We all know how nerve racking a job interview can be.
No matter how much experience you may have, putting it all on the line at an interview can cause anyone to get a little bit nervous. You’ve been working towards the job of your dreams, and you don’t want to clam up during the interview process.
However, with enough preparation, you can make any interview process a little less scary and a little more positive for both yourself and your potential employer.
The average job posting attracts around 250 resumes. That means your interview could be up for comparison against hundreds of other applicants. In your interview, you need to stand out above the rest.
What exactly does it take to make a killer first impression, though? What should you prepare before walking into the interview process? Let’s review 4 different tips to take your interview to the next level and make it memorable for employers.
Research the Company
Before walking into any interview, you need to make sure you do your fair share of research. If you know nothing about the company prior to the interview, you can come across to employers as someone who doesn’t care about the job or the company they’re interviewing with.
There are many questions an employer could ask during your interview that are relevant to the background of the company. You could be asked about the company’s competition or other organizations affiliated. Or, you might have to answer a question about the position’s industry and its advantages/disadvantages. This is why researching before an interview is essential.
You can research a position’s industry by going to their company website and looking for further information. You can also go onto company review sites, look up the company on a search engine, or even search for the company’s competitors to see what the position’s environment is like.
Determine your Selling Points
Walking into an interview without a purpose is a dangerous way to approach a job offer. You need to identify your reasons for applying, know why you want the job, and accurately deliver those selling points to the employer during the interview.
Try to think of yourself as a brand and your interview as an advertisement; you want to do your best to promote the brand and make a lasting connection with your customer. Preparing your selling points before an interview will make answering questions easier. If you know your strengths, you can properly communicate them in any question. It will also prepare you for the moment when an interviewer asks you why you want the job.
Practice Your Interview
Practicing an interview before you go in is one of the best ways to properly prepare yourself for any curveball your interviewer might throw at you. Similar to practicing a speech or a presentation, practicing your interview means going over possible questions and rehearsing your answers over and over until you know exactly what to say during the actual interview.
Practicing your interview answers to basic questions can help you come across as well-versed, confident, and well-prepared during an interview. This can save you the uncomfortable pause in between questions and answers, showing employers that you know your strengths.
To rehearse before your interview, grab a peer or someone close to you. Have them read off generic interview questions an employer could ask. Then, answer these questions over and over again with an answer that is concise, effective, and easy to understand. When it comes to interviews, it’s better to be easily understood than overly intricate with your interview answer.
Make the First 5 Minutes Count
When it comes to any interview, the first five minutes are the most important. This is the time that any employer makes a first impression about who you are as an employee and what you have to offer the company if hired. With this in mind, it’s absolutely vital that you make your first five minutes of an interview the best five minutes.
The best way to accomplish this is to come into your interview excited and ready to communicate about the industry and the job position. Coming in with your best energy is key for employers looking to receive a good first impression from you. You also want to interact with the interviewer – let them know how much you’ve been looking forward to the interview and how excited you are to present yourself for the opportunity.
Using these 4 interview tips can take your interview from a good experience to a great opportunity at the job of your dreams. Consider applying these tips into your interview preparation strategy to give you the advantage and move you towards a better job.