How To Ace Your Next Job Interview!
Have you ever gone on a job interview extremely unprepared? I think everyone can answer that question with a yes. I know I have done it plenty of times. Some people feel that knowing a lot about an area of study or the general position is enough to win the job over, but there is a lot more that goes into having a good interview. Your resume is only a small step to actually getting you to the interview. However, the interview is the single-most important part to getting a job, so you should spend some time getting ready for it. Although each company may require certain elements to a particular position, here are some general tips that I use to prepare for before, during, and after any interview.
Research the company: Doing research about the company you are interviewing with is a huge part to an interview. It doesn’t matter how big or small the position may be…the research is very important. Knowledge about the company itself can strike up plenty of conversation as well as showing your true interest in the job. Most businesses will have a website, which should offer you everything you need to know, and write the stuff down.
Also, find out who you will be interviewing with if possible. To have some information about the interviewer themselves is great, because you might actually find some common interests that you both share, which is great for discussion. However, don’t bring up stuff that is too personal, because you might come off as a stalker, which is not cool by any means.
Dress appropriate: No employer wants to see someone coming to an interview like they just got out of bed or they are going to a night-club. Every job is different and will not require the same dress code, so look into it and use that common sense. If you are applying for a corporate job you can never go wrong with a nice suit dark colored suit, which applies to women as well.
If the interview is for a more casual company it is still in your best interest to be neat and well groomed. No-one wants to see someone with a shirt that looks like it had been wrapped up in a ball for a few months. And, if you aren’t quite sure what to wear you can never go wrong with khaki’s and a nice shirt.
Be professional: From the minute you arrive, act confident and professional. This doesn’t mean you have to be extremely serious, but present yourself well. Give a firm handshake, which implies that you are confident from the start. Sit up straight and make eye contact. There is nothing worse than slouching with your head down or just looking all over the place. It shows a giant lack of interest. Give slight head nods making it seem like you know what the interviewer is talking about and are actually interested. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions, which brings me to the next tip.
Be ready to ask and answer questions: If you just sit there and nod, it makes you look like you can’t hold a conversation, so ask some questions. You don’t have to ask a million questions; three solid ones would be fine, which is where your research of the company comes in handy.
Interviewers love to talk about themselves, so go ahead and ask them questions like: What is the best part for you about working here? Why did you join the company? You can also ask general questions like: What is a typical workday like here?
There is really no way of knowing what questions an interviewer will ask, but most of them ask some pretty general questions that you should be prepared for. These include: What are your greatest strengths? What are your career goals? What are you most interested about this position? Some of these might seem tricky, but always answer with confidence.
Follow up with the interview: The interview is the most important part, but landing a job might be from being persistent. There is a difference from being annoying and from being persistent and excited. Send out a thank you email or letter to your potential employer that day of the interview explaining how you appreciate them meeting with you, how you enjoyed the interview. If you don’t hear anything after a week then give them a call…you aren’t being a pain, it just tells them you are still very interested in the position.
With all this being said you will come out of the interview feeling like you nailed it rather than thinking you are an idiot. So, don’t be afraid to send your resume out there, because the more interviews you go on, the more experience you get with them. I recommend going on interviews with companies you really have no interest in, but still act as though you really want the position. You can only benefit from this, because if you don’t get the job, you won’t be upset, but if you do, than you can always reject it and say you found something else. Most companies don’t hire on the spot, so you’ll have a couple days anyway.
I hope you find these helpful when you are applying for your next job.
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