5 Ways to Best Prepare for an Interview
Do you have an interview coming up for an internship or full-time job? Here are five tips on the best ways to prepare for interviews. These tips include ways to prepare, succeed and impress during the interview process.
- Research the company, industry and job description.
One of the first steps you should do is research the company, industry and, most importantly, the job. Knowing this background information is crucial when answering interview questions with the most details and understanding. It allow you to flex the knowledge you’ve learned through your research and show that you’ve come prepared. - Be on time, meaning early.
First impressions are essential on the day of an interview. Whether meeting in person or virtually, showing up early allows the interview to start on a positive note. In addition to research, arriving early is another way to demonstrate that you’re prepared. With many interviews conducted virtually, downloading the software or practicing how to sign on the day before ensures the process will run smoothly the day of the interview and eliminates delays. - Know your selling points.
An interview is an opportunity to sell yourself to the company. It is easy for someone to undermine the work done in past jobs, internships or leadership positions. However, it is important during an interview to highlight accomplishments and skills obtained from what is mentioned on a resume and connect them to requirements and qualifications from the job description. Explaining your strengths and weaknesses, why you are interested in the position and company, as well as your skills, are common questions in interviews and provide an opportunity for you to explain why they believe they will excel in that role. - Have your questions ready.
It is crucial to have questions on hand, ready to ask during or at the end of the interview. The interviewer may answer some questions in conversation, so having a few as backup is essential. Additionally, coming prepared with questions shows your eagerness for the position and to learn more about the role. Ending an interview with no questions can give the interviewer the impression that you’re not interested. - Go in with general curiosity.
Remember that an interview is two-sided. The interviewer is trying to get to know the potential candidate and you are trying to get a feel for who they would be working with if given the offer. It is important to be curious, ask questions along the way, and avoid the traditional question-and-answer format. Asking questions and conversing with the interviewer demonstrates your curiosity about the role and company.
As you schedule interviews, hopefully, these tips help to prepare you and help you move through each round. One bonus tip for you: remember to go in confidently and send a thank you email immediately. Good luck with your job search.