The Boston Marathon is approaching, you may be running in it or you may be in the running for a position at a certain company. Here are a few tips that you can practice to help you train for the interview.
- Do Your Homework
This is an essential part of being prepared for an interview. If you don’t know the company and their purpose, then you really don’t care about the position or interview at all. It is important to show the company that you are passionate about their service or products and are ready to dive into the job as soon as they accept you. By preparing thoroughly, you show the employer that you’re already familiar with the corporate culture and would fit in well. If you know the goals and missions of the company, the employer will see that you’re ready to work hard to accomplish them.
- Align Answers with the Job Description
It is important to know the job description and your resume inside and out. Take time to go through all the requirements and qualifications listed for the job opening and try and align them with all the information on your resume. You need to be able to show that you are either qualified or over qualified for each of the requirements. Be sure to have an experience or skill ready that can relate to each of the requirements.
- Don’t Sound like a Teenager
Communicate well with others by removing unnecessary words from your vocabulary, words such as “like” and “um” are used to fill time as you think of the right words to use. They can make you seem very immature and uncertain. Consciously make an effort to eliminate them from your everyday life to try and get rid of them.
- PRACTICE
This is probably the most important part of nailing an interview and continuing on to the second round. It is highly beneficial to look up some interview questions that relate to the industry or position you applied for and prepare answers for them. Just be careful, because you don’t want your answers to sound too rehearsed.
- Exude the 3C’s
Remain cool, calm, and confident during the whole interview. By doing this, you’ll stand out as one of the best candidates. The interviewer should understand that people get nervous during this process; if you come off as confident and calm, you’ll show them you’re capable of working well under pressure.
- Have Questions Prepared
Stay away from the typical questions that interviewers usually ask. Instead, ask questions that relate to the service or product the company provides. Not only will this show that you did your research, it also shows the interviewer that you’re eager to learn more about the company.
- Most Important Thing to Wear: a Smile
Another way to exude confidence is to wear a smile. Smile at everyone you interact with; it will show your positivity to the whole team. People will take notice and would want to work with someone who is in a good mood.
- Say Thank You
It’s important to say “thank you” at the end of your interview, recognizing the time these employees took out of their schedule to consider you. As a follow up, make sure to get their contact information in order to send an additional thank you note. In the note, be sure to thank them for all the information that they provided you. Use the opportunity to explain one last time why you’d be a great fit for the position.
The interview is the time to verbally and non verbally show the employer that you belong at their company. As soon as you step into the office you need to sell yourself and show that you are the best candidate. If you follow these tips and make sure you are fully prepared; you have a chance of winning the interview race!