If you’ve been following our blog, chances are you have read all about nailing the interview. We wanted to take the time to do a little refresher course, in case it has been a little while since you read those posts, or you are new to our blog. We break down the interview into 5 easy steps- dress well, research, practice, ask the right questions, and follow up. If you follow these five steps, you will nail your interview.
First off let’s talk about dress code. The trick here is to look like you belong. Dress well, but don’t dress better than the rest of the people in the office. Make sure your clothes are clean. You want to look like you already belong there. Point being, don’t worry too much about it. Look professional and you’ll be fine.
Next is research. Know the company you are walking into, know the ins and outs of what they do. If they just landed a big client, find out, so you can congratulate your interviewer on the good work the company is doing. Next, check up on their website, read their “about us” page, check out their staff’s online profiles, get to know the faces that make up the business. If you know the name of your interviewer, research them and find out what they’ve done for the company lately. Walk in knowing the company as well as you possible can.
Now you prepare yourself. This is where you get to act a little bit crazy and do a lot of rehearsing and self-pepping. Make a friend give you a mock interview, and if you can swing that, sit in front of the mirror and interview yourself. Just get some practice in responding to questions. Then it is time to get excited. Print off positive affirmations, stand like Superman, repeat a mantra. Do what you have to do to feel as confident as you possibly can- then keep doing that until the interview is over.
Once you are in the interview, you want to nail your questions. Take a pad into the interview that has a list of all the questions you want answers to (salary, promotion opportunities, department growth, etc.), and check them off if and when they get answered throughout the interview. When it comes to your turn to ask questions, you can start with the ones that the interviewer didn’t get to from this list. If all of your big questions are answered, try asking about specific aspects of the company- questions that only someone who has done the research you have could ask.
Finally you want to follow up with a thank-you note. This sets you apart from most other candidates, and puts a personal relic of you in the hands of the people in charge. It shows that you are thoughtful, and is a very endearing gesture.
Most of all remember, there is no such thing as a useless interview. Whether or not you get the job, you will learn so much from your interview experience. If you follow this advice (look into the blog for more info on these tips) your interview will go well, and even if it doesn’t go well enough you will have a much better idea of how to make it go that well next time.
For more info on interviews and steps to take afterwards read our series “Interview 101,” “Reflections on Rejection,” and “New Questions for your New Employer.”