Job interviews can be one of those stressful life events. You’re worried about what to wear, how you’re going to handle those inevitable tough questions, and the impression you want to leave on the interviewer(s).There are several things you can do in preparation for an interview that will eliminate the stress you feel and allow your skills, experience and true personality to shine through.
Most people fret about what they’re going to wear to a job interview. My advice is to always err on the side of “dress to impress”. So even if the workforce tends to dress more business casual, it won’t hurt your case to show up to your interview in a business suit. First impressions stick with people for a long time, and so it’s important that the first one you make be a good one. Once you know when your interview is, make sure you have your outfit picked out and cleaned well in advance of the interview date. Don’t feel pressure either, to go out and buy a brand new outfit for the occasion. You want to wear something that’s comfortable and that you can still feel like yourself in. The last thing you want to be doing during an interview is fidgeting with a new skirt or suit jacket that is uncomfortable. Make sure you lay out your entire outfit the night before the interview, just to eliminate the stress of “I can’t find my red tie” the next morning.
It might be helpful to your stress levels if you know some of the logistics of the interview before actually entering the interview room. Take the opportunity to make a “dry run” of the trip to the interview location so you know how far it is and where you will park. Plan to be fifteen minutes early, no more, no less. Make contact with the Receptionist, Executive Assistant or Recruiter. Any one of them should be able to tell you how many people are on the interview panel, what type of room you’ll be interviewing in, equipment available, etc. Having a basic understanding of the environment you’ll be coming in to the day of your interview can help to settle the nerves.
There are some interview questions that I can almost guarantee you will be asked. These questions include how you’ve handled an employee issue in the past, the biggest failure/success through-out your career and what your greatest weakness is. In order to not be caught off-guard by some of these questions, it’s good to have thought about them ahead of time and have an answer already in hand along with an example to support your answer. Telling an interviewer about a difficult employee issue or that maybe you’re not the most patient person in the world isn’t (typically) going to damage your chances of being offered the position. Demonstrate to the interviewer that you’re upfront, honest, and self-aware of past challenges you’ve faced in your career. Don’t try to sidestep these questions – candor will leave a more lasting impression on an interviewer than being evasive.
Do your due diligence on the company and position you’re interviewing for beforehand. During the interview is not the time to ask the interviewer basic questions about the position or company; answers to which were readily available from the job description or website. Instead, demonstrate some of the knowledge and insight you have gained from the research you did on the company. It’s a good idea to check the company website for annual reports, budgets, recent press releases, executive management team, product lines, etc. You don’t need to spend hours preparing, however a good hour or two will definitely go a long way to making a good impression on the interviewer. Also remember to have some compelling questions of your own ready to ask during the interview. Today’s interview is very much a “two-way street”, with you assessing them just as much as they are assessing you.
Lastly, always view the interview process as a positive learning experience, even if you are ultimately not the successful candidate this round, you want to leave them with a favourable impression for other positions that may arise. Becoming a polished and confident interviewee takes experience, and the only way you get this experience is by going through the interview process multiple times. After each interview, self-evaluate.
Take great care to review the entire process and be honest with yourself.
These basic tips will give you a great starting point for preparing for that interview you want to nail. Remember that becoming a master of interviews takes time, patience, confidence and experience. Don’t become too disheartened by a bad interview – focus on what you can improve and apply that to your next interview!
