How to prepare for a job interview
The job interview is probably the most important step you will take in your job search journey - it’s your best chance to show the a hiring manager or?recruitment company?that you’re the best person for their job.
Knowing how to prepare for a job interview begins with the following:
Read and review the job description
You’ve received a call for that dream job, so how do you prepare for the interview? The first step in the preparation process should be to go back and review the?job description. Most job descriptions follow a similar pattern and are usually categorised by the following points:
The job title and department will give you an understanding of the major purpose of the position and where the role fits into the organisation, allowing you to discover who your potential line manager could be.
Read and review the job description very thoroughly and be sure to align your competencies with the skills required for the job. You will consequently ready yourself for questions around your previous experiences, performing similar duties in other organisations.
Research the company
Organisations look to hire people with similar values to those of the?company culture. Researching the company before an interview will give you an insight into the organisation's future goals and plans and being able to discuss these points will make you seem like a long-term investment to your future employer. The following interview preparation tips will give you a guide as to which aspect of the company should be researched:
Company financials: Check the company website. Doing a Google search can also uncover the current state of the company. Have they gone through a merger? - or have they expanded recently? LinkedIn is also a good source of information.
?
Culture: Look at LinkedIn and Facebook or check Google reviews for comments by current or former employees.
Executive team: Look through the company website to research the company hierarchy and find out who the executives are.
Competitors: Find out who the company’s main competitors are and look into the websites of organisations in the same industry.
领英推荐
Plan your journey to the job interview
When preparing for a job interview one of the most important things to consider is how you are going to get there. A failure to plan is a plan to fail. If you are planning on driving to the interview, make sure you fill your car with fuel the night before. You don’t want to be filling up on the way dressed in your suit.
Make sure you arrive on time, or better yet, at least 15 minutes early. Ensure this by knowing the address and if you can, have a trial run a couple of days before. The morning of the interview, check the traffic reports and have a backup route planned just in case. If you are travelling by train or bus, make sure you check the weather report the night before and keep an eye on the public transport websites for any delays. Look out for track works or traffic conditions that can potentially delay your train or bus trip.
Go to bed early the night before and wake up early to give yourself plenty of time.
How to act in an interview
Once you've completed your interview preparation, the next step is to ace the job interview itself. Whether you get offered the job depends largely on how you perform during the interview, so its imperative to make a?great first impression?on your hiring manager.
It's not just what you do, it's also what you say, and how you say it
Job interview tips: dos and don'ts
Do
Don't
How to follow up an interview
Congratulations! You made it through the initial interview process, hopefully picking up some great job interview tips we provided in the preceding sections.
Don't stop there. The next part of the process is just as important, if not more so. In today's competitive job market it's imperative you?follow up your initial job interview?with a thank-you email to reiterate your interest in the role, and brush up on your second interview skills.