Whether you've had five jobs or are preparing for your first one, the interview process always seems so stressful. Many people become anxious, which causes them to forget something, but have no fear! Today, I'll be sharing my tips and tricks regarding interview preparation.
Organization is Key
Sure, it may be easy to upload your resume to a website and just send it off to multiple companies, but it's important that you take note of the places you apply to. If someone calls you regarding your application, it would be nice to have some key information at hand so you know what they're talking about. After all, you don't want to sit there and think, "Uhh...which job is this again?" Personally, I like to keep information in a notebook and give each company it's own page. On the page, I list the following:
Name of company
Company's location
Position applied for
Notes about company/position that were listed in posting
Any follow up information (i.e. calls received (including date and time), name of person who called, any contact information, possible interview dates, etc.)
Do Your Research
Great! You've landed an interview with a company and your interview is in a couple of days. Now what? Whatever you do, never, ever, ever, ever think you can just "wing it!" Sure, spontaneity can be a great thing, but you do want to be prepared for the interview. First of all, do some research on the company that you'll be interviewing with. The management team, or whoever will be interviewing you, may ask you, "Why(insert company's name here)? Why do you want to work for us?" Find something that genuinely and sincerely draws you to them. What makes them stand out compared to other places you applied to? Knowing about the company will be impressive to your interviewer(s).
In addition, think about questions that the company might ask you. Some common questions include the following:
Tell us about yourself. (Not a question, but it's the first thing that they'll have you do.)
What's your greatest weakness?
What skill sets can you bring to our company?
When thinking about how you're going to answer these questions, be careful to not be too cliche. For example, when they ask you, "What's your greatest weakness?" don't say, "I'm too much of a hard worker. Once I get started on a project, I have a hard time stopping." Interviewers are aware of this little trick. Instead, be honest. What is your weakness? Don't just end there, though. Explain to them how you're going to work on that weakness and better yourself.
Touch Up
First of all, get to your interview site 10-15 minutes early. The last thing you want to do is panic over tardiness. It's also not a good impression to leave your interviewers with. Have a seat, take some deep breaths to calm your nerves, and take the time to assess yourself before the interview. Use this time to check your hair and makeup. Pop some mints in your mouth, especially if you just had coffee (do not use gum). If you're hands are cold, go to the restroom and rinse your hands under warm water (you don't want your hands to be cold when you give a handshake, as it is a symptom of anxiety and tends to put people off). Five minutes before, your interview time, let someone at the front desk know that you're there, so that they can let whomever is interviewing you know.
Be Yourself
Yes, you want to impress this company, but you don't always have to be so prim and proper. Have a sense of humor! Interviewers can tell when you're relaxed or not. It all shows in your body language and tone of voice. It's okay to laugh every now and then; it's actually quite charming. Set your best foot forward and bring your personality to the table. After all, if you land the job, you'll be working with these people, and they're going to realize how you really are. Why not show them what you've got during the interview? Again, don't be so cliche with your answers; interviewers can tell if it's really you who's giving them the answers or your anxious self giving answers that you think they want to hear. If you don't know an answer to a question, be honest and truthful. If it's an open ended question that you're having difficulty with, tell them, "That's a good question. I haven't thought about that, but it's something I'll ponder about." Remember, no one is perfect, not even your interviewers. So, relax, take your time when answering questions, and just. be. you.
Well, I hope these were helpful tips in regards to preparing for an interview. If there is anything else you'd like to know, leave a comment below. Are there any other things that you like to do before an interview? Let me know!
In Words, With Love,
Vanessa Mae
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