4 Tips on How to Prep for a Spectacular Job Interview
By Michelle Wong, BioSpace.com
Interviews can be stressful and cause us to become nervous, anxiety ridden, and can also affect us in different ways such as causing our heart to beat faster, increasing our respiratory rate, or even having sweaty hands. It’s perfectly normal to feel this way about job interviews -- after all the number one fear is public speaking. You’ve passed the written test, but now it’s time to show what you have and why you are good fit for the job position in person. Being both prepared and ready will make the interview process less stressful and will also bring you one step closer to landing the job.
In an article “21 Ways to Avoid Job Interview Anxiety,” Karen Burns recommends that visiting the location of the interview the day prior will reduce anxiety and avoid the chances of being late. In addition, Burns also recommends coming to the interview 10-15 minutes early so you have time to collect yourself and use the restroom. Knowing exactly when and where you need to be will be one less thing to worry about.
2. Research the Organization.
Go online and research the basics of the company as well as any available press releases. Being knowledgeable about the company will impress the interviewer and show that you’ve taken the initiative to find out more about their organization.
3. Be prepared for potential questions.
Interviews are like tests. If you don’t do your homework beforehand, you will most likely not do well on the test. The glibbest person on the planet or the most skilled debater will not be able to answer questions without any preparation. Be prepared by studying potential questions that may be asked during the interview.
Some of the top ten most common questions are:
Don’t just be prepared for the standard questions, try to also answer the difficult ones if they happen to come up in the interview. If you are challenged with the hard questions, you’ll be prepared, and you won’t be taken off guard. Some difficult questions are:
4. Have a list of questions for the interviewer.
Make yourself memorable to the employer by asking questions:
By asking these types of questions, you will be letting the interviewer know that you genuinely are interested in both the company and the job itself.
About the Author
Michelle Wong researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for BioSpace.com.
Check out the latest Career Insider eNewsletter - November 10, 2011.
Sign up for the free weekly Career Insider eNewsletter.
Interviews can be stressful and cause us to become nervous, anxiety ridden, and can also affect us in different ways such as causing our heart to beat faster, increasing our respiratory rate, or even having sweaty hands. It’s perfectly normal to feel this way about job interviews -- after all the number one fear is public speaking. You’ve passed the written test, but now it’s time to show what you have and why you are good fit for the job position in person. Being both prepared and ready will make the interview process less stressful and will also bring you one step closer to landing the job.
Here are 4 tips on how to prep for an interview:
1. Know the location of the interview site and be there early and on time the day of the interview.In an article “21 Ways to Avoid Job Interview Anxiety,” Karen Burns recommends that visiting the location of the interview the day prior will reduce anxiety and avoid the chances of being late. In addition, Burns also recommends coming to the interview 10-15 minutes early so you have time to collect yourself and use the restroom. Knowing exactly when and where you need to be will be one less thing to worry about.
2. Research the Organization.
Go online and research the basics of the company as well as any available press releases. Being knowledgeable about the company will impress the interviewer and show that you’ve taken the initiative to find out more about their organization.
3. Be prepared for potential questions.
Interviews are like tests. If you don’t do your homework beforehand, you will most likely not do well on the test. The glibbest person on the planet or the most skilled debater will not be able to answer questions without any preparation. Be prepared by studying potential questions that may be asked during the interview.
Some of the top ten most common questions are:
- Tell me about yourself?
- What do you know about the company so far?
- How does this position fit in with the career path you envision for yourself?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
Don’t just be prepared for the standard questions, try to also answer the difficult ones if they happen to come up in the interview. If you are challenged with the hard questions, you’ll be prepared, and you won’t be taken off guard. Some difficult questions are:
- Why have you changed jobs so frequently?
- Why do you want to work here?
4. Have a list of questions for the interviewer.
Make yourself memorable to the employer by asking questions:
- What are the next steps in the interview process?
- What do you like most about your job?
- What is the typical day in this position like?
By asking these types of questions, you will be letting the interviewer know that you genuinely are interested in both the company and the job itself.
About the Author
Michelle Wong researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for BioSpace.com.
Check out the latest Career Insider eNewsletter - November 10, 2011.
Sign up for the free weekly Career Insider eNewsletter.