The Night Before Your Interview
- Read through your notes, resume, cover letter, job description, company or industry summaries one last time.
- Know the route you will take to the location and how much travel time you will need.
- Build in additional time to ensure you are not late.
Youre ready! Get a good nights sleep to ensure that youre at your best on the day of the interview.
Come Up With Questions To Ask At The End Of The Interview
Nearly every interviewer is going to give you time to ask questions about the role and the company. Use this time to show youve clearly done your homework on the business and you have knowledge of the space its operating in.
Before the interview, prepare two or three insightful questions to learn more about the job and to make sure the company is a good fit. Avoid asking questions that pertain to topics like benefits or vacation days because youll come across as presumptuous.
Instead, ask overarching questions related to the company and the position, such as upcoming strategic initiatives, new product launches and competitive positioning. Demonstrate clearly youve done your research on the company, said Twersky.
And dont save all of your questions until the end. Asking questions that arise spontaneously during the interview shows youre engaged and not just a passive listener.
Find Out The Type Of Interview You Will Be Going On:
There are several common types of interviews such as one on one, group, and behavioral. You shouldnt assume you will get a certain one. Dont be afraid to ask your recruiter what kind of interview will have if you dont know the interview will be more beneficial to both parties if you are prepared.
READ MORE: 6 Interview Types You Must Know as a Candidate
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What Skills Or Experience Do You Offer That Will Help You Succeed In This Role
You should use the interview as an opportunity to say something interesting about your skills and experiences that relate back to the role at hand. Remember that interviewers will be looking for you to demonstrate key skills, so prepare examples in advance that you can call on when required.
Examples of the key attributes employers look for include:
- Project management skills
- Demonstrating sound technical knowledge, backed up by good business understanding
- Delivering on targets or goals
Do your research
Above all, it is vital that you do your research. Make sure you have a look at the company website and understand as much as you can about their business and how they operate, as well as the products or services they provide. It is also important to go prepared with questions to ask them after all, the interview is a two-way process. Dont be afraid to write questions down ahead and take them with you.
What To Prepare Before An Interview
Knowing that you have an interview coming up can be stressful. However, if you use the time before your interview to prepare yourself, you will likely look and feel more confident during the interview. This lesson will guide you through different ways to prepare for an interview. It will explain how to research the company beforehand. It will help you identify appropriate interview attire and will provide you with a checklist of items to bring along with you. And it will help you both prepare to ask the right questions and practice answering the questions you are likely to be asked.
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Why Do You Want This Job
Do your research – this gives you the chance to discuss all you know about the job and the company and why you are a good match for them. The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought, so do your homework properly.
“You should have a good inside knowledge of the company’s values, mission statement, development plans and products. Describe how your goals and ambition match the company ethos and how you would relish the opportunity to work for them,” advised Janine Blacksley.
Final Job Interview Tips: Checklist
- Check your journey a few days before your interview, the night before and right before you leave to work out the best route or see any delays this will also give you an idea of whether the commute is viable.
- Make sure youre going to the right location, especially if the company has multiple offices.
- Make eye contact, smile and take your time answering a question. If you get stuck, take a deep breath and ask the interviewer to repeat or clarify the question.
- Manage your online presence. This could be updating your LinkedIn or making sure your Facebook, Twitter etc dont contain anything you wouldnt want a potential employer to see. Either delete tweets, remove tags from photos or set everything to private.
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Figure Out What Youre Most Nervous About Being Asked
Sometimes when people dread having a particular topic arisein an interview , they dont prepare a polished answer and instead just hope it wont come up.That, of course, leaves them floundering for a strong answer if the subject does come up and makes it more likely that the conversation wont go well. Instead, assume that whatever youre dreading will indeed be asked, and create a plan for how youll handle it. Then practice your answer out loud over and over again, word for word, until youre comfortable with it.
What Are Your Weaknesses
“What are your weaknesses” is one of the most popular questions interviewers ask. It is also the most dreaded question of all. Handle it by minimizing your weakness and emphasizing your strengths. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate on professional traits: “I am always working on improving my communication skills to be a more effective presenter. I recently joined Toastmasters, which I find very helpful.”
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Tips For Great Job Interviews
From researching the company to handling certain key interview questions, make sure you make a great impression and ace your next job interview by following these 20 tips.
Want to ace your next interview and land thatopen job youve been seeking? Here are 20 tips to help you prepare.1. Research the industry and company.An interviewer may ask how you perceive his company’s position in its industry, who the firm’s competitors are, what its competitive advantages are, and how it should best go forward. For this reason, avoid trying to thoroughly research a dozen different industries. Focus your job search on just a few industries instead.
Perform Research On The Company And Role
Researching the company youre applying to is an important part of preparing for an interview. Not only will it help provide context for your interview conversations, but it will also help you when preparing thoughtful questions for your interviewers.
Researching the company and role as much as possible will give you an edge over the competition. Not only that, but fully preparing for an interview will help you remain calm so that you can be at your best. Here are a few things you should know before you walk into your interview:
Research the product or service:Even if the role isn’t directly related to the company’s product or service, you’re still looking to be part of the team. It’s important to learn all you can about the product or service the company produces and promotes. You don’t necessarily need to understand each and every detail, especially if it’s a technical product, and you’re interviewing for a non-technical position, but you should have a basic understanding of the main products or services the company offers.
If possible, request a sample of the product to familiarize yourself with the customers perspective. The more you can tell them about the product from both a company and customer standpoint, the better you’ll perform in your interview.
