Interviews are incredibly stressful for many people. There is a lot of pressure that comes with looking for a new job and trying to impress potential employers. It is important to prepare ahead of time to make sure you are ready for anything that might come your way during the interview. You want to present yourself as professional, pleasant to work with, and above all, knowledgeable about the position you are applying for and the company in general. It sounds intimidating, but with some prep work, you‘ll have a killer interview.
Start by reviewing the job description, and comparing the requirements with your qualifications. It‘s likely that you have a lot of overlap, so think about how you are going to talk up your strengths and how they relate to the job specifically. This includes your past work experience, but also your education and any outside interests that you may have that relate directly to the job. It‘s also important to decide how you are going to address any weak areas or lack of qualifications if they come up. These things may not be a problem for your potential employer if you can acknowledge them calmly and articulately discuss how you will work around any problem areas.
Next, prepare some answers to commonly asked interviews questions, things like why are you interested in this job?‘ or tell me about some of your previous career successes‘. Think about stories and anecdotes that you can share from your career that highlight your skills, experience, and personality. Practice these questions and answers with a friend to make sure that you sound natural, relaxed, and friendly. While you‘ll never be sure of exactly what they will ask in an interview, having a trial run beforehand will help ease your nerves.
Make sure you research the company beforehand as well. Try to learn as much about them as possible – everything from their mission statement and goals, to the dress code and the hours each day. The more you know about the company, the more dedicated you will seem to the interviewers. You can find a lot of this information online, but you should also try to network with people who work there currently or have worked there in the past to find out as much as you can. This information will give you a leg up on the competition.
Finally, make sure you know exactly where you‘re going, how much time you will need to get there, and that you have a definite mode of transport. Pick out your outfit ahead of time, and eat a solid breakfast in the morning so that you feel energized and awake. You want to make sure that everything else goes smoothly that day so that all you have to worry about is the interview. If you prepare for the interview, you should be able to effectively battle your nerves and stay calm. You‘ll have the job in no time at all.
– The Recruit Founders