You got this.
How many times have you said that to yourself in front of a mirror before your big interview? There’s no doubt about it, interviews can be really intimidating and uncomfortable. The good news is, even the most nervous can do a great job at their interview. It just takes some preparation and practice.
The more prepared you are, the more confident you are. I’ve prepared some tips for you to be able to show your best self in a job interview, so you can really shine!
1. Ask Questions Before Your Interview
Your interview could be with one person, or it could be with five. There are several interview types that could get thrown at you. It is perfectly acceptable to ask ahead to know what type of interview you will having. Feel free to ask how many people would be attending the interview and if there will be any sort of testing. Knowing ahead of time will allow you to fully prepare without being thrown off.
2. Familiarize Yourself With Your Resume
How could you possibly forget what’s on your resume? After all, you wrote it! Think again. When you’re nervous, it’s easy to make simple mistakes. Employers may use your resume as a guideline when asking questions. Be familiar with timelines, job descriptions and anything else you listed. The last thing you want to do is stammer on something you should know like the back of your hand.
3. Research Common Interview Questions – The Kind That Expect You Go Into Detail, And
Then Do Some Role Play
This is one people usually avoid doing because it can feel unnatural and uncomfortable. Researching questions isn’t the most difficult part of this task, but it’s so important. Consider questions such as, “You have a lot of experience with ______. Can you give me an example of your best experience with this?” Or, “Can you tell me about one of your greatest career achievements and why this was so special for you?”. Consider broad questions and write down your answer. If you have any career gaps or situations on
your resume an employer may question, make sure you prepare an answer for that as well. Call a friend or someone who has experience interviewing potential employees and ask them to ask you the questions you prepared (maybe have them throw in a few curve balls as well) and answer them as you would in the interview. You feel so much more prepared going into the interview by doing this.
4. Consider Various Milestones And Achievements In Your Career That You Can Use As
Examples
Employers will expect you apply scenarios from previous experience as a reference. It gives them a chance to understand how you think, process and deal with specific situations. So, you really want to be able to recall on the best of the best. Consider at least 5-6 winning situations, along with a few negative situations that you have been able to turn around. If you are having a hard time thinking of some, contact a former colleague and ask them if they remember any situations that you really pulled through on. Practice explaining them out loud so that are carved in your mind and you can use them when a question is relevant.
5. Don’t Forget Appearance And Nervous Tendencies
Your mannerisms and appearance count for a lot. Take an extra effort to look your best. Iron your shirt, ensure dresses and skirts are an appropriate length, sunglasses are out of sight, hair is tidy, and shirts are tucked in. When you sit down in the hot, consider any nervous tendencies you have. Do you shift in your chair, fidget or maybe come across as dismissive? Make sure you identify these beforehand, so you catch yourself before you do any of them during your interview.
Follow these tips and make yourself accountable to prepare for your interview and you feel more confident and comfortable.