Preparing for the Interview
So we all like to think we know what to do when preparing for an interview, but sometimes we still fall short of the goal of “wowing” the potential employer. Sometimes it’s worth it to go back to the basics to see what you could have done differently. Below, please find some tips to help in preparing for the interview.
Always prepare in advance:
Research the company and position prior to an interview (check out their website, any social media sites they may have and fully review the job description). Make sure you can intelligently discuss what you researched, and look for something that excites you about the company.
Research common interview questions that you may be asked, and know in advance how you want to respond to them. Open ended questions can be tricky for some people (example: ‘Tell me about yourself…’ or ‘What is your biggest strength or weakness?’). I don’t recommend having a fully canned reply ready to go for every question, but having an idea of your biggest weakness, or greatest accomplishment, in advance, can help you to reply quickly without stumbling over your words.
Have your own questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview:
Depending on your interviewer’s answers, you may end up sparking an interesting conversation about their perspective on working at this company, and gain some true insight into where you may end up working. Some examples could include:
- What are the main responsibilities of this position?
- Who will I report to?
- Are there defined goals for this position?
- Is there room for advancement?
- Do you promote from within?
- What is your company culture/environment like?
- What do you like best about working here?
- What was your career path to this destination?
*Please do not ask about salary or benefits in a first interview, ever.
Mock Interview / Practice Interview:
Practice your interviewing skills. Practice with a friend, a relative, or even in front of the mirror. Rehearsing in advance can help you feel more at ease when the actual interview happens.
What do you do to prepare for an interview?
Thank you for reading my post. I write about Interviewing, Job Search Strategies, Resumes and Career Services.
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