Interview Time... Are You Prepared?
February 23, 2021
So you’ve landed an interview...now what?
Once you come to terms with the feelings of nervousness, excitement and anticipation you’re likely feeling, it’s time to get to work preparing for the big event!
Here are our Top 10 Interview Prep Tips to NAIL your next job interview:
RESEARCH THE COMPANY
If you’re going to work there some day, you should know a little bit about the business, right? Doing your due diligence to get to know what the company is all about before heading into an interview shows you are enthusiastic about the opportunity and can help you better showcase why YOU are the right candidate for them.
Review their website and social media accounts to take note of these key points:
- How long has the company been in business for?
- Where are they located?
- What is their value proposition?
PRO TIP: Try doing a quick Google search of the company you are interviewing with. This will show you anything posted recently by or about the company and will likely turn up some of their competitors as well, giving you a few additional talking points to touch on during your interview!
KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING
Virtual Interviews
In the midst of the global pandemic, many employers have moved to conducting virtual interviews, at least to start. These days, there are SO many different platforms available for video calling, it’s hard to keep up with them all. If you are unfamiliar with the virtual platform the interviewer has chosen to conduct the interview with, it’s a good idea to do a little research, log on and play with it a bit so you are comfortable using it prior to the interview.
Here are a few things we recommend doing to prepare for a virtual interview:
- Make sure you have downloaded the applicable app or visited the website of the virtual platform well in advance of the call. Depending on the platform, you may need to create an account in order to attend the meeting. If that is the case, you’ll be glad you logged on in advance to do it so you aren’t left scrambling to do so right before your call.
- Find a quiet place to take the call that will be free of distraction. This can be challenging, at times, but it is essential if you want the meeting to run smoothly.
- If possible, try to find somewhere the has a relatively neutral background or at minimum is neat and tidy. Somewhere with good lighting is also important to ensure your interviewer can actually SEE you. Some virtual platforms offer the option to choose a background for you, which can be a great option if you are struggling to find somewhere that doesn’t have too much going on in the background.
- Check to make sure your webcam and microphone are working properly. It’ll be hard to have an interview at all if you can’t see and/or hear one another.
Meeting people for interview in real life is a little less frequent than it was pre-pandemic, but there are still many employers that will want to meet you face to face. If you are going somewhere specific for an interview, be sure to research the location and plan your route in advance. You’ll want to know exactly how long it takes you to get there, so you can be sure to arrive on time. If the interviewer doesn’t provide it, make sure to ask WHERE to go once you arrive at the location as well. (IE: 3rd floor, main reception, etc.)
PRINT YOUR RESUME
This is one of the most common things that job seekers neglect to do and can actually prove to be extremely beneficial for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, it shows your interviewer that you are prepared. Especially in the case of in person interviews, we recommend that you actually bring 2 copies of your resume with you – 1 for your interviewer and one for yourself to follow along with throughout the interview. Most interviewers will already have a copy of your resume handy from your application, but some will expect you to bring it for them. Either way, having your resume printed and with you is always a good bet.
DRESS THE PART
Whether your interview is virtual or in-person, dressing the part is still extremely important.
The key here is to dress for your audience. Depending on the scope of the role and the company you are interviewing with, you may be fine wearing a nice polo shirt or it may be more appropriate to be wearing a suit. This is yet another reason to do that research we mentioned at the start, so you know how to make the best first impression.
ARRIVE EARLY
Another tip that is just as important for a virtual interview as an in-person meeting. Having said that, there is a fine line between arriving early for an interview and showing up too far in advance. Here’s what we recommend:
Virtual Interviews: 5-10 minutes. This will allow you the time you need to get settled in front of your webcam, make sure your microphone is working, you have a pen/paper for notes handy and just to take a breath before the interviewer joins.
In-Person: 10-15 minutes. This gives you time to find where you are going, notify them that you have arrived and for your interviewer to wrap up what they are doing and come get you all before your actual interview time begins.
These time frames are reasonable and show your interviewer that, again, you are prepared and most importantly, punctual.
KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS
One of the most commonly asked questions in an interview is: Tell me about your strengths.
Some people have no problem talking about their positive traits and for others, it can be a struggle. We recommend determining what, in your view, are your Top 3
strengths. These should be attributes that are relevant to the job you are applying for and also characteristics that you can easily provide examples for or touch on throughout your interview.
KNOW YOUR AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT
The 2nd most common interview question is: what are your weaknesses?
We prefer to think of “weaknesses” as areas of development. Not necessarily things that you are BAD at, but things you could work on or skills you could improve upon. Remember, NO ONE is perfect
– you know it, your interviewer knows it, we all know it. So, having 1 or 2 areas of development in mind that you are ready to openly discuss shows your interviewer that you are self-aware and humble.
PREPARE QUESTIONS
At the conclusion of most interviews, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. Now, there is a common misconception out there that you have to ask them SOMETHING or they’ll think poorly of you. We are hear to tell you that this is not the case.
Having said that, this is YOUR interview just as much as it is theirs. It is perfectly acceptable for you to ask your interviewer questions as well, but make sure that they are relevant and purposeful. A good best practice is to write them down. While you are conducting that research we talked about at the start, you’ll likely come across a few things that you don’t understand, are curious about or want more information on. Write them down. Don’t be afraid to bring a notepad with you to the interview either with these questions, just in case you forget.
You may find that as the interview progresses, the questions you had at the start have all been answered by the time the meeting comes to a close. This is perfectly fine. Don’t feel the need to blurt out some random question that was already answered during the interview for the sake of asking SOMETHING. Simply say “no, I think you’ve actually answered all the questions I had” and let things naturally come to a close.
PRACTICE
You know that old saying “practice makes perfect” right? Well, believe it or not, interviewing is a SKILL and, although practice may not make PERFECT in this case, it can certainly help make you much more comfortable going through the process.
You might be saying to yourself “how the heck am I supposed to PRACTICE interviewing?” Well, there are actually several ways to practice your interviewing skills! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Practice in front of the mirror. You may feel a little silly doing this at first, but practicing your interview skills in front of a mirror is extremely valuable for several reasons. It allows you to see the real image you put forward – facial expressions, body language, etc. It can also give you a ton of confidence and help to take away the awkwardness that some feel when the interview begins
- Have a friend or family member interview you. Most people have been through an interview at some point in their life and will be able to probe you with some great questions to help you prepare. This is a great way to get honest feedback on your body language and the way you answer certain questions.
- Practice on the virtual platform. Similar to the mirror exercise, this will allow you to see what your interviewer is going to see. You may find that your camera is too close, your mic is too quiet or the angle you were going to sit at cuts off part of your face. This will also help you to see how your body language is projected on camera which can be very helpful for virtual meetings.
FOLLOW UP
Whew, the interview is done….now what?
A little follow up can go a LONG way to securing that dream job you’re after! Sending your interviewer a short email
to thank them for their time and express your continued interest in the role is a small way to make a big impact. Doing so adds a nice, professional touch to the interviewing process and also serves to keep your candidacy at the forefront of their mind.
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