4 Interview Prep Tips You Can’t Afford To Skip

An interview can be extremely nerve-racking. Why? Because you’re simply being judged. The fate of your future relies on how you come across to an employer/interviewee.

You may have spent months on your job search to get an interview so it’s important you don’t mess up by not preparing enough.

There are so many interview prep tips out there; let’s cover the most important four.

1 – Being Nervous Is Good, But Being Too Nervous Isn’t

You need to relax as much as possible (easier said than done) and take a confident approach, being a nervous wreck doesn’t show the interviewee your true personality.

On the other hand, there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance so be careful, think what you’re saying and don’t be too be too confident as its irritating and cocky. Try and answer questions honestly and be yourself (you’ll hear that a lot), don’t be too robotic.

2 – You Need To Prepare For Those Questions That Always Come Up

For example, why do you want the job? Why are you a suitable candidate for this vacancy? What are your strengths/weaknesses? What skills do you have that correspond with this vacancy? The day before the interview, get the pen and pad out and thoroughly prepare answers to these questions.

It’s also vital you know your CV inside out, you should be able to discuss everything that appears on it in detail. Ideally you should know it off by heart and be able to go through it without even having it in front of you. This portrays sharpness, honesty, and professionalism to the interviewer.

3 – Do Some Background Research On The Company

Common interview questions employers like to ask are, “What do you know about the company?” or, “What do you know about this particular role?” Having a good background on the company lets them know how enthusiastic you are and how keen you are to get the placement.

Being able to talk about your knowledge of the company and the role in particular will impress the interviewee and could give you competitive edge over other applicants. Ideally you should have knowledge on the company’s history, all aspects of the role, problems encountered with the role, etc.

4 – Lastly, Your Manners Are Essential

Greet with a smile and a firm hand shake, sit down when you’re told to, don’t slouch, speak directly and clearly, make eye contact, but not too much eye contact, thank the interviewee for the opportunity, even if you feel the interview went bad, and be sure to share a few jokes as a sense of humor is essential to your likeability factor.

As obvious as these tips are, they are also the most commonly forgotten. Remind yourself of these before every interview, or you could risk ruining the opportunity to land the job!