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How To Prepare For An Interview: The Ultimate Guide
As someone who writes about work and interviewing, I hear regularly from people who say the quality of their job interviews and their success rate soared after they changed the way they were preparing for them. In fact, Im convinced that the best thing you can do ahead of a job interview is to prepare for it about twice as much as you think you might need to.
Heres your ultimate guide on how to prepare for an interview so that youll walk in confident and be able to give thoughtful, compelling answers to your interviewers questions.
Why Did You Leave Your Job
One of the most critical job interview tips: Don’t badmouth a former employer. So if an interviewer asks, “Why did you leave your job?” and you’re unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a positive context: “I managed to survive two rounds of corporate downsizing, but the third round was a 20% reduction in the workforce, which included me.”
If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next job: “After two years, I made the decision to look for a company that is team-focused, where I can add my experience.”
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Print Hard Copies Of Your Resume
Most employers ask for digital copies of your resume with the application, but they may not have easy access to it during the interview itself. Having copies to present to multiple interviewers shows that you’re prepared and organized. You should have at least three copies to provide for multiple interviewers, plus one for yourself to follow along.
During your preparation, read over your resume and rehearse explanations for any gaps that may appear or other oddities. For example, you may have taken time off work to care for a child or family member, switched careers or had other legitimate reasons for employment gaps. These can be a concern for employers, so it’s best to prepare your explanation to show them that you’re not a risk.
You may also encounter questions about your resume that are awkward. It’s important to be honest but diplomatic in addressing them. For example, you may have left a job because of your supervisor or manager, or policies that you didn’t agree with, but you don’t want to speak negatively about a former employer. Consider these possible questions and prepare your answers in advance, so you don’t accidentally say something you’ll regret.
Like the rest of the interview, it’s best to prepare for these questions by writing notes and rehearsing your answers out loud multiple times prior to the interview.
Make A Good First Impression
The second you step through the door or join the virtual interview before even introducing yourself to your interviewer you are already making your first impressions. So, on the day of your interview, ensure you:
- Refresh your mind of the job description, your CV, and any key notes you have made
- Be polite to everyone you meet, including receptionists and passing employees
- For a face-to-face meeting, wait professionally in the reception area before youre invited for your interview. Rather than scrolling through your phone, look around you. Are there posters that tell you more about the organisation? Or marketing materials like booklets that you could flick through? This will not only help to illustrate your interest in the company from the outset, but will also teach you more about the organisation
- Arrive on time being 10 minutes early is best. For a video interview, be sure you are ready to go 10 minutes prior to the meeting.
- For a face-to-face meeting, when you meet your interviewer offer a firm handshake and a big smile will do wonders. Some small chit chat from the reception area to the interview room will also help make a good first impression.
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Get Ready For Video Interviews
- Find out which computer program, application or website will be used for the video interview. Test it out with a friend or family member.
- If youre using a laptop, phone or tablet make sure the battery is charged.
- Exchange phone numbers with your interviewer in case the video link fails.
- Make sure the camera and microphone are adjusted to give the best possible sound and video quality.
- Make sure your background looks professional and there are no photos, mirrors or people visible.
- Have your CV and interview notes near you for reference.
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No matter how many you go on, job interviews can always be nerve-wracking. You put on your nicest clothes, print out your resume, and remind yourself to smile real bigâand just when you think everything is going well, the interviewer hits you with a curveball question you arenât prepared for.
Luckily, youâre not going to let that happen again and youâre planning ahead to ace this monthâs interview. The best way to for anything is to do your research ahead of timeâwhich is why weâre here to help.
If youâre preparing for a big interview during COVID-19, prepping beforehand with these 15 interview questions will help you get one step closer to that dream job.
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Research The Company And Industry
We often hear from employers that candidates do not know enough about their companies when they interview. Employers gauge how interested you are by how much you know about their organization. This research is an easy way to improve your interview skills.
Find out as much as you can about the position, company, and industry.
- Learn about current trends and events that might impact your future employer.
- Review the organizations website and social media activity.
- Try to speak to people in the organization through LinkedIn, peers, faculty, or family to gain insider knowledge.
- Make sure that you reread the job description and can communicate why you would be a good t for the position.
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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Practice Your Answers To The Most Common Interview Questions:
If you dont know what these are, do your research and find out or see one of my other articles. Youll want to have your answers ready and practice them. You should always be able to answer Tell me about yourself and Why do you think you would be great for this job? The employer doesnt know, so its up to you to sell it.
Dont completely memorize your answers so they come out rehearsed, but have a clear idea of what you are going to say. When you are asked, you want your answer to come out intelligently and naturally. Be open to other questions as well and really know what you can offer to the company.
Practice Your Speaking Voice And Body Language
Its important to make a positive and lasting impression during the interview process. You can do this by practicing a confident, strong speaking voice and friendly, open body language. While these might come naturally to you, you might also want to spend time performing them with trusted friends or family or in front of a mirror. Pay special attention to your smile, handshake and stride.
To learn more about interview body language, consider the following resources:
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What Is An Interview
An interview is a meeting in which you answer questions that highlight your skills and qualifications for a job. Interviews are often held with one interviewer and an interviewee, but you may meet with multiple interviewers at once. You might also go through multiple rounds of interviews that ensure youre the right candidate for the job. Interviews can take place in person, over the phone or video call or even in a group setting.
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