How to Prepare for a Job Interview
Getting the call for a job interview is a wonderful and unnerving feeling all at the same time. Yes you should certainly be happy that you have an opportunity for employment, but it will also be natural for you to feel a bit uneasy about what the interview will entail. What will they ask? What will you say? How should you dress?
As anxious as you may feel there are ways that you can prepare for your interview that should leave you going into it with the utmost of confidence. Here are some tricks to help you prepare for your next big interview:
• Learn About the Company: Take some time before the interview to learn about the company in which you may possibly work for. A great place to start is right online as most businesses these days have a website. Check out the ‘About Us’ page and really take some time to dig into what the company is all about. This may lend you some insight on things to say during the interview.
• Learn the Lay of the Land: Instead of getting all worked up over what you should wear to the interview, learn what everyone else at the company wears to work. If possible, go to the building that you will be interviewing at and hang out just before they open up. You can then observe people who work at the company and how they are dressed. Showing up dressed the proper way will only add brownie points to your score and knowing how to dress for the interview will give you one less thing to think about.
• Practice Makes Perfect: A great way to be prepared for an interview is to interview yourself beforehand. To do this simply look in the mirror and ask yourself some hiring questions. Really listen to what you are saying and evaluate yourself. At the end of your self-interview ask, ‘Would I hire me?’ If the answer is no then chances are that is probably what the potential employer will say so you will then need to conduct a few more self-interviews until you give yourself the job.
• Know Yourself: At almost every interview you are going to hear the question, ‘Tell me about yourself.’ If you start off with ‘ahhh,’ then the potential employer will obviously be less than impressed. After all, if you don’t know who you are, then who does? You really need to be able to answer this question both smoothly and honestly. Don’t try to over impress the interviewer. Remember, they have more than likely conducted many interviews and will usually be able to see right through the fluff.
While it may seem like the most nerve racking experience of your life, a job interview is actually an opportunity. Just as with anything big in life, when it comes to an interview, you need to be prepared. Practicing what you will say and how you will say it along with knowing what you want to wear coupled with your knowledge of the company should have you marching into the interview beaming with confidence.