Preparation before an interview helps you to assess yourself from an outward perspective as a candidate, to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Photo credit: Senivpetro
Summary
-
Planning for a job interview gives you the opportunity to assess your strengths and weaknesses.
-
Conducting a background research on the company is important in knowing whether the company is the right fit for you.
Preparing for a job interview gives you an opportunity to lay the blueprint for the interviewing process. It gives you insights to what may happen during the job interview. Preparation also provides the opportunity to assess yourself from an outward perspective as a candidate, to identify your strengths and weaknesses. To do so, the following are 10 things you should do before your next job interview.
1. Examine the job description and align your qualifications
Examining the job description enables you to highlight the skills you have against the skills needed. This will help you understand which skills you need to highlight, it also enables you to negate whether the job you are applying for is your fit. This will give you the confidence to walk into the interviewing room.
2. Perform a background research on the company
Before walking into the interview room, it is prudent to know your audience beforehand. This will familiarize yourself with the culture of the company, to know whether you would adapt to the company’s work ethic and environment. Consequently, knowing about the persons who will be interviewing you will offer insights to what they would be looking for in a candidate.
3. Consider your answers to common interview questions
There are various cliché interview questions that you may be asked. However, there could be no guarantee that these questions will be asked. Regardless, it would be better to be familiar with them, for example, a question such as, tell us about yourself. Also, be confident while answering these questions.
4. Conduct mock interviews
Find someone you hold in high regard, someone whom you trust to be honest, and perform a full dress interview. Prepare a set of questions related to the job you are interviewing for, and have them do a mock interview.
5. Plan the perfect interview outfit
The law of first impressions still plays a vital role to how you would be perceived. Your dressing code reveals a lot about you than you know. When deciding on the perfect outfit for an interview, research on the culture of the company to know about the right dressing code. The best advice would be, whatever your choice is, keep it simple.
6. Print out copies of your resume and prepare your reference list
Having hard copies of your resume, will give you an easier task to refer to when a question is asked. In addition, printing them beforehand would show your preparedness.
7. Practice interview etiquette
You should watch your body language and facial expressions. Your body language should align with whatever you are saying. It is advisable to shake hands firmly, make eye contact as you articulate your points, pay attention to details and above all greet interviewers before they greet you.
8. Find out the type of interview you will be going on
There are various modes of job interviewing that you may be subjected to, and it would be proper for you as a candidate to research on which type a company would use, then prepare for it.
9. Get the right directions and time for the interview
For every job interview you should be punctual. The only way you would be punctual is by knowing the venue and time of the scheduled interview, and showing up at least thirty minutes before the scheduled time.
10. Have plenty of sleep.
After all is said and done, nothing eases tension better than a good sleep as you await for your big day.
