Job interviews can be more nerve-wracking than the newest “Conjuring” movie so here are a few tips to help you impress at your next interviewer:
1) Know what to expect
Whether are a seasoned pro or have never had an interview before, you should still make sure to do some research and see what the most common questions are for an interview. Try tailoring your search to the job field that you are in so you can get the most accurate information, otherwise you could end up wasting your time. Create some pre-written answers and make sure to look them over before you head into the interview, that way you are not stumbling for words in front of your potential employer.
2) Research the company
Even if you’re going to an interview at a well-known company, make sure you know all that you can about them. I’m not saying you need to dig up any skeletons that they might have buried in their closet, but understanding a company and its’ mission could give you an edge over other potential applicants. The goal is to be seen as an asset to the company, and you can prove that right off the bat by highlighting your initiative and ambition to learn about your new potential workplace.
3) Research the person who will be interviewing you
If you have had any correspondence with the person who will be interviewing you, take that opportunity to figure out more about them. This can be done through research or by asking questions during your interview, and either way your interviewer will most likely be impressed by your intertest. Most people just care about the job description and the salary, but it’s important that you will probably be working with other people, including your interviewer, so getting to know your coworkers will be beneficial.
4) Know your resume
Even though your interviewers will have already looked at your resume to see if you were a good fit for the job, they will most likely ask you about it more once you are in an interview. That being said, you should be able to talk about most of the stuff that you have written on your resume, otherwise you could end up grasping for straws as you try to remember all of the colorful job descriptions that you used for your previous work experiences. It’s easy to make yourself sound good on paper, but you need to be able to sell yourself through speech as well.
5) Prepare yourself and your surroundings
If you are doing an interview over Zoom or another remote platform, it is important to have a space that reflects your professional personality traits. I’m not saying you have to go buy one of those Zoom backgrounds, but making sure there are no dirty clothes or dishes in your camera view is a smart idea. And, as obvious as this next part may seem, it is also important to look like you are put together. Run a brush through your hair, make sure there’s no spinach stuck between your teeth, and put on some clothes that you haven’t been wearing for the past three days straight because presentation is everything.
Written By
Madeline Thomas
Writing intern at Hired By, Ohio University student studying journalism and music production/industry recording, and writer for Odyssey Online.
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