It’s understandable to feel nervous before an interview. After all, this is your chance to convince a company that you’re the right person for the job. But don’t let those nerves get in your way! In fact, if you prepare well in advance and follow these simple tips, you’ll be able to nail any job interview:
Prepare for the interview.
The best way to prepare for an interview is to do your research. Research the company, the job description and your interviewer. This will allow you to answer questions more confidently and also know what sort of information they are looking for. If there are any specific skills or experiences they want from applicants then make sure that these are highlighted on your CV and cover letter so that they stand out when the employer reads through their pile of CVs!
Researching the industry is also important; knowing about it will help give context when answering questions about why you would like to work in this field or what drew you towards this particular role within it.
Show up on time.
Arriving on time is essential to a great interview. If you’re early, that’s great–but don’t hover or get in the interviewer’s way! Instead, take a few minutes to breathe and focus on why this job is important to you before walking in.
If you’re running late (even if it’s only by a few minutes), call the interviewer immediately and let them know what happened and when they can expect your arrival. When in doubt about whether or not it’s appropriate to call ahead of time, err on the side of caution and call; better safe than sorry!
Dress appropriately.
Dress appropriately.
It’s important to dress for success, but not too much success. You want your outfit to be professional and stylish without being overdone or over-the-top. If you’re going for a formal interview at a law firm, you don’t need a tuxedo; but if it’s at an advertising agency or tech company, then maybe consider wearing something more high-end than usual–after all, these outfits cost hundreds of dollars!
In general: wear what makes YOU feel good about yourself! Just make sure that whatever clothes you choose are clean and pressed (or ironed), have no holes in them (except tiny ones under the armpits) and aren’t stained with food or drink stains from previous days/weeks/months/years ago (you know who we’re talking about).
Be polite to everyone you meet.
Be polite to everyone you meet. This is a simple but important rule that can make or break an interview, so it’s worth repeating: be polite to everyone, even if you don’t like them. You never know when someone might be able to help you out in the future–and if they feel like they can’t trust or rely on you because of your behavior during the interview process (or worse yet, afterwards), then that’s going to reflect poorly on your character as well as your ability for self-control and restraint.
It’s also important not only how we treat others but also how we prepare ourselves for our job interviews. Make sure that everything from clothes and appearance down through credentials has been thoroughly examined beforehand so there are no surprises once things get started!
Stay positive and be yourself.
- Stay positive and be yourself.
- Don’t be afraid to be honest.
- Ask questions if you don’t understand something, but do it in a respectful way that shows interest in the company and position.
- Talk about your achievements, but don’t brag or use words like “I’m awesome”–it sounds insincere coming from anyone (not just millennials). Instead, focus on what specific skills you have that relate directly back to the job description for this role and how those skills helped achieve success in previous roles (e.g., “I successfully managed an email inbox of over 200 messages per day by setting up filters so only important emails were sent directly through my inbox”). You can also mention any certifications or training programs that would make sense given what they’re looking for here; these show initiative on your part while also demonstrating how much research went into preparing for this interview!
Use positive body language.
- Use a firm handshake.
- Make eye contact with everyone in the room and maintain it during your interview! It’s easy to get caught up in nerves, so try to remind yourself that you are there because they want to meet you and hear what you have to say. If they don’t look at us when we’re speaking, it makes us feel like they are not interested or paying attention (even if they really are).
- Sit up straight and lean forward slightly when answering questions so that people can see our expressions easily–this shows interest in what is being said by others as well as ourselves!
- Don’t fidget or shuffle your feet while waiting for someone else’s turn–it makes us look nervous which isn’t good for first impressions! Also avoid crossing arms across chests because this could signal closed off nature towards others who may want help them out later down line if hired today.”
Use confident language.
One of the biggest mistakes people make during interviews is using words like “maybe,” “perhaps” and “probably.” These words are weak and make you sound unsure of yourself. Instead, use words such as “I,” “my” and “the.”
You also want to avoid using filler words such as “um” or “ahh.” These filler sounds are distracting for both you and your interviewer because they draw attention away from what you’re saying at that moment in time.
Be ready to discuss your career goals and weaknesses.
- Be ready to discuss your career goals.
- Be ready to discuss your weaknesses.
- Be ready to talk about how you overcome those weaknesses.
Know how to answer the ‘weakness’ question without sounding like a cliche.
When asked about your weaknesses, it’s important to have an answer that is relevant, reflects who you are and doesn’t sound like a cliche.
The first step in answering this question is knowing what the interviewer really wants to hear. They want an honest assessment of yourself without feeling like they’re getting too much information or having their hand held through every aspect of your life story.
