30 Tips to Help You Prepare For Your Interview Success
Preparing for your interview nowadays requires more than the search of “common interview questions” or breezing through Glass-Door on what previous employees and interviewees have to say. You need to make the right impressions from the start of the initial email communication all the way through the last interview. To help you prepare and understand, I have compiled 30 interview tips to help you with this…
Hope you enjoy the read!
1) Always Dress To Impress
I’m old school, and I absolutely believe simple is best. You should have your signature “interview suit,” your suit show be a black suit with a white top. Again, I believe in simplicity. You can absolutely play with color but just make sure it’s something dark like Navy. I don’t believe in patterns for interviewing. Again first impressions are important, and you need to show them. You can add a little flare with some dainty jewelry but please don’t go overboard.
Prep your interview suit by taking it to the cleaners in the beginning stages when you’re applying to jobs. This way you’re not in a crunch to have your outfit pressed and neat. I defiantly suggest one from amazon, they have great quality suits and are honestly so affordable! I own this one and it was less than $40!! (Mind- Blown). Here’s the suit I own.
2) Pamper Yourself
When you feel good, you show it on the outside. Schedule that appointment for your haircut and blowout. Getting your nails done, looking put together, and feeling good about it helps boost your confidence level. Also, this again helps with your overall first impression. The employer will see that you are put together.
And hey- if you want to shop for that new power suit or briefcase/purse go for it.
3) Reflect On Your Skills
Remember you as a job seeker are a brand. You’re there to show the company why they need you. You’re there to help the employer solve their need. It’s important to reflect on your skills and accomplishments so you are prepared for what you’re going to share with them.
4) Research The Company
No, really research the company. This isn’t just browsing through their website. This is knowing specific facts about their company and mission. Is there something that they’ve done recently that there are press releases on? What’s their mission statement, through your research on google how do you see them achieving this? Knowing the company in depth helps you connect better in your interview process and know exactly how you should approach them.
5) Search The Company On Social Media
This is important and goes beyond the google general search. Take a look at their LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. Look into their brand and what type of content they have. Who engages with them? This Will help you again see the employer in a different light and help you establish what they do. You can even bring this up in your interview. Tell them about the post you saw and what you think of it (it’s a great way to engage)
6) Research Your Interviewer
Understand who is the person that’s interviewing and research them. You’re researching them to understand their background, their growth, and the impact that they have. This also gives you a glimpse as to who they are and potentially from a personality standpoint that you can expect from them.
7) Prepare Your Questions
Prepare questions for each person that is interviewing you. They should be slightly different based on the interview. You can ask them questions pertaining to growth within the company, their experience in the company, etc. But just make sure to ask at least 3 questions.
8) Ask The Recruiter About Interview Structure
If you are initially set up for your interview by a recruiter, ask them if they can provide you with some insight on the structure of your interview. They might be able to elaborate if they know the interviewer’s interview style, flow, length of time of the interview, etc. This can help you understand the flow of the interview and how you should prepare.
9) For Video Interviews- Prep Your Equipment
SO important. Listen, we hate those days of technical difficulties because this causes nervousness. It’s best to log into the software the day before to make sure your camera works, the background is clean, that the lighting is good. Checking this the day before helps you log into the software on time and avoid any last-minute issues that can occur.
10) Prep Your Response For “Tell Me About Yourself”
This is literally a given. Practice this response, literally all employers ask this in some form of way. Know exactly what you’re going to say. This is your “pitch” to tell them about your skills, abilities, and what specialties you have that is a necessary need.
Oh and BTW, if you need some extra help! Check out my Freebie below. (My most successful clients landed incredible opportunities after downloading it!)
11) Prep Your Response For “What Is Your Biggest Weakness”
This question is often not answered with much thought, but it should be. Your biggest weakness should be something that you can end stating a positive out of it. Employers will like to see that your weakness is something that you have worked on and you recognize it. So if your biggest weakness is time management, stating your story on time management with then ending with now I find it though much easier to manage a schedule because I time to block all my meetings show a well thought out and the responsible side that employers like to see.
12) Prep Your Response For “What Is Your Greatest Strength”
Just like your weakness, your greatest strengths should be thought out as well. Prepare at least 3 they might ask for more than one. These strengths should be skills that can be beneficial to the role. Organizational, Leadership, Time Management, etc. Look at the posting to see which skills seem to be the best fit, relate them to yourself, and use them to your advantage during your interview.
13) Prep To Answer Why You’re Interested in the Role/Leaving Your Current One
Establish your purpose behind hunting for a new opportunity. Is it growth? Think about also what motivates you, maybe you want to work in that role/company because they are a fast-paced environment and that is something you thrive off of.
