You’ve done your networking, written and sent off a polished resume, and have finally heard back from a recruiter or hiring manager. You’ve been called in for an interview. Congratulations! Now, it’s time to take the next steps to seal the big deal and really impress during that first in-person meeting.
Do you feel ready to make a great impression and sell your best assets in an interview? Just in case you could use a little extra preparation, we’ve got some friendly advice to help candidates get ready. Experts agree that you’ll do best in an interview when you go in prepared and confident. Read on for a list of tips that will help you to be sure you’ve thought about the upcoming interview process and know how best to prepare.
1) Play up your strengths. Yes, we’re going to start with the most obvious sounding tip, just to get this out on the table immediately. We know that some of you are shy about talking up your accomplishments. Maybe you’re an independent self-starter that expects your work to speak for itself. Or, maybe you think that exercising restraint shows humility and keeps you from sounding like a bragging blowhard. Really, just get rid of those ideas right now! People can’t read your mind, and likely won’t know much about your professional history unless you tell them about yourself. So think about your three best qualities in the workplace and find at least two great examples of a success you’ve had, memorize those and come up with a great elevator pitch. Also, be prepared to elaborate if necessary.
2) Practice your interview skills and get feedback. There are options for this: The standard practice session in the mirror is a pretty good start. Answering questions from friends to hone your conversational skills is better. You best option might even be to videotape your practice interview. Watch it to spot nervous habits that you can avoid falling into during the actual meeting. This might sound like funny advice, but some employers are now asking potential candidates to participate in Skype interviews. Use this technique to get comfortable being looked at and to become more self aware.
3) Research your company. A little advance knowledge is going to boost your confidence by reducing the unknown factor. You’ll be able to ask intelligent questions during the interview, and immediately sound more prepared and serious – which will seriously impress an experienced interviewer, who’ll immediately know you did your homework.
4) Don’t be shy about asking for additional info about how to prepare for the interview. You’ll come off as a thorough, responsible person who doesn’t want to waste anyone’s time. Ask if there will be a panel interview, how long you should anticipate being on site, and if there are a series of interviews involved in the process. Ask if you can bring any materials – such as additional copies of your resume, portfolio or other info – to help out your interviewer.
5) Review the job listing. You’ll be able to highlight your prior experience that matches the required criteria, and anticipate any potential objections regarding your qualifications. In fact, you’ll want to be able to anticipate and highlight your skills in these major areas: Technical skills, interpersonal skills and transferable skills (anything that might have prepared you to make the transition).
6) Turn off your phone before you go in. Really, you’d be surprised how many people in our distracted BYOD culture have lost touch with the reality that many people still expect you to pay attention to them during a conversation. We may all be texting at dinner with friends, checking work emails during time with our family or checking Facebook while watching a movie with a date, but it’s still bad form to interrupt your job interview with a ringing phone or to glance at an incoming email. Don’t check the time, either. Make some eye contact instead and really engage the person by listening. Being in the moment will automatically impress by making you seem more thoughtful and confident.
7) Plan to relax and communicate. Warm, friendly and confident always wins out over cold, antsy and technically superior. You want people to like you, and most importantly to feel as though they can work with you on an everyday basis. Also, be prepared to interview with someone who doesn’t have the same area (or any) tech expertise that you do. Use good interpersonal skills to show that you can work with people from other departments and clients when needed.
8) Don’t forget the everyday basics. Have you mapped out the best route to the interview? Done a dry run during the traffic hour to know how much time it will take to get there? Also, you’ll want to pack up your materials (info, copies of portfolio) to be sure you already have everything. Get your dry cleaning done the week before. Pack snacks to eat before the interview if you’ll be waiting. You don’t want to be tired, hungry, distracted, unprepared, cranky, stressed, or find that your best interview suit is dirty on the day of, or even the night before. Details ALWAYS matter.
Bonus tip: We found more great advice for IT people on how to prepare for a technical interview, even with people who don’t speak tech. Check it out for more great info – then be sure to contact Market Street Talent. Send us your resume, and we can help you find the right opportunities and a chance to land an interview for a great position!