Simulate the interview
It’s really helpful to simulate the interview with your friend or colleague, just to get a feel of how you might perform at the real interview. Be sure to practice some of the most common interview questions (which can often feel pretty daunting without practice) like “Tell me about yourself” or “Tell me what makes you the right candidate for this job.”
Now, by practicing the questions I don’t mean memorize the answers word for word and recite them at the interview – NO! Just be aware and stay in the know about what you’re going to say. Use your natural conversational tone during the interview to say these things. This is your opportunity to shine if you’ve practiced what you’re going to say.
Research the company
When you’re preparing for an interview, you will want to make sure and look into the company that you are applying to work for. Many recruiters will ask you questions about your own intentions at the company. For example, you may hear “Why do you think this company is right for you?” or something along the lines of “Why do you want to work for this company?.” Knowing about the company’s mission, values and culture can help you answer these tricky questions.
Do Homework
When you are going to a job interview, you don’t know what questions you will be required to answer but if you are interviewed because you wrote a book or are working for a social cause, you can access the questions easily before the interview.
Read the questions and think of the best answers you can come up with. If it’s a job interview, talk to someone who had the experience of getting interviewed at the same firm or search online. Keep the answers natural, neutral, and short. You are giving an interview not a speech!
Practice the greeting
Set the tone right with a professional, friendly greeting. To nail this, you must practice your greeting beforehand. You must greet the interviewer with a warm smile and a firm handshake.
If you mess this up, it might not be the worst thing in the world because your interviewer has probably seen others do way more terribly. But you’re going to be sitting there thinking about your awkward greet and that might adversely affect your confidence level – and that’s why it’s super important for the greet to go well.
