How to become more prepared and confident in your job interviews
Interviewing can sometimes feel like a scary process. You have done all the work of contacting and connecting with employers, sending emails, setting up a time slot, and now the future of this job rests on how well your interview goes. It’s a little nerve-wracking, right? If you are in this boat of feeling worried or anxious, then do not worry- we are going to share different things you can do on your end to set yourself up for the best chance of success.
The first thing we want to encourage you to do is research the company beforehand; this is a big one. Oftentimes interviewers will question you on your knowledge of the company and what brought you to them. It is important that you are able to answer these questions with a lot of information. A few simple ways are to: go to their website and read what they are about, research the history of the company, and see what they are up to on their social media. Know as much as you can as you head into the interview and employers will be impressed.
Another easy thing we would suggest is to go ahead and pick out what you will wear to the interview. Do this a few days in advance so that you are not stressed about trying to get shirts ironed or wasting time looking for that one lucky sock. Having everything laid out and ready to go will bring you peace of mind so that you can wake up the next day focused on the task at hand.
While at home, you can also start composing answers for questions. Go ahead and prepare for the dreaded “Tell me a little about yourself” question. For this you want to give what’s known as an elevator speech- it’s a simple 30-60 second speech in which you share a little about your collegiate education, work experience, and what brought you to the job. We like to recommend checking out different websites with interview questions to get a feel for things you may be asked.
When you go to the interview, bring a couple copies of your resume and a notebook. The resumes are in case they need to look over them again and the notebook is to write down any information you may need or questions you had answered. Employers will be impressed at how eager and interested you are in the position as you write things down.
In the interview be sure to remain confident and positive. If they ask what are some of your weaknesses, share a couple, but also share ways in which you are addressing them and trying to better yourself. If they ask about former employers, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE. Keep the conversation upbeat at all times and avoid saying anything that may reflect poorly on someone else. Remember- they are professionals trying to hire other professionals for their company. Talking about how terrible your previous boss or working environment was is not professional.
As the interview comes to a close be sure to thank them for taking the time to interview you. Whether or not you get the job, you now have deeper connections with a company. In the days following, send them an email thanking them for interviewing you. You want to do everything on your end to cultivate a healthy relationship with these people, who may become an asset to your career down the road.
If you feel like you still need assistance, you can always make an appointment through Charger Path for mock interviews or more in depth interview preparation. We at Career Services are here to prepare and empower you the best that we can.
At the end of the day, take a deep breath and remember that these employers are people too. They have been in your shoes. Be kind, be prepared, be genuine, and be thankful for the opportunity.
