Job Interview Preparation

Anyone would agree that the job interview should find you prepared with all the information you need regarding the position you are applying for. However, that does not mean that you should know some generic characteristics of it, but rather the responsibilities it involves in the particular context of the company where you want to work. These responsibilities and the extent to which you are likely to handle them well will probably be among the main focus points of the job interview; consequently, you should try to do as much research on the company as you can.

For proper job interview preparation, you can go over the information you can find on the company’s website or in their advertising material, but you can also call the company’s PR department to see if there are any useful resources they would recommend. That might not only speed up your search, but also filter the available information, so that you can focus on the most relevant parts; if you don’t have so much time left before the interview, you’ll want to have these covered before you have a look at other materials. You’ll be able to find out all sorts of details regarding the company, from history to goals and perspectives.

Based on what this information, you can identify which part of your credentials and experience you should give more prominence to during the interview; this will help you prepare a good argumentation as to why you would be an asset to the company. In other words, you’ll be able to market yourself better, which can only increase your chances of success.

If it is obvious that you are acquainted with the company, the interview might go further than the usual assessment of a candidate’s suitability for the job and take the form of a discussion between two people sharing some common knowledge and interests. What better way to prove that you are the right person in the right place?

Preview Your Interview

Spontaneity may be a high-rated quality, but when it comes to job interviews, rehearsal often proves a more sensible option. If you have an approximate picture of what the interview will be like, you can reduce the level of uncertainty and thus increase your self-confidence. This article gives you a peek at the degree to which you can prepare your job interview in advance, and how far you should go in doing that.

Anticipating the questions your prospective employer might ask is not as challenging as it may seem. If you ask several people about the job interviews they have been to, you’ll discover many recurrent questions. Preparing an answer to these questions, however, might be slightly more difficult. You should aim at making your answer not only relevant, but also original. Avoid clichés, because the interviewer has almost certainly heard them innumerable times already.

But there is more to job interview preparation than just predicting the questions you are likely to be asked. You also need a plan of what you intend to ask, and what you would like to say in general. For instance, knowing what you are going to say at the beginning of the interview can help you avoid inhibition and interact with the interviewer in a natural way. Think of some universal statements that you can use in any situation, so that you won’t risk finding yourself at a loss for words.

Notice that we used the word “natural” in the previous paragraph. Indeed, the interviewer should not have the impression that you are acting out a memorized part. Avoid learning lines by heart, because that can be a big minus for you. Not only does it create an impression of artificiality, but you might get nervous and forget them. The interviewer will easily perceive your hesitation and identify its cause. What you need is not a rigid sequence of words and sentences, but a logical plan of ideas, malleable enough to be adjusted to various situations.

It can be very helpful if you don’t have to do all this planning by yourself. Ask advice from friends of yours who have been to many interviews and whose judgment you can trust. They might also help you simulate an interview, so that you can preview ways in which you can apply the plan you have designed. If there’s no one who can help you, you can try rehearsing in front of a mirror. You’ll soon start feeling more self-confident, thus increasing your chances of impressing your potential employer.