Landing a positive impression in a job interview is one of the best ways to increase your chances of landing a job. A good job interview not only demonstrates that you’re a strong candidate for the position but also shows you have great communication skills. Interviews don’t just judge your professional abilities. They also care about how confident you are and whether you invested the effort to prepare for the interview. So, you absolutely should prepare for your next interview to ensure you land that position.
The following 8 tips will dramatically improve your interviews.
1. Analyze your Job description very carefully
Read and analyze your job description multiple times. You should know everything in the job description, especially what skills, qualifications, and experiences the employer wants. The job description also reveals what the employer values the most from potential employees.
You should use all of that information when preparing for your interview. In the Interviewer will expect you to know everything in the job description. They’ll also quiz you on it to see how closely you read instructions.
2. Research the company, job, and role
The research will help you better understand the company, why they’re hiring for this role, and what they expect from a candidate. You’ll have a much easier time speaking to the interviewer once you’re armed with this knowledge.
In fact, you’ll even have the edge over your competitors because the interviewer will interpret your knowledge of the company as evidence of interest. They’ll take that as a positive sign that you’re interested in the job and willing to exert effort to get it.
Specifically, you want to familiarize yourself with the company, their main products, their recent history, and why they need someone for this role.
3. Prepare for the generic questions
You can’t predict every question in an interview, but you’re almost guaranteed to be asked the most common interview questions. It’s almost customary to ask questions like, “Why do you want to work with us?”, “What do you like about this role?” or “ What are your greatest strengths?”.
These questions aren’t the most interesting, but you should still prepare responses beforehand. Think deeply about why you want to work for this company, why you want this role, and what your greatest strengths are. These generic questions will be a walk in the park for you afterward.
4. Practice your tone and body language
Did you know that at least 55% of human communication is non-verbal? That means an interview is just as focused on your body language as they are on what you say, if not more so. You can take advantage of this fact by projecting strong and confident body language.
You can do that by sitting straight, not fidgeting, and maintaining direct eye contact with your interviewer. Practice interviews with friends and family a few times or practice in front of a mirror if confident body language doesn’t naturally come to you.
5. Have practical but polite questions for the interviewer
Modern interviews are rarely one-sided. Interviewers appreciate it when candidates pose thought-provoking and relevant questions. You should ask questions about both your intended role and the company.
For example, you could ask the interviewer something like, “What does a normal day look like for the person in this position?” or “ What type of work culture do you have?”. These questions demonstrate your seriousness for the position and that you’re interested in the company.
6. Have Mock Interviews
Being good at interviews is a skill like any other, so the best way to develop it is via practice. No matter how good you feel you are at interviews, you should still have mock interviews beforehand just in case.
Mock interviews are excellent for identifying your weaknesses and making you more comfortable with being interviewed. They are especially great if you suffer from social anxiety or stress and will help you become more confident.
7. Have your resume printed (Just in case)
While, yes, nowadays, everyone uses digital copies of your resume, it’s still good to have a printed copy to have easy access to it during the interview. It’s very common to discuss your resume during a job interview, so having a printed copy with you makes things easier.
Bringing your CV to the interview also gives a very positive impression about you since it demonstrates that you’re prepared. You should bring multiple copies of your resume to the interview so that both you and the interviewer have a copy.
8. Be very familiar with your resume
You should be as familiar with your resume as you are with the job description. It’s extremely normal for employers to quiz you regarding your resume. So, you don’t want to feel awkward when the interviewer asks about a gap in your employment, and you don’t even remember putting that there.
Read: How To Tell Your Career Story
Read your resume multiple times and remember everything you’ve written on it. Also, think about which items an interviewer is most likely to draw attention to, like a gap in your employment history.
Wrapping everything up, the best way to prepare for a good job interview is to know yourself and know the company you’re applying to. Do your research, practice beforehand, and make sure you haven’t overlooked anything in your job interview or your resume, and you’ll do great!