The second step is making sure that whatever weakness or flaw you decide upon can be handled by the company and won’t harm its productivity or reputation in any way (if applicable).
Finally, make sure that whatever weakness/flaw/issue comes up during the course of working with this person isn’t something they’ll have trouble dealing with once hired because it may not be something easily remedied within three months’ time if hired immediately after interviewing.”
Be prepared to answer job-specific questions.
To be prepared for your interview, you’ll need to do some research about the company and position. You can find this information on their website or by searching for them in Google.
Once you’ve done some research, ask yourself:
- What is it that I’m going to be doing? How does this job fit into the bigger picture of what my employer does? What are their goals and objectives? Do they have any challenges they’re facing right now that could affect my role if I were hired (e.g., hiring freeze)?
If possible, try getting a copy of the employee handbook or other manuals so that when asked questions about policies such as sick days and vacation time off, etc., then at least one example will come up naturally instead of having them think “What’s wrong with this person?”
Practice common interview questions and answers.
Practice common interview questions and answers.
Practice answering the most common interview questions in front of the mirror, with a friend or family member, or even with a career coach. You don’t want to be caught off guard by any question that comes up during your interview!
If you can’t get access to someone who has been through an extensive job search process and can offer some insight into what it’s like (and how they handled themselves), try recording yourself on video so that when looking at the tape later on, it will seem more real than just practicing silently in front of yourself.
Talk about what you can do for the company.
One of the best ways to nail your next job interview is by talking about what you can do for the company. This doesn’t mean that you should talk about how much money you want or how much vacation time you need, but rather focus on demonstrating that you understand their needs and goals.
The most important thing about this strategy is being specific about what exactly it is that makes you stand out from other candidates who are applying for the same position. For example: “I’m great at cross-selling products” or “I have experience working with difficult clients during my time at [previous employer].” If there was one skill or quality that helped get them where they are today–and which could continue helping them achieve success in the future–that’s what needs to be highlighted during an interview!
Determine what sets you apart from other candidates.
The first step to nailing a job interview is to determine what sets you apart from other candidates. Think about the skills and experience that make you an ideal candidate for this particular role, as well as any educational background or training that has prepared you for it.
Then, think about how those things will benefit the company if they hire you. What will happen if they choose not to bring on someone as skilled as yourself? How could that impact their business or its success? Then share these benefits with them during the interview process!
Be confident. Don’t fear the phone call or follow-up interview.
When you’re on the phone with a potential employer, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification. If there are any details missing from the conversation, ask for them as well. Most importantly: don’t be afraid of asking for advice or feedback during this call!
Even if it makes you uncomfortable at first (which is totally understandable), do not be shy about asking for help from anyone who may have insight into what it takes to succeed in your industry or field–even if they aren’t directly involved with hiring decisions at their companies! You never know where this information could lead; sometimes even small tips can make all the difference between getting hired and being passed over by someone else who knew how important those little details were when evaluating candidates’ suitability for employment opportunities within their organization
Focus on your largest accomplishment.
When asked about your biggest accomplishment, focus on the challenge you faced and how you overcame it. Then, explain why this accomplishment is relevant to the job at hand. For example:
If they ask you “What was the biggest challenge you faced?”
- You could say “I was tasked with creating a social media presence for my company in under two months. At first I thought this would be easy because we had no money or time constraints; however, I soon realized that getting people excited about our brand would not be as simple as I originally thought.”
- Then explain how you overcame that challenge: “I decided to create original content around topics that were relevant to our target audience (elderly women). By doing so we were able to increase sales by 40% within six months of launching our campaign.”
Prepare good questions for the interviewer.
- Prepare good questions for the interviewer.
- Ask questions that show you’ve done your research.
- Ask questions that show you are interested in the company.
- Ask questions that show you are interested in the job.
- Ask about things specific to your position within this company and industry (if applicable).
This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your interest in learning more about what it’s like working at this organization, so don’t waste it!
Send a thank-you note after the interview.
- Sending a thank you note after an interview is important.
- You can send your thank you via email, snail mail or both.
- Handwritten notes are always better than digital ones–especially since they’re harder to do on the fly! If you choose to write one by hand, make sure that it’s detailed and thoughtful (and don’t forget about spelling).
- It should be sent within 24 hours of the interview itself (or sooner if possible), but no later than 48 hours afterward just in case there was any confusion about whether or not this position would work out for both parties involved in this hiring process.*
Even if you don’t get this job, you might be considered for another position in the future if you make a good impression at the interview.
Even if you don’t get this job, you might be considered for another position in the future if you make a good impression at the interview.
If you don’t get this job, there are always other jobs out there that will be hiring soon. You can apply for those as well!
Conclusion
Good luck and happy interviewing!
