How to Prepare for a Job Interview - #1
Before the interview.
Mock Interview.
Use some common interview questions and have a mock interview with a friend or family member. This will give you a sense of the formality and a chance to answer some questions which may be asked with feedback. Practice will help your performance in the interview room.
Organisation.
Double check the time of the interview, location of the interview and the names of the interviewers. Checking this days before allows you to know exactly where you’re going and what time to be there for, if any information is missing, you have time to contact the company.
Travel.
Plan your travel arrangements, whether this means you make the journey publicly, with a friend or by yourself. Leave early and make sure you are aware of any possible delays. Do a practice run, you don’t want to get lost on your way or be late: you need to ace your first impression.
Required documents.
You may be asked to bring certificates, references etc, make sure to be prepared and have them ready in advance, don’t be searching for them the night before or on the day of the interview. A way of making sure you are well organised for any interview is by storing all of your documents in the same file so they do not get lost, always keep copies of your documents.
Predictable questions.
Prepare yourself for commonly asked questions and ones which way find themselves being asked in your interview. For a start, can you answer these? Why do you want the job? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? Tip: Use real examples when answering questions on your skills and experiences, quoting that you’re ‘hard working’ does not cut it.
Research the company.
Conduct an online search on the company, you could search for their website and key social media channels. This will help give you an idea on aspects about the company such as it’s tone. Researching the company could also give you extra background knowledge which can be used to impress the interviewer.
