit in at their company.

Depending on the company this interview can include various elements, but a few that are most common are:

• Pair programming
• Whiteboarding

Trick #: Know The Common Problems

There are a few common problems that show up often in interviews . You should be familiar with these problems because they’re sort of like questions you know are going to be on the test.

Two of the main ones are FizzBuzz and solving the Fibonacci sequence .

Now a word of warning: you don’t ever want to put down a memorized solution in an interview. That can only go poorly . You do however want to be familiar with the solutionand be able to recreate it from scratch.

So use your interview question prep books, yes, but make sure you understand the solution, can explain it, and can re-create it from scratch. A memorized answer isn’t going to get you anywhere here.

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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:

Related:

Questions To Ask The Interviewer

Interviews are a two-way street. That means it’s just as important for you to get a sense of the company and the job’s responsibilities as it is for the interviewer to get a sense of you. In nearly any interview, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions.

Here are some options for what to askwhile there’s no need to ask numerous or even several questions, you should always ask at least one.

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What Skills Would You Bring To The Job

While this is similar to questions like, Why should we hire you? or What can you bring to the company? it allows you to be more specific about your work ethic, style and unique abilities as it relates to the role.

An impactful answer will discuss your hard and soft skills and use the STAR method to illustrate how your unique skills might benefit the team or organization.

Example answer:I can make anyone feel comfortable in a new environment, which makes me a good fit as a human resources assistant. In my previous position, a new employee came to me and told me that she didnt think she was right for the company culture. After talking to her for a few minutes, we realized that she felt too much pressure to participate in company events. I started introducing events that involved fewer competitions and more casual environments, and she quickly grew more comfortable with her team.

Read more: Interview Question: “What Skills Would You Bring to the Job?”

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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Consider Why You Want The Job

It may sound cheesy, but knowing your why can go a long way on both a personal and professional level. Take a moment to create or review your personal life vision and mission. If theres something there that aligns with this position, take note. Then, be prepared to explain this in a concise, compelling way to your interviewer.

Although its advisable to practice this spiel, its even better to carry it around in your heart. Again, if it sounds hokey, just know that it can be a great exercise to make sure you are applying and interviewing for a position that works for your personal development, work experience and career goals. If, for some reason, you cant find alignment, dont be discouraged. It just means that you need to either look for another angle or another position altogether.

Why Are You Interested In This Position

Interviewers typically want to be sure that you applied for this job because youre genuinely interested in it. Avoid voicing concerns about your current position or companynegative comments about your employer are often interpreted as unprofessional. A good answer will positively frame your transition and communicate your desire to grow in the role youre interviewing for.

Research the role and company ahead of time to understand how it relates to your background. Ask yourself questions such as, How will this position help me advance in my career?, How does the position align with my future goals? and What makes me a good fit for this company or role?

Example answer:While I highly valued my time at my previous company, there are no longer opportunities for growth that align with my career goals. This position fits perfectly with my skill set and how Im looking to grow in my career. Im also looking for a position at a company like yours that supports underserved communities, which is a personal passion of mine.

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Why Is It Important To Prepare For An Interview

Interviewing is a skill, making practice essential in becoming a better interviewee. Interview practice involves learning how to answer questions related to your role and studying them. For example, you might pair with a friend and allow them to ask you a series of questions. Doing this assesses how well you answer each question in the moment and how well you approach questions that are unfamiliar to you. Practicing is also a time to work on your posture, appearance and non-verbal communication such as how you use your hands in conversation.

Tips To Help You Prepare For An Interview

Manage your interview nerves by preparing thoroughly.

According to at least one recent survey, more than 90% of job candidates experience some level of stress and anxiety when they are interviewing for a new job. Moreover, 29% of job seekers report that job interviews make them more nervous than any other experience. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for an interview, alleviate that stress and nervousness, and focus on making the best impression possible.

In this post, we will examine ten tips that can help you to ace any interview and give yourself the best chance of landing your dream job. We will also include vital links to other important posts that can offer even more specific advice to meet your interview preparation needs.

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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.