Get interview-ready in 5 easy steps
You’ve been applying to jobs for weeks and finally get the email you’ve been waiting for — you got an interview! After feeling a huge sense of relief and an overwhelming amount of excitement, reality sets in and you realize that you still need to ace the interview to actually get the job, and you have no idea where to start.
What are they going to ask? What do they want to hear? Will our personalities clash? Wait — which job was this again?! When it comes to interviewing, it’s never a good idea to just wing it, so let’s take a look at five crucial steps to help you get interview-ready.
Do your research
This should always be your starting point. Research the company by visiting its website. Do a Google search to see what the media may have written about it. Check out its social media platforms — and look at its mentions.
You’ll want to gather information on the organization’s mission, vision and core values and learn anything you can about its products or services. Do the same with its competitors. This research will help you answer questions like, “Why do you want to work here?” and “Why should we hire you?” You can also include some of the organizational values in your responses further into the interview. Does the company value collaboration? Make sure to talk about a cross-functional project you contributed to. Is innovation listed as a company value? Bring up that idea you proposed that was implemented successfully.
Bonus tip: You can sometimes find information on the company’s application or interview process directly on its site. And, if you do a search on Glassdoor, you can find application and interview reviews as well as potential interview questions linked to specific positions. Glassdoor can also be a great window into an organization’s compensation and benefit packages.
Connect your experience to the role
Review the job posting and highlight the required skills, experience and qualifications. Usually, these are prioritized in a job posting by order of importance. So while it’s crucial to capture most (or all) the qualifications you have relative to the posting, focus most of your time and attention on the ones closest to the top of the list. This will help you anticipate potential interview questions and formulate your responses to include the specific skill set the hiring manager is looking for.
Next, you’ll want to take those requirements, reflect on your own experience and start making connections. List scenarios where you’ve displayed the skills in the job posting in your current or previous roles. If the company says it wants someone with strong analytical skills, think back to situations, projects or tasks where you conducted research, analyzed data and drew conclusions or had to make a decision with limited information.
Also, pay attention to what’s called “transferable skills.” Your experience doesn’t always have to be directly related to a specific role. Does the job posting ask for corporate training experience and you only have in-class teaching experience? You can and should leverage that experience by articulating how it translates to the skills required for the job.
Bonus tip: Keep a log of what you’ve achieved and contributed as an employee on a regular basis. It will save you a ton of time when creating your resume or preparing for a job interview.
Practice, practice, practice
The more interviews you do, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become. But that doesn’t mean you can’t rock your first interview! When it comes to interviewing, practice really can make perfect. Mock interviews with a friend or career coach — or yourself in front of a mirror! — are beneficial because you can get their thoughts on your answers in real time. Are you talking too fast? Do you sound nervous? Are your responses too rehearsed? Ask for their feedback and use it to help you improve.
Bonus tip: An interview is not an interrogation, so while you’ll want to be professional, your tone should be conversational. And even though preparation is a must, also be cautious of sounding too scripted. Be yourself so you can genuinely convey who you are and why you’re the best person for the job!
Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer
The interviewer isn’t the only one asking questions during the interview. You should prepare a list of questions to demonstrate your genuine interest in the job. And if you’re interviewing with multiple organizations, it also helps you to be better informed when it comes time to make a decision. Ask about the company culture, support for learning and growth, leadership style, challenging and rewarding aspects of the role and what success looks like.
Figure out logistics ahead of time
Plan the details ahead of time — how you’ll get there (or where you’ll position your laptop for the Zoom call). Decide what you’re going to wear and what you need to bring with you. Give yourself enough time and account for an unexpectedly slow commute, so you can still ensure you’ll get there in time. If it’s a virtual interview, familiarize yourself with the technology beforehand to avoid any technical difficulties. Also, keep your space well lit and free from any distractions.
Remember, a good resume will get you the interview, but a good interview is ultimately what will land you the job. And while there’s still work to do once the interview is over, you can relax knowing you’ve already conquered the hard part.
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