How to Prepare for an Interview?
Preparing for an important interview can make anybody feel nervous. There is a lot at stake and we all want to make a good first impression. The most important thing in an interview is always going to be your dedication and the passion that you have for your work which will always shine on its own. There are some things, however, that you can do to make sure that shine sticks with them. Let us tell you 5 secret ingredients to prepare for an interview: How to Prepare for an Interview
Interview Preparation | Interview Preparation Course
1- Job Description
While you are preparing for your interview, you should use the job description that was put up by the interviewer as a map. Look at their requirements and their expectations so that you can remember to put related points and experience about yourself. The more you align with the description, the more you will know if this is a good fit for you and so will the interviewer. This can also help you keep in mind some questions if you have any during your interview.
Interview Preparation | Interview Preparation Course
2- Background Check
You weren’t about to walk into an interview without knowing anything about the other person, were you? Background checks are always important. You can do so by looking at the company’s website, their social media platforms and other online mentions of the company. This will make you feel calm as you will know the type of people who are interviewing you and what they want. Here’s what you should include in a background check:
- The product or service provided by the company
- The role that you are being offered at the firm
- The culture of the company, whether it’s formal or laid back
This will not only help you in the interview but will also let you know if it’s a good fit for you.
Interview Preparation | Interview Preparation Course
3- Lookup Mock interview question
This is a trial for yourself. You can ask a friend to use these and ask you questions so that you get in the headspace of an interview and know what to do. You can do this according to specific job roles. Suppose you are interviewing for a finance firm, they’re not going to ask you if you can use social media or if you can draw. Focus on why you’re a valid candidate and how you can show that to them. You should be able to answer questions like
- Why do you want to work here?
- What interests you about this job?
- Mention your strengths?
- In your eyes, what are your weaknesses?
- Why should we pick you over the other candidates?
- What is it that you will bring to this firm?
There is no wrong answer to these questions and they don’t have to be genius. You just need to know what you want. Which is why you prepare beforehand for an interview! How to Prepare for an Interview
Interview Preparation | Interview Preparation Course
4- Dress to impress
It is your qualities that matter, yes, but if you wow them as soon as you walk in through the door, you already have a win. Dressing up professionally is not too complex and it shows that you care about this job enough to put on those work shoes that aren’t that comfortable to walk in. If you’re confused about what to wear then we can help you find your style as well!
Interview Preparation | Interview Preparation Course
5- Be prepared for anything
Having good grades isn’t going to cut it anymore, you need to wow them. You need to show them that you’re always prepared. Couple of things that you can do to ensure that it gets there on time. Have extra hard copies of your resume and your passport size picture on you. Keeping a pen, a notepad, and glue won’t hurt either. You can go in there blazing with everything that they need.
Do they need to look up your resume on the PC? No worries, you have a copy for them. You will get some out of the box questions too like, where do you go to relax? You don’t have to sound genius and say “I go to the library” they just want to know who you are. If you’re honest with them, they will know and appreciate it. You will look more like a human to them and less like a paper with good qualifications. Be more than that paper. Interview Preparation | Interview Preparation Course
You have this one interview but the person who is interviewing you had to meet 10 or more people after you. How will you stand apart from the rest of the candidates? By being yourself. There is only one you and you should focus on letting them know who that person is. If you do that, they will remember you. They will remember what you stand for and they will know that you’re a good fit for their firm or not as soon as the interview is over. So breathe and be yourself!
A blog by Stuti from Team PAX