6 Tips to Help You Prepare for an Interview
You’ve submitted your resume to a potential workplace, and now it’s time for an interview. You’re excited to prove yourself, but also nervous. What if you mess up and jeopardize your chance at landing the job? What happens if you get tongue-tied and can’t answer the interviewer’s questions?
We’ve gathered 6 tips to help you prepare for an interview that will have you presenting yourself as polished, professional and capable to any potential employer.
1. Research the company well
Before you step through the door or log on for a virtual interview, you’ll want to learn all you can about your potential new workplace. Speak to current employees and study the organization’s website to get a sense of the company culture, goals and services. You can look up company reviews on sites like Glassdoor and Vault to see what it’s like to work for this business.
2. Highlight what you can bring to the company
At this point, your interviewer doesn’t care much about your personal salary needs. All they want to know is what you can bring to the table. Prepare a mental list of your strengths and talents and explain how you can use them to help the company grow. At the same time, avoid talking about salary and days off during your first meeting. If you land the position, there will be plenty of time to talk about that later.
3. Anticipate and rehearse for challenging questions
Spend some time researching common interview questions and prepare your answers. If possible, grab a friend and role-play these questions in advance. This exercise can go far in reducing your anxiety during the actual interview.
4. Rest up, eat well and plan your attire carefully
You want to show up looking sharp and focused. The best way to achieve this is to get a good night’s sleep before the interview and eat a nutritious breakfast. You’ll also want to prepare your interview clothing the night before, taking care to present yourself as neat, professional, and polished. Appearances matter.
5. Act confident
You may be shaking inside, but it’s crucial that you put on a show and appear confident for the interview. Sit up straight in your chair, look your interviewer in the eye and speak in a clear, confident tone. Here, too, you may want to practice a bit to get this right.
6. Follow up
After the interview, follow up with a brief email to the interviewer. Thank them for their time, let them know what a pleasure it was to meet them and reiterate any important points from your conversation. This shows your interest in the position and leaves the interviewer with a positive impression of your personality and people skills.
Are you still looking for the right career fit? We’re hiring and always accepting applications! We offer comprehensive benefits, competitive pay and most importantly, an unbeatable culture. Find out more at Careers.TruityCU.org.