How to prepare for an interview: the ultimate guide
The job market is considered incomplete without interviews. No matter where or what you apply for, interviews play a huge role in the selection process. The need for an interview skill training course has risen from the importance of interviews in every aspect of employment.
The secret mantra to doing well in an interview is a lot of little things you consciously prepare. A well-prepared candidate succeeds in leaving an impression more than others who come unprepared.
Even though the interview is common nowadays, so is the number of people who get scared at the mere thought of it. People get so stressed about interviews that they might almost skip them altogether. Since it is unavoidable to secure a job, here are some tips to help applicants better prepare themselves for interviews.
Know about the organization
When preparing for an interview with a company, make it a point to run a background check. Knowing about the company, its values and beliefs, and its mission would help you prepare answers in a better way. If you can relate to their vision, it would be much easier to perform well, as you can find an invisible connection with the company.
Knowing what the interview board expects may not always be accurate, as different companies have different beliefs. For complete preparedness for an interview, knowing about the company and how it came into existence can help a candidate effectively answer specific questions about plans, goals, and vision.
Most of the time, the company expects the candidate to have done some research on the company. When they ask if the candidate has any questions for them, the manner of questions can give an idea of whether or not the person knows anything about the company.
Study the roles and responsibilities of the job
After understanding the company’s values, the next step is understanding the job role you are applying for. You need to have a whole understanding of what you are applying for. You must know every aspect of the position so that you can perform well in an interview.
The skills required for the job need to be understood better so that you know which areas of the field you need to prepare to answer technical or academic questions. Even though an interview may not entirely revolve around technical questions, preparing a few ahead will give you an edge if they ask any. Having a sense of what they expect you to do in the position can also help to quote an expected salary more accurately.
Get to know yourself
Of course, you can religiously prepare everything about the company, job profile, and the interview board. But more often than not, the first question in an interview is, ‘Tell me about yourself.
To answer a question precisely, including all relevant details the interviewer wants to hear, is no small task. You know a ton of details about you. How do you filter all of them and choose specific ones? An interview skill training course can help you with such parts of preparation for an interview.
When you face a question about yourself, there are a hundred different things floating in your mind, or sometimes you might just go blank. To avoid such situations, always prepare the story ahead. Get your backstory right by including breakthroughs and interests. Include facts about your interest in the particular job profile to give an overview of yourself.
Always prepare for cliché
We should not avoid cliché questions in an interview under no circumstances. Every interviewer asks one or two common questions, resulting in a mess if you have not prepared ahead. It is always better to have an answer ready for questions like:
- Why are you interested in this job?
- Why should you be hired for this role?
- Tell me about your weakness.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
These questions are so common that people ignore them. But the truth is, how well a candidate answers these questions can give the interview board an idea of the level of commitment and interest an applicant has concerning the job opportunity.
Have multiple copies of our resume
A single person may not conduct an interview. Sometimes, you will be in front of an interview board of multiple people. Having multiple copies of your resume can be helpful in such cases. Everyone would have a good look at your impressive resume while they sense how prepared you are. Preparing for an unprecedented situation is a necessary skill in corporate culture.
Make conscious efforts to dress
No matter how talented you are, the first thing an interviewer notices when you enter the room is how well-groomed you look. Wearing shabby clothes that are not ironed is not the way to impress your interviewer.
Even if there isn’t a specific dress code, dress formally for the occasion. Take your time to figure out the right color, the right combinations, and the right fit. Decide which color suits you best. If you believe in lucky colors, go for it. Anything that can boost your confidence is a big yes. Looking dressed formally is important, and so is being comfortable. An ill-fitting outfit should not be your go-to dress for an interview.
If the office has a dress code of casual wear, it does not mean you can show up for an interview in track pants. Treat an interview as a formal occasion where you are expected to dress accordingly. You can mix and match outfits if there is a special mention of that in the interview letter. Otherwise, choose the tried and tested formal attire to impress your interviewer.
Get good sleep
How would you feel if you walked inside an interview room and the members were sleepy, with drooping eyes and a slouching back? You would instantly feel disappointed. This goes both ways. If you are entering a room with sleep-deprived eyes and zero energy, the board members would not be eager to choose you.
To answer questions smartly, you need to be at your full potential. It can help you listen to the questions better and answer suitably. If the candidate is too busy spending energy to keep themselves upright, how would they answer the questions thoughtfully?
Always ensure that you go to bed early when you have an interview. It can also help you not be late for the interview too. These little details hold a lot more value than you think in an interview and subsequent selection process. The need for an interview skill training course is to make applicants understand the importance of each point to give their best in all the selection rounds.
Orator Academy helps a person improve their interview skills through professional development and training. They offer interview skill training courses to individuals, where experts train people to do well in interviews. The multi-disciplinary training can help everyone face an interview without fear. Book your seats right away and get rid of your interview stress.
