How to prepare for a job interview?

You’ve been invited for a job interview, congratulations! This is your one-off chance to make a great first impression. What will you say about yourself? What will you wear and what questions do you have? Well begun is half done. In this article, you’ll learn the best ways to prepare yourself for that interview you’ve coming up.

Put your investigator’s hat on

The first and perhaps most important step for any type of preparation of a job interview is finding out more about the company. Check out their website and social media channels before the interview starts. If you know the name of the interviewer, try to find them on LinkedIn and read through their page. This way, you’ll have a clear image of the company and who you’ll have in front of you.

A relevant story with a personal touch

The interviewer will be excited to hear what you’re bringing to the table as a potential employee. It’s good to decide beforehand how you will answer and what you will share about yourself. You could discuss relevant hobbies, education, work experience, personality traits, etc. You also need to decide which skills you want to highlight. Make sure the answer is relevant to the specific job. Before the interview, you could ask your family and friends to come up with the skills that they find suit you best. After all, they know you best.

Alternate a bit between work-related and personal stories to support your arguments so that the interviewer gets a clear image of your personality.

What to wear

What you’re wearing plays a big role in making a first impression. So, make sure you know your audience and dress in appropriate professional attire. Even before the interview starts, the interviewer will have an opinion based on your appearance. Of course it’s important for you to stay true to yourself, so show your best side with an outfit that matches it.

Next to clothes, posture is also an indicator for character. So, sit up straight and use your posture to help you express your interest. Be open and speak clearly and confidently.

Questions

Asking and answering questions for the basis of each job interview. Make sure you are prepared to answer difficult questions, such as:

• Why do you want to work here?
• What are some of your good and bad personality traits?
• Why are you suited for this position?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?

These are only a couple of the hundreds of difficult questions you can come across in a job interview. Consider which ones might come up and how you would answer them.

Now, you also need to prepare some questions yourself. This shows your interest in the company and the position you’re applying for. Think up some questions before the interview. Here are a couple of examples:

• How does this position fit in the team/company?
• What are the key responsibilities of this position?
• What do you think is the best part of working here?
• What steps will you be taking after this interview?

Did you prepare all of the above? Then you’re ready for your job interview. A good preparation also helps you crush your nerves and ensures you won’t get stuck during the discussion.

Finally, and possibily the most important tip: be yourself!

Disclaimer

Important! Our articles and posts on our website are intended for information purposes and are not binding. They do not constitute full legal advice and are only provided to share information about specific HR topics. The content of this article is not intended to replace binding legal advice that will apply to your specific situation.