5 Things You Need To Know About Job Interviews To Succeed
With just 7 seconds to make a strong first impression, coming prepared is your key to showing your best self in a job interview. Interviewers want to see people who are confident in their body language, speech, and handshakes. Confidence, more often than not, comes from careful preparation. What can you do to be as ready as can be for your upcoming job interview?
With so much at stake, it is important to apply the best principles in your job interview. Here are 5 tips on what you can do before a job interview to be best prepared to make a solid first impression and land the job.
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1 | Always Come With Questions
No matter your understanding or interest level in the company or position, you should always come to an interview with a list of questions prepared for the interviewer(s). This shows that you understand the role enough to know what questions to ask. You’d be surprised how many people come into interviews without preparing as they should.
Educated, thought-provoking questions will have an impact on your interviewer that will keep you at the forefront of their mind during the hiring process. Be willing to think outside the box as to what is most important to you. If you need help brainstorming, there as some great interview questions below.
Here are some example questions to ask in an interview:
What skills does a candidate need to perform well in this role?
What training opportunities do you offer to employees?
How does the company evaluate the performance of employees?
Where do you see the company going in the next three to five years?
What is the most exciting part about working in this role?
What is a typical career path for someone working in this position?
How would you describe the company culture?
Be sure to use these questions in your interview if they are things that you genuinely wonder about. Here you can find additional questions to ask (and additional interview tips). If none of these questions are of interest to you, then brainstorm some other ideas for things you want to know about the company. Questions are a great way to show your interest in the role. Good questions are the keystone of a good interview, so be sure that you come prepared!
2 | Make A List Of Your Strengths
Oftentimes an employer will ask you about your strengths and weaknesses. Having preparation for these questions will help you avoid having to improvise. Draw up a list of all your strengths before you go into your interview. Think through which ones are most important to you. Then analyze which strengths would be most valuable to an employer. Find a balance between what you find significant and what you think an employer would find significant. This will show that you are genuine and not just giving an answer to please your interviewer. Coming prepared with your strengths in your back pocket will ensure that you are ready for the typical interview questions thrown at you.
3 | Prepare A Response For “Tell Me About Yourself”
Another incredibly common interview question is: Tell me about yourself. This question is typically used at the beginning of an interview and is one that can show a lot about your preparation. If you haven’t thought through this question, then do so now! Keep your answer brief and to the point. This question will come at the beginning of your interview and will set the tone for the rest of your interview. So, practice a response so that you are prepared to give a confident, creative, and concise answer.
4 | Use The STAR Method
Employers love candidates (and better yet, employees) who can organize their thoughts. Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) ensures that your thoughts are well constructed and thought out. With this method, you walk through past work experiences by explaining the situation, describing the task you were given, illustrating the action you took, and then specifying what results came from your action.
The STAR Method is a powerful way to illustrate your value to an employer in a number of ways. It shows that you are a strong communicator who is able to organize your thoughts and explain a story clearly. This method shows that you can act on an issue or work towards a goal and generate results. Employers want employees who lead to results. Mastering the STAR Method is key to being a successful interviewee.
5 | Research The Company And The Interviewer
Almost half of all candidates don’t succeed in the job interview because they don’t have enough information about the company. In other words, half the people interviewing for a position will know little to nothing about the company. You can quickly set yourself apart from half of the candidates by knowing about the company you are applying for.
Have a job interview at Google? Take a look at their LinkedIn page as well as their website to get a better feel for the company, their values, and what they find important. Understand the company lingo from their website and consider using this in your interview.
It is also wise to check out who will be interviewing you. Look over their LinkedIn profile to gain a little familiarity with who you will be meeting. This shows your interviewer that you care about them, which probably means you care about the job! It can also make for an icebreaker or conversation topic if you need it during your interview. People want to hire people they like. Natural conversations are a great way to build trust and a relationship with your interviewer.
Closing Thoughts
Taking these 5 steps is crucial to your success in interviews. Do your homework and get prepared before your interview. The payoff will likely be tremendous. Putting in the time to do your job interview the right way will result in you getting the job. Hopefully, these tips will help you prepare as you work on landing your next gig. Good luck!
Author Profile: Marcus Ralph
Marcus is a writer who specializes in topics surrounding business, career building, and succeeding in the workplace. He is a passionate learner and loves to enable people to elevate their abilities and capacity.
