You did the hard work of polishing your resume, applying to new jobs, and now you’ve been asked to come in for a job interview. Congrats!
So now the question is: how do you best prepare for a job interview?
Job interviews can be a nerve wracking experience to say the least. You’re never quite sure what questions might be asked of you. Or what to wear. And on top of everything, you have to somehow convince a group of strangers that you’re the best person for the job.
But by planning and preparing ahead, you can go into the job interview with confidence. Use our guide below to help you prepare for your job interview and make a strong impression, and check out our interview prep workbook to help you get ready.
Promptly respond to the hiring manager
After taking a moment to celebrate, you’ll want to respond to the hiring manager or recruiter in a timely way. Try to respond within the same day and at the very latest, the next morning.
Read over the email to make sure you’ve captured everything and to see if you need to provide any information. They might ask for your availability so check your calendar to give them the best days/times.
Study the job description
The next step in preparing for a job interview is to take a closer look at the job description itself. After all, when you’re in the weeds of a job search, you’re probably going through tons of postings, and skimming the fine print. So, go through the job description, and absorb the details.
Write down your key responsibilities and identify the following:
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Your key deliverables
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The departments and teams you’d be working with
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Who you’d be reporting to
Studying the job description ensures that you won’t get blindsided at the interview and you’ll look like you know what you’re talking about. And you’ll also start to see how your experience perfectly lines up with the role, giving you clarity and confidence heading into the interview.
Study their website and online presence
If you haven’t already, you’ll want to prepare for your job interview by studying the organization’s website, social channels, and online presence.
Learn about their origin story, the key people in their organization, and their strategic vision. Read the latest updates, any new products they’re launching, or partnerships they’re forming. From your research, see if you can determine their goals, challenges, and big projects. This can help you tailor your responses and better position yourself for the role.
Do your homework on who’s interviewing you
Are you doing a panel interview? It’s always a little anxiety-inducing interviewing with a group of strangers. Doing a quick Google search can help you familiarize yourself with them and ease the nerves. You can also learn more about the company by learning about the people who work there.
Prepare for common job interview questions
While every job interview might be different, you can still expect to hear the same types of questions.
Think about job interview questions you’ve been asked in the past. And do a quick Google search to brush up on others.
Some common interview questions include:
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Tell me about yourself.
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Why are you interested in this role?
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Why do you want to work for us?
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What do you do in your current role?
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Tell us about a time you made a big mistake at work.
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Tell us about a time you had to lead a team.
Study the job interview questions that have tripped you up in the past. And write down some examples and anecdotes that you can have in your back pocket. You'll find that many of your examples and anecdotes can be used interchangeably for different questions.
For example, an anecdote about the time you successfully lead a team could also work for a question about collaboration or the time you had to convince people to do something.
Plan your interview outfit
Whether your job interview is in person or over the phone, it’s important to wear something that makes you feel professional and confident.
So plan what you’re going to wear in advance so that you’re not scrambling to do laundry the night before a big job interview.
Pack your bag and bring along interview essentials
You’ll also want to prepare your bag for the job interview and make sure you’ll have everything you need.
Example:
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Copies of your resume (one for each person on your panel)
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A phone charger
Plan your route to the job interview
You want to show up on time to your job interview so make sure you go on Google Maps to estimate the travel time and know which trains or route to take.
You can even do a test run a few days before to get a sense of how long it will take to get there. You don’t want to be caught off guard by traffic delays or street closures on the day of your interview.
Arrive early
If your job interview is at 12 pm don’t show up at 12 pm. Aim for 10 or 15 minutes earlier. This way, you’ll have a buffer for any delays.
Plus, arriving early gives you time to mentally focus and relax. Go through your resume to help jog your memory and prepare what you’re going to say. Recite a mantra or affirmation to feel calm and collected.
Take notes
During the job interview, you might feel nervous or flustered with a question. Use this time to jot down notes in a notebook. This will give your hand something to do and will take the focus off of your nerves.
And if you feel flustered by a question, write it down. This will help you absorb the question better and give yourself time to formulate your response.
You can also write down any notes about the role or company. This will definitely come in handy should there be a second or third round of interviews.
Send a thank you note
A thank you note is always a nice gesture. If it’s your first round with a recruiter or hiring manager, then a thank you email will do. Keep it short and professional. Thank them for taking the time to meet with you and that you really enjoyed learning about the company.
Job interviews can seem daunting, but with enough preparation up top, you’ll definitely shine.
Written by JiJi Lee