Have you ever had a bad interview? Or you think you had a great interview, but then receive another rejection. I think we all have been there at some point and time! I know I definitely have! Knowing exactly how to prepare for an interview is so important in making sure that you have a great interview and leave a good impression!
After graduating from college, I thought it was going to be easy peasy to find a new job that fit my degree. After all, everyone throughout high school said, “Go to college, it’s easier to find a good-paying job”. Yeah right! I got rejection after rejection. Sometimes they wouldn’t even call me in for an interview, and I was rejected solely on what they saw in my resume. Talk about discouraging!
I was tired of being rejected, and not being able to get a job that I had worked so hard to complete my degree for! So, with a little trial and error and some research, I have found out what works best for me when on the interview train. I hope these tips can help you as well!
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!
I would have to say for me personally, this is the most important step! I have thought I was prepared for an interview, but when the interview actually happened, I had no idea what they were talking about! Not a good way to leave an impression.
Whenever I have an interview, I like to get a couple of pieces of paper and write down certain things pertaining to the job that I am interviewing for. This helps me to better remember during the interview, what type of skills the company wants, and what I have to offer that would make me the best candidate.
(I love any excuse to use my colorful pens!)
Review the job description and the company culture
Reviewing the job description and what the company is all about is an important step in preparation. First off, you can get a pretty good idea if you would even want to work for this company. Second, knowing specific details about the job description and the company as a whole will help a lot during an interview. Companies tend to ask that fun question, “Why do you want to work here?”.
Incorporate skills listed in job descriptions to your answers for interview questions
When you look through the job description, take note of what skills the company is looking for. Being able to highlight the skills that you have that are also in the job description is a win, win!
Practice answering commonly asked questions to prepare for an interview
During the preparation process, practicing answering commonly asked questions helped me so much to prepare for interviews! Here are a few of the questions that I would answer, making sure to tailor it to the specific job that I was interviewing for.
- Why are you here today?
- Why should we hire you?
- What value would you bring to the role?
- Tell me about yourself.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I have come to find that showing passion for the role that you’re interviewing for goes a long way! I noticed that I would get great reactions from interviewers when I would use words like excited, opportunity, grow, and evolve.
Just as important as practicing commonly asked interview questions is to also plan what questions that you are going to ask your interviewer. When you ask questions, it makes you seem more interested in the position. At least from personal experience, this has been a game-changer! Some questions that I like to ask at the end of an interview include:
- Why do you like to work here?
- What are the next steps?
- Does anything about my background give you pause?
Dress To Impress
Anyone and everyone will tell you to dress to impress for an interview. But, hey first impressions go a long way! Make sure to dress professionally! I like to think about it as I would rather be overdressed than underdressed!
Know What’s On Your Resume To Prepare For An Interview
Do you know how you make your resume and never really look at it again?? At least I don’t really look at it! Before an interview, I like to look at my resume to refresh my memory of what I put into it. Then I know what the interviewer expects from me. After all, they did choose to interview you based upon your experience in your resume!
Bring Important Documents
I like to bring a couple of copies of my resume to an interview just in case. I have had interviews where I didn’t need it, but I have also had interviews where they asked if I had a copy. So, it’s better to be prepared!
Also, if you have any awards or letters of recommendation, or anything like that you would like to give to the interviewer, be sure to bring it along! You want to show off! Show them exactly why you are the person they should hire for the position!
Just Be Yourself!
The most important thing to remember when you are going in for an interview is to just be yourself! I know it can be super nerve-racking when you are going into an interview. But try your best to be calm and confident!
I’ve been in so many interviews, I have lost count! I noticed that the more interviews that I was in the more comfortable I became, and I wasn’t nervous before interviews anymore. I believe that started to show during interviews because once I wasn’t nervous anymore, I started to get multiple callbacks! So, try your hardest to be yourself and be confident! If they don’t hire you, there’s something better out there for you!
How To Prepare For An Interview Recap
Going to interview after interview can be such a discouraging process! Knowing how to prepare for an interview helps the actual interview process go so much smoother! Also, it helps you to be more confident because you sort of have a plan before you even walk into the room!
Remember to PREPARE next time you have an interview! Then you won’t get stuck and not know how to answer a question that is thrown your way! If you are having an interview in the near future, I wish you luck! You can do it! If you aren’t, well it’s good to know what to do in the future!
Until next time!
ps. Be sure to check out some other posts you may like!
This is a great post! Loved it. So proud of you.
Thank you so much!!