With the economy the way it is, many people are finding themselves laid off and looking for work. Others may have just completed their education or training, but are struggling to compete with thousands of other job seekers for the limited number of job openings out there. It definitely helps your chances to have extensive schooling, training, and experience in your chosen field, but what happens when an employer has a few prospects for an opening, and the other potential employees have the same assets that you have? This is where the interview process comes in – the interview is the deciding factor for most employers on who they will hire in the end. This is why it is so important to be completely prepared for an interview, so that you will be the person they choose to employ.
The most important thing you can do to prepare for an interview is to research the interviewing company and know what the position entails. The more familiar you are with the company’s services, policies, products, and action statement, the more promising you’ll look to the potential employer. They will be relieved that you already know the basics of the company, because that means a little less effort and training on their part, and you will also come across as being sincerely interested in obtaining a career with that particular company. When someone walks into an interview with absolutely no knowledge of the company, they give the impression of being willing to work anywhere – it doesn’t matter where – and this business just happened to be the one that asked them to come in for an interview. Employers want to hire people who are enthusiastic about working with them specifically. You should also find out beforehand what the position is, exactly. This will allow you to figure out how your assets would be used on the job, and which personal strengths you should highlight during the interview. You may have won many awards for your fantastic pumpkin pies, but if you are applying for a position in Human Resources, this is not something that the interviewer will care about.
Make a list of your most valuable strengths before the interview, and write out a list of questions that are commonly asked. This way you can practice promoting yourself and you will be able to answer the common questions more quickly and with more confidence. The interview process is very time consuming for the individuals conducting the interview, so they will appreciate direct, to-the-point answers that have already been well thought out. Some common questions in interviews, regardless of what the position is, include: Why do you want to work for our company? Tell me a little bit about yourself (this means school, training, work experience, and a little bit about your extracurricular activities/hobbies). What strengths do you think you will bring to this position? What are your weaknesses? Rehearsing your answers before the interview will decrease your chances of stuttering and stumbling over your words trying to figure out what the interviewer wants to hear.
The simplest components of preparing for a job interview are dressing appropriately, knowing where the interview will be held, arriving on time, and bringing an extra copy of your resume, cover letter, and references. Arriving to an interview with your own copy shows the employer that you are prepared, and will also help them out if you applied for the job online, or if you didn’t provide references prior to the interview. It will also help them if they simply happened to lose their copy of your resume. If they have their own copy on hand, then it will help you with questions concerning work experience and schooling, etc. – you won’t need to guess at the names of managers, phone numbers, or dates of employment for previous jobs, because you can use your resume as a reference.
Arriving on time to an interview is crucial, so you should plan your mode of transportation well ahead of time, and plan to arrive a little earlier than your interview is scheduled. Keep in mind that if you’re driving, you may need extra time to find parking, and if you’re taking the bus, take an early one in case of delays. You should also know exactly where in the building the interview will be held, or what reception desk to go to, and the name and position of the interviewer, so you know who to ask for. If you arrive too early to your appointment, wait in a restaurant, bookstore, etc. until it’s closer to the scheduled time. This way, your interviewer will not feel pressured to finish up other tasks quickly to accommodate you.
Dressing for the interview can be stressful, so plan what you will wear a couple days in advance. This gives you time to take your outfit in for alterations if needed, or time to buy a new outfit if you don’t have anything appropriate. Nothing’s worse than getting up the day of your big interview, pulling up your pants, and realizing that you’ve gained weight since the last time you wore them and they won’t zip up! Picking an outfit for an interview is fairly simple – you want to look neat, clean, and professional. For men, dress pants and a dress shirt and tie are pretty standard, although a full suit never hurts. For women, the same rule applies, but if you chose to wear a skirt, ensure that it is a business style and that it isn’t too short that it’s considered sexy. Women should also be aware of their makeup – you want to look nice, not like you’re going out for a night on the town. If you aren’t used to dressing up on a daily basis, then trying your outfit on a couple days in advance and wearing it around the house will help you to feel more comfortable and confident.
Overall, the most important aspect of going to a job interview is to be well prepared. The more prepared you are, the more professional, intelligent, and confident you will appear to your potential employer. And, when faced with similar applicants, the potential employer will always choose the individual who rocked the interview. So be prepared, and good luck!
