Your Basic Guide to Interviewing

Not everyone is great at interviewing and that is okay! Some people are naturals at it, but for others, the idea of having to face a potential employer causes a considerable amount of anxiety! but that doesn't pertain to everyone. It’s not uncommon to feel panicky, especially if you are going for a job you would love to have. Don’t break out into a cold sweat yet though. Help is on the way! You can overcome, or at least calm, those butterflies in your stomach. With enough preparation, you will be able to face your future employer with confidence and clarity. The phrase, proper preparation prevents poor performance has never been truer than when going into an interview! Even if you are naturally good at interviewing, it is still in your best interest to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. 

When preparing for an interview, there can be so much information coming your way that you might feel as overwhelmed as if you’re actually interviewing! There is so much information out there, you may not even know where to begin. So, for those of you who aren't recruiters and who don't think about interviews all day every day, here is a guide to help you get ready for your best interview:

• Research the company. If you haven't gone on their website yet, that is the first task for you to do. Learn what they do, their products or services they offer, their values, their culture, where they are located, etc. Did deep. Remember, the professionals who are interviewing you know their company. If you can answer questions that show you know your company knowledge, they will be impressed. Next, go on sites like Glassdoor and see what people have said about the company. However, do keep in mind to take those types of reviews with a grain of salt. Most of the time, people who post on those types of sites are disgruntled ex- employees. Unfortunately, the negative reviews tend to stand out more than positive. Dip deep here as well. Tie in the the positive comments to what skills and strengths you possess to bring to the company. Next, look into their competitors and see how they differentiate themselves from the competition. See if there are any Youtube videos showcasing your potential company’s product. Look on their social media accounts to see what they are all about. Additionally, look at the LinkedIn profiles of the individuals with whom you will be speaking. 
• Additionally, look into different methods of interviewing. I always recommend the STAR method to use when you are answering a behavioral question during an interview. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Give a real life example and tell them the situation you were in (i.e. the situation). Then, explain what you had to do in that situation (i.e. the task). Tell them how you completed that task (i.e. action) and the steps you completed to do so. Finally, wrap it up by explaining the overall result from the situation you were in. It shouldn't take any longer than 30 seconds to a minute to answer the question using that method. If you take any longer to answer, you may lose their attention.
• Think of examples of professional situations you have been in. Real life examples are the best way to show your worth during an interview. This shows the interviewer that you have done the job before instead of just stating you can do the job. You can show them better than you can tell them. It is much more reliable to show them through a story about how you have done it before, what you did to handle the situation, and what the final outcome was. Practice telling these stories in different ways and think about what questions you can answer using that story.
• Practice. This is especially important if you haven't interviewed in a long time. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member. Say your responses out loud in the mirror or record yourself answering questions in order to analyze your responses. Additionally, ask for feedback from people in similar roles to the one you are interviewing for. They are doing the job themselves and will be able to give you insight on the relevancy of your content.
• Dress professionally. Obviously this is going to depend on where you are interviewing. If you are interviewing at a manufacturing plant, your professional attire will be more casual than if you were interviewing in a corporate setting. I'm not saying to go out and buy an expensive suit or get a complete makeover, but simply try and be your best self that day in every way.
• Prepare for travel time. If your interview is local to you, then map it out before. Make sure you are accounting for traffic and any other complications that could come up. If you aren't local and have to either drive or fly to another city or state, then travel time becomes even more of a factor. Expect delays and build in extra time for unexpected situations. Do not be late to an interview. On the flip side, don't show up an hour before because that makes you look too eager. Most professionals have their schedules mapped out for their day and by showing up that early it may be throwing off their day plan. I would say that rule of thumb is to be there 15 minutes before you are scheduled to interview.
• Bring numerous copies of your resume along with a folder or portfolio. If you are working with a recruiter who is local to the hiring manager then they should have given copies of your resume to the manager already. However, even here, preparation is the key. Anticipate their not having copies. I also suggest bringing about five copies in case there are additional people in the interview. Along with that, you should have a notebook or portfolio with you in order to take notes and to have questions already prepared. Which leads me to my next point...
• Have questions prepared before going into the interview. 99.99% of the time, they will ask you at the end of the interview if you have any questions. Always say yes. Don't ask questions you already know the answers to. Instead, try and think of unique questions that will make you stand out from the competition. For example, you can ask, "What hesitations do you have about me so far?" Or "How do I compare to others who are interviewing for this opportunity?" Or "What is your time frame to get someone in this role?" If you are in sales, be sure you close them at the end of the interview. They will be expecting it from a salesperson and will be disappointed if you don't. 
• Follow up with a thank you within 24 hours. A handwritten thank you is not necessary in today's day and age. Most of the time, they will start the interview by giving you a business card. It is 100% okay to send them an email with a thank you note. If you don't have a card, you should know their first and last name. Look them up on LinkedIn and send them a connection request with a thank you note. Don't do this immediately after walking out of the interview but be sure to do it the next day and within 24 hours of the interview.

I know interviews can be nerve wracking, so shake off the nerves before walking in. Try positive self talk and power posing (stand with open body language in either the super man pose with your hands on your hips and legs wide apart or with your arms in the air and your body in the shape of an X) in order to exude confidence. The more prepared you feel, the less nervous you will be in the interview. If you follow these basic guidelines and give it your best, then you should be able to rock your interview!