A lot of us applying for jobs begin to search for how to prepare for a job interview quickly. After all, while sending in resumes and application forms are less daunting, interviews can shake even the most confident person! Preparation is a must once you score a job interview, and luckily, I’m here to help you out!
From what to do before the interview down to the interview itself, I give you the right advice to follow! Read on for the top seven tips to help you out and ace your upcoming job interview.
Seven Tips: How to Prepare For a Job Interview
Preparing for a job interview? Regardless of how soon or far it is, preparation is always crucial to show them you’re the best candidate. With that being said, here are the seven tips to follow:
1. Prepare Your Outfit and Documents
Even if it’s still a few days or weeks to go, it’s best to know already what you’ll wear. Remember, what you wear and look is what represents YOU. Would any employer hire someone with ruffled hair and crinkly clothes? Unfortunately, no.
So select a business outfit, or a smart casual outfit, depending on what was instructed. If there were no instructions, business attire is best. Make sure your whole outfit is pressed with the accessories, shoes, and makeup to go with it.
Besides your outfit, ensure that you have the necessary documents to pass, such as:
- Extra copies of your resume
- Notepad and pen
- List of references
- Information and documents required by the employer
- Portfolio of sample work, if required
2. Study About the Company AND Your Resume
It’s best to research the company AND your job position. Do your research and check out websites of the company and what they look for in the applied position. Learn their vision and mission, their goals, as well as what they want from their employees. This can help you provide accurate answers and attitude they like during the interview.
Furthermore, look into your resume and study it, from your work experience down to your skills and other information. Your answers should align with what you placed on your resume (and hopefully, everything you put in there is the truth!).
3. Practice Your Greetings and Facial Expressions
As funny as this sounds, you’ll be surprised by how some people tend to look nervous when greeting people. So when saying hello to your interviewer, make sure that you put on a friendly smile and a firm handshake. This gives off the positive energy and great first impression.
You should also practice your facial expressions, looking positive and with a small smile as you talk. Don’t look tired or stoic, you want the interviewer to feel at ease, and like you’re listening. You don’t need to plaster on a huge fake smile, but looking relaxed and attentive helps a lot.
4. Practice Your Answers Based On Common Interview Questions
We never know what kind of questions employers ask you. However, there are common questions to start off with, which you can practice from. These questions usually fall around the following:
- “Tell me about yourself.”
- “Why do you think you’ll be great for this job?”
- “What can you provide in this company?”
These don’t have textbook answers and come from the heart, which can put an unprepared applicant in the spot. That’s why it’s essential to have a clear idea of what to say but NOT to memorize your answers like a script. Telling the truth and speaking from the heart calmly helps here.
5. Make Sure You Know Where to Go And Be Early!
One of the many mistakes applicants make is not knowing where the exact location of the office is! It’s best that you know where to go and how to get there to prevent wasting time getting lost. Make sure you have enough time getting to the interview area, adding time for traffic and the like.
I recommend that you enter the office ten minutes earlier than the appointment time, but nothing earlier than that. If ever you’ll be late, make sure that you contact the interviewer to let them know and why.
6. Stay Cool and Collected Before and During the Interview
Nervousness before the interview is totally normal, but it’s best to diminish all that beforehand for a successful interview. There are relaxing breathing exercises to calm you down as you wait for your turn. Hyping yourself up in front of the mirror and thinking positive helps a lot, too!
During the interview, you can try following slow breathing exercises. Be more focused on the interview itself rather than the nervous feelings, be aware and just continue to smile.
7. Follow Non-Verbal Communication and Be Polite
Follow non-verbal and verbal communication signals as you’re being interviewed. Listen to the interviewer well and observe his style, matching his space. Also, avoid talking TOO much and blabbering. Answer directly and straight to the point, with enough detail but not too much.
Besides that, make sure that you set a boundary and that he is NOT a friend to make, but your boss. Use the appropriate language, avoid being cocky, and take a second before answering questions rather than blurt the first thing in mind.
Wrapping It Up
Job interviews don’t need to be so intimidating and nerve-racking. As long as you prepared well and knew your stuff, you’ll be able to land that job or move on to the next steps. Remember, it’s not just about the answers you provide, but the attitude and look you give, too!
I hope that this article on how to prepare for a job interview helped you out. So what are you waiting for? If you have a job interview coming up, utilize these tips to increase for chances of getting it today.
If you have any questions or want to share your tips and experiences with job interviews, do comment below. I would love to hear what you have to think!