8 Ways to Prepare Yourself For a Job Interview

8 Ways to Prepare Yourself For a Job Interview 8 Ways to Prepare Yourself For a Job Interview Do you have an upcoming job interview? You want to make a great first impression. Show the hiring manager or recruiter that you have the experience and skill to do the job. There are some things you can do to prepare yourself for before the interview. Here are eight ways to ensure you are as ready as you could ever be. 1. Read the job description thoroughly One of the most important parts of preparing yourself for an interview is taking the time to read the job posting thoroughly. Think about what the company is looking or and who their ideal candidate would be. Take note of all the skills, qualities and requirements for the job. Make a list of them. Knowing what the company wants is beneficial to you because you also know the skills you have that match up with the requirements in the job description and you can highlight them during your interview. 2. Match up your skills Once you have listed the qualifications and requirements necessary in the job description, you can make a list of the qualities that you have, that match up with the job. Add them to your resume. You can bring up these matching skills when the employer asks, “why do you think you are a great fit for this role?” Making a list of your matching skills will help you during an interview because you will know off hand, precisely what skills and qualities that you possess that make you the best fit for the position. 3. Research the company Researching the company and finding out as much as you can about the job, is a critical part of the interview. One of the most common interview questions is “what do you know about this industry/company?” Not only will you have an answer to that questions but you will also get to learn more about the company and the culture and can determine if you are a good fit. To find out more about the company, you can go to the corporations “About Us” page on their website. You can also use sites like Glassdoor to find employee reviews and comments about the pros and cons of the working there. You can also tap into your LinkedIn network, see if any of your connections currently or have previously worked for the company. If so, Great! You can reach out to them for interview tips to give you an edge over other candidates. 4. Practice interview questions Take some time to learn and jot down some of the most common interview questions are and practice answering them. Ask a friend or family member to role play the interview with you. Practicing questions will help you get comfortable answering interview questions. After learning more about the company and some typical interview questions, try to think of some questions the interviewer may ask, that are specific to the company. Jot down 2-3 questions that you would like to ask the interviewer too. 5. Pick out an outfit Don’t wait until the morning of your interview to get your outfit ready. Go through your closet, pick out an outfit fit for a great first impression. Dress for success. For a professional position, dress in Business attire. For a more relaxed role, dress business casual. Make sure your outfit is cleaned and ironed too. You don’t want any last minute mishaps in the morning, that could put you off schedule for your interview. Make sure you wear nice shoes that go with your outfit also. 6. Check the traffic and weather You want to make sure you check the weather forecast the night before your interview. You don’t want to walk into your meeting with your hair ruined and clothes dripping because you didn’t know you’d need an umbrella. Also, check the traffic and weather forecast in the morning before your interview. This allows for you to plan to leave on time. If there are any traffic or weather-related delays, you want to prepare to go a bit earlier to get to your interview at a decent time. 7. What to bring with you Bring a winning mindset and folder or portfolio with a copy of your resume, list of references, a list of questions to ask the interviewer and a pen. These things are important because it shows you came prepared. Do not bring your cell phone, or at least turn it off and have it away during your interview, HAHA. Some other things you do not want to bring with you are gum, coffee, and water bottles. 8. Get Directions Knowing where you’re going and how long it will take to get there is vital! You want to know this ahead of time, not the day of your interview. Use an app like google maps or Waze. If you have a GPS, use that. Make sure you have a couple of different routes on hand, in case of a traffic jam. Do a practice run, a couple of days before your interview. That way you are 100% sure of where you are going, the travel time and checking on parking if necessary. Don’t forget to plan to get there a bit early. Why is interview prep so important? Getting ready for an interview can be stressful if you are rushing to do everything on the morning of the interview and are not prepared. Following these interview preparation guidelines, will help you regain your interview mojo because you will be able to keep organized and plan accordingly, ahead of time. This way you make it to your interview prepared, confident, on time and ready to ask and answer questions.