The job market is competitive, and it’s important to prepare properly for an interview. This guide walks you through a 10-step process for interviewing, so you can feel confident about impressing the hiring manager when you step into the room. After reading this post, I hope you’ll have the tools you need to make a great first impression!
Research the company.
- Research the company.
- Find out as much about the company as possible, and make sure you have your research materials in front of you during the interview.
- The company website is a good place to start. Read about their goals and values, then check out their social media pages to see how they interact with customers and potential employees. If they don’t have any social media accounts (or if they’re private), try using Google’s search engine to find them! You might need another browser like Firefox or Opera if that doesn’t work well enough for you (some companies are more private than others).
- Check out your competitors’ websites too—you never know what kind of information might come in handy during an interview! Also take note of their job listings; this will help you prepare questions that demonstrate knowledge without being too obvious about it!
Match your qualifications to the job’s requirements.
This step is extremely important, so you want to spend some time on it. After all, if you don’t match the job’s requirements with your qualifications, then there’s no point in continuing through the rest of these steps.
To start off this process, list out all of the requirements from the job description and compare them to your work history. Then make note of which qualifications are most relevant to this particular position. For instance:
- Do they have experience working with a team? Yes
- Do they have experience using Microsoft Excel? Yes
- Do they have experience using Adobe Photoshop? No
Take the time to get dressed for success.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the way you dress for an interview is important. You don’t have to wear a suit, but dressing appropriately can make a big impact on your chances of getting hired.
- Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Unless you’re interviewing for an entry-level position (in which case it’s OK to dress casually), take the time to get properly dressed and look professional at all times during your interview process.
- Don’t overdress either—you don’t need to be wearing designer clothes or flashy jewelry just because it’s an interview! But do make sure that everything matches and that it looks nice and professional.
Record your answers as audio files.
- Record your answers as audio files and save them to your cloud storage.
- Treat each question as you would any other task on a job, and create an organized outline for the answer. If it’s not urgent, take some time before going into the interview to jot down bullet points about what you will say.
- Bring this information with you in case you’re asked for more detail on one of your answers or if you need to offer further explanation about something said earlier in the day—or even just because it’ll help keep things fresh in your mind throughout the session!
Make a list of questions you want to ask.
- Make a list of questions you want to ask. If you don’t know anything about the job, your interviewer will be able to tell right away. Don’t worry if you feel like this is an impossible feat—questions can be found anywhere! We recommend using our handy “Questions” tab as a starting point, but also consider searching for articles or blog posts that discuss similar topics and reading through them. You may find other questions that come up naturally as part of your research process.
- Ask thoughtful questions that demonstrate special knowledge or expertise in the field, rather than just asking yes/no questions (e.g., “What are some ways I can improve my communication skills?” vs., “Am I good at communicating?”). These types of questions show that you’ve done your research and are interested in learning more about how things work at your potential company; they’ll also give you a chance to see what kinds of answers people typically receive when they ask similar ones themselves (which could help guide future interview preparation).
Type out your questions and answers in an interview doc.
In order to be prepared for the interview, it is important to have a list of questions that you would like to ask, and also a list of answers that you would like to give. You can use whatever format works best for you—a notepad or word processor will work just fine.
Practice answering difficult questions.
Practice answering difficult questions. In order to be prepared for all the possible questions you might face, practice with a friend or family member (or even in front of a mirror). The more you can get used to answering these questions out loud, the easier it will be when they come up during an interview.
Organize your portfolio of work samples.
A portfolio is a collection of your best work samples. It can include:
- Your resume, cover letter and references.
- Work samples such as reports, presentations, plans or prototypes.
- Awards, certificates or testimonials you’ve received.
It’s important to organize your portfolio so that it’s easy for the interviewer to see and read through quickly. You should also have it in an easily accessible spot because you will have to bring it with you on the interview day and show it off at some point during the interview process!
Prepare two-to-three stories that demonstrate your achievements.
This is a great way to demonstrate your skills and strengths. The best stories will be relevant to the job you’re applying for, so you should spend some time researching your company and/or industry before preparing your examples.
As you prepare these stories, think about how they’ll sound in an interview setting—they should be easy-to-follow, interesting enough to keep the interviewer’s attention but not overly long or boring. You want them to show off who you are without becoming too wordy or complicated; make sure they’re polished!
Give thought to how you want to follow up post interview.
Those who are not offered the job often feel hurt and confused. This is where you need to give thought to how you want to follow up post interview. Some options include:
- Giving a phone call asking for feedback on your interview performance or why they didn’t choose you as an employee
- Sending an email thanking them for their time and interest in speaking with you, reiterating that this was one of the most important interviews for which you’d ever prepared yourself and that if there were any additional questions or concerns about your background, please feel free to contact them at their earliest convenience
- Writing a thank-you note via snail mail—it may seem old school but it never hurts!
It’s important to prepare properly for an interview
It’s important to prepare properly for an interview. The best way to do this is through preparation, which includes research and practice. It’s best to have a plan of action from start to finish, so you know exactly what you’re doing when it comes time for the interview itself.
Research: The most important thing in preparing for an interview is researching your potential employer prior to interviewing with them. You should know as much about their company as possible before walking into that room, including what kinds of people work there, what their values are like, how long they’ve been around (and how successful), and even who their competitors are. This will help you make more informed decisions during the process of interviewing with them so that they can get a better idea of who YOU are as well!
Practice: The second step in preparing yourself for an interview is practicing answering questions in front of others (i.e., friends or family members). While it might seem silly at first glance because no one else can tell if you’re faking it until after they’ve left the room (hint: they can), being able to speak confidently about yourself on camera can be very helpful later down line when potential employers decide whether or not they want someone like YOU working with THEM every day!
Conclusion
Interviews are always stressful, but a little preparation can go a long way to help you land the job. Now that you’ve planned out your professional outfit, practiced answering tough questions, and gathered all of your work samples into one organized portfolio, it’s time to head into the interview with confidence. Remember, an interview is an opportunity for you to learn more about the company. It’s also a good time for the company to get a better idea of who you are and what you can bring to their team. Feel free to ask questions during the interview—it shows that you care about this opportunity and want to know more before deciding if it’s right for you.