Job interview prep can mean the difference between having thought-out answers and stumbling through your sentences. Following just a handful of job interview tips can set you apart from other candidates. Some interview hacks seem obvious when you read them, but many individuals react differently during interviews.
Preparing for an interview always tips the scale in your favor. You can avoid freezing up under anxiety or having a physical reaction to stress. Check out in-person, video conference, and phone interview tips before your next interview.
Know What to Say: Pre-Interview Prep Tips
The hiring manager will ask you questions about your working history and work ethic to determine if you would be a good fit at the company. You can prepare answers for these questions by researching common interview questions.
Although specific phrasing may differ, you should memorize answers to the following questions:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want to work at the company?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- Give me an example of a time you dealt with a problem.
- What are your salary requirements?
- Is there anything else we should know about you?
The above classic interview questions help hiring managers to get to know more about you and how you work. All of these questions are an opportunity for you to sell yourself. You can highlight your hard and soft skills through professional stories.
A sample answer to the question, “Give me an example of a time you dealt with a problem”: A coworker on my team was going to miss a deadline, which would affect everyone’s performance evaluation. I asked a few team members to stay late and take a portion of the remaining work. Although some hesitated at first, I was able to get enough people on board with the promise they could come in late or leave early Monday. We finished the project, and the team met their quotas.
The above story shows problem-solving, effective leadership, teamwork, and thinking outside the box. Answers should start with a problem, but the focus should be on the resolution. You should also remain calm while retelling the story, even if it was a period of frustration.
Clever Questions You Can Ask at a Job Interview
You should have questions to ask hiring managers on hand to show an interest and motivation. Look into the company’s values, key individuals, recent events, or new programs. You should know the company’s mission and significant names in the company, such as the CEO or department heads.
Get details about the business from employee-reviewed websites like Glassdoor. Look into the salary figures to have an idea of what the hiring manager may offer for the role. At the interview, you can bring up concerns, like repeated complaints about a supervisor.
Some typical questions to ask a talent acquisition manager include:
- What is the most important goal in this position, or what would someone in this role need to accomplish to be successful?
- Why is the position open, and what happened to the last person in this role?
- What is the turnover rate for workers in this role?
- How do you measure performance in this role?
- Who would I report to, and how many people would I be in charge of?
- What is the supervisor’s leadership style?
- How are company decisions made?
Background on the business can also help you answer questions like, “What can you bring to the company?” or “What type of working environment do you prefer?” The hiring manager might not consider you a good fit if you prefer working alone and the employer promotes teamwork.
Choosing the Right Look for An Interview
The best things to wear to an interview are a positive attitude and confidence. While your outfit is part of first impressions, so are manners and how you carry yourself. Your appearance should be clean and put together.
When it comes to clothes, they should match the workplace’s environment. The classic suit and button-down shirt could work in most cases, but a creative director hiring an artist representative may consider the professional outfit out of place in the music industry.
What to keep in mind:
- Clothing – Clean, no stains, not wrinkled, and your size
- Shoes – Dressy or appropriate for the job
- Jewelry – Keep accessories to a minimum
- Hair – Clean, styled, and fitting for the job
- Makeup – Natural-looking and neutral tones
- Fragrant – Minimal to none (perfumes and colognes)
Dress for the part. Think about the company’s culture and try to match what current employees wear to work. Traditional interview outfits are variants of dressy slacks and a button-down shirt. Ties may be appropriate for men.
Pick your outfit a few days before the interview to ensure it is clean and fits. Your interview clothes may have shrunk in the closet or need a refresh in the laundry. Get everything ready and set to the side, including socks and underwear.
Acing a Virtual Job Interview
If you have a virtual job interview, you will also want to consider the background the hiring manager may see. Zoom interviews are becoming more popular with remote workers. While they can be a convenient way to meet someone face-to-face, it might give recruiters more insight into your life than you care to share.
Best practices for Zoom interviews:
- Have a good internet connection
- Choose a brightly lit room
- Use a blank wall for a background
- Close doors and windows to minimize sound disruptions
- Silence your cell phone and turn off notifications
- Let your household know they cannot disturb you
- Keep your laptop plugged in
- Update your computer before the interview
- Turn off all other applications
- Practice using the system, like Zoom or Google Hangouts
- Look into the camera while speaking
One of the benefits of virtual job interviews is keeping a document or “cheat sheet” on hand. You can keep your questions to ask a talent acquisition manager in a digital document, so you can look into the camera while reciting the question. But make sure you keep your focus on the interviewer. Active listening tells include nodding as they speak and asking related questions.