14) Practice Makes Perfect
Take the time to search for common interview questions and then establish your thought-out response. Put the main points on a sticky note and practice it as if you were in the interview. You can even use your phone or computer to film yourself while you state it so you can verify your facial expressions, posture, etc. Can’t film? Then try looking into a mirror while you practice instead.
15) Grab someone to practice with
I find that there is so much more progress when you can also take a friend or family member for an hour or two and practice. Give them the list of the questions and respond to them like you are in the face-to-face interview. Sometimes practicing a question a few times before you get it right can really help when you have to do the real thing.
16) Prep Your Bag
Get your bag ready with your necessary items. Folder with your resumes, gum, mints, pen, notebook. Make sure it’s only the necessary things that you need for that day. You don’t need to carry the extra for no reason, you want to be polished and prepared.
17) Always Bring More Than 1 Copy of Your Resume
You never know what will happen once you walk in the door. Things may be going so smoothly that they want you to meet with other people right away. Or there is just a shift in their interview process. Have a minimum of 3 a maximum of 5 copies of your resume on hand in case you stumble upon this situation.
18) Study Your Posture
Study your posture by observing this in the mirror while you’re practicing, better yet have someone else study you also. They might be able to see what our eyes normally don’t. Posture is everything you want to have the right eye contact and body movements throughout your interview.
19) Be Mindful of Interview Engagement
How you engage during an interview is very important. You want to make sure you are mentally aware throughout the whole interview you need to look interested, pay attention, and make eye contact. If you show any signs of disinterest the employer will decide that this may not be the job for you.
20) Revisit Your Accomplishments
Think of your accomplishments and the successes that you have yielded. If you can speak to it with quantifying metrics like percentages, or any form of number this will help your interviewer understand how successful you truly are with being aware of what you are capable of.
21) Prepare For The Salary Question
The dreadful what is your expected salary? Prepare your negotiation strategy, if you don’t have one you’ll want to look into this prior. If you're on a time crunch I get it, at least research the average paid salary for this position so if they ask you then your response will match their needs. Also, make sure you know exactly what you will not accept. Never go for a position that will not pay what you feel your value is based on your current salary and experience.
22) Visit the Interview Location
You never know what can happen on the day of, even if you leave really early. If this is an in-person interview then take some time before the date of your interview to visit the location, drive there to see the distance to make sure that your travel there will be smooth. If you can’t due to whatever circumstances an alternative would be to go on google maps and see if you can get an idea of your route, the looks on the location, etc.
23) What Are You Afraid of Being Asked?
Think of if there could be any question or situation that comes up that may bring in some nerves. Addressing this before your interview will be helpful. Practice your response to this more than the other questions until you feel comfortable. It’s better to be prepared and have an idea of what you would say versus not addressing it at all.
24) Prepare Your Mind
I get how nervous interviewing can be, even the day of. Before going to sleep dive into practices that help you get in the right mental space. This could be meditation, journaling, or somewhere peaceful, and inspiring. Imagine yourself interviewing yourself going through the process, each moment. Picture what you desire your goals, your dreams. Take the time to reflect on everything go to bed looking forward to that new day. This is a great way to just end the day in general on a positive note to avoid nerves.
25) Have Real Life Responses
You want to make sure you’re backing up each response with something that shows proof. Like if you state you lead your team, what did you lead them to do? Having a situation response to back up your answers makes it realistic (quantifiable numbers is another way) but not every response and individual experience will be quantifiable.
26) Arrive Early, But Not Too Early
Don’t make the mistake of getting there too early. 10-15 mins before your interview time are perfect. It’s professional and still gives you a little time to wait to look at your resume in the waiting room etc. Arriving any earlier than this can hurt you, employers have you on schedule and if they feel like they are being interrupted by their schedule time or that they have you waiting for too long just because of this, it doesn’t come off right.
27) Ask 3 Questions
At the end of your interview, they will always give you the opportunity to ask questions. Never say that you don’t have any questions for them. Always ask something. This could be about growth opportunities, based on your research on the company, or anything you want to learn. Asking questions shows interest and engagement.
28) Send A Thank You Note
A really well-thought-out and written thank you note goes a long way, and can even be the reason you get hired. Having a thank you note sent to each person you interviewed with shows that you have a desire and interest for the company and you have reflected upon the interview process.
29) Follow Up If Needed
If the employer doesn’t provide you a date or doesn’t contact you on the date they advised it’s perfectly okay to follow up. Sometimes they forget and hiring gets pushed back so this helps you have an idea of where you stand.
30) Always Look For New Opportunities
Never rely on one interview to make it or break it. You want to have the mindset of yourself interviewing and applying until you receive that final offer. Not getting stuck on one interview will help you have the mentality to keep bringing in more. More means, more offers, more opportunities, and room to negotiate. Never stop the drive to aim for your next opportunity. Keep going, learn from each interview, and never stop until you achieve what you desire.
