How to prepare yourself for a job interview?

Mastering a job interview is a skill that we are often not prepared for until we have to do it. It can be extremely intimidating and many of us tend to feel nervous and anxious. Wouldn’t it be so amazing if we had all the tricks to perform well in a job interview? Well, we have got you covered! 

Here are some tips to make sure you perform well in a job interview: 

1. Do proper research about the company.  

When a company is calling you for an interview, they want to be assured that you have proper information about them. And even if it’s not their expectation, it’s good to be prepared and well-informed. When you have done proper research about the company, it will be easier for you to form a connection with the interviewer(s) and show them that you truly care about working with them. Your knowledge of the company will help you greatly in impressing the interviewer. 

2. Line up your questions for the interviewer. 

It is not uncommon for the interviewer to ask you if you have any questions for them at the end of the interview. If you say “No, I don’t have any question!”, it might come across like you are disinterested in the company. It is always good to be prepared with a set of intelligent questions that shows your genuine interest in working with the company. Asking questions will always leave a good impression on the interviewer about your intent. So no matter what, always be prepared with a set of questions to ask! 

3. Recruit a friend to practice answering questions. 

It’s not a surprise that you have to prepare before an interview. The internet is full of lists of common questions asked in an interview. And if you’ve given a couple of interviews already, you can figure out those questions without the help of the internet as well. Make a list of common questions asked in an interview and recruit a friend to practise a mock interview. Make him/her point out what you did right and what you did wrong. This will help you self reflect on your strengths and weaknesses before the interview, and you can work on it. 

4. Work on your body language. 

How you present yourself is of great vitality in an interview. First impressions have a halo effect on your interviewer, which can last throughout the interview. So, work on your body language and try to master a confident demeanor. Your posture, your hand gestures, your eye contact and how you communicate with the interviewer non-verbally is extremely important for a positive impression. So, work on your body language – practise in front of the mirror. 

5. Make the most of the “tell me about yourself” question. 

Think of all the things you want to tell someone about yourself so that they have the best impression of you. Things you don’t want to leave out before you leave the room. Those are all the things you need to list out when working on ‘tell me about yourself’ answer. Usually the first question, this question is asked from the company to get to know you. A question where you are free to talk about yourself. So, make the most of it. Prepare in advance – and articulate it in a way that they are truly impressed.

6. Practice active listening.

People usually tend to listen to answer, not listen to understand. Active listening is an art that requires practise. It often doesn’t come naturally. You have to make sure you listen to the interviewer’s words carefully before answering. It is very easy to zone out and mishear what they are saying, either in nervousness or excitement. To avoid that, you must practice active listening. 

Well, now you know what you should do to prepare yourself to master a job interview. Now, you just have to work hard and master these tips!