If you’ve stumbled upon this article, then the odds are that you’ve been invited to a job interview. Congratulations! That is already a big accomplishment. In my experience, people spend much more time applying for jobs than preparing for job interviews. This is like throwing away job opportunities, because preparation sometimes can be the single most important factor that determines if you can get the offer or not. To help you prepare, I have shared some of the most practical tips that have helped me in my past interviews.
1. Write Down 3 Whys (Why you? Why this role? Why this company?)
“Why you” answers the interview question “tell me about yourself.” “Why this role” answers “why you are a good fit for this role.” “Why this company” answers “why you want to work for this company.” In every interview, these three questions will be asked, so it’s best to prepare these answers beforehand, because these three questions are the only ones you can anticipate. If you answer them well, it sets a good tone for the rest of the interview.
2. Five Stories
You need to have five stories saved in your pocket that are ready to be used to answer “tell me a time you…” questions or any other soft skills-related questions coming from your interviewer. These five stories can each reveal your skills with regards to adaptability, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and prioritization, respectively. If you have these five stories saved in your pocket, you will not be afraid of any soft-skills questions. You can just apply the corresponding story to different questions that you are being asked. I learned this tip from a mentor and found it very helpful.
3. Prepare Specific Questions
You need to prepare some specific questions ahead of time to ask your interviewer at the end of the interview. These questions should not be general ones, like something you can easily search online. For example, you can ask something related to their team or the evaluation process for employee performance. If there is something the interviewer mentioned during the interview that interests you, you can also ask for more information at the end of the interview. This also shows you were listening attentively.
4. Coffee Chat
If you know someone in the company you are interviewing for, it’s best to have a phone call or coffee chat with them before your interview, during which you can ask them about the company and how their day-to-day life working there is. From this conversation, you can learn about their company culture and what kind of people they value. I found it’s better to learn about a company from a person who actually works there rather than simply doing research through their annual report or press release. If this person happens to work in the same department you are interviewing for, that’s even better. If you don’t know anyone in that company, you can do some research to find out if anyone there went to the same college as you. If so, this would be a great connection, and you can reach out to them on LinkedIn and see if they are willing to have a short phone call with you.
5. Mock Interview
Do not memorize your interview answers. Instead, find some friends who also need to prepare for interviews and practice interviewing together. After practicing enough, you won’t be that nervous in the actual interview. If you really want to write down your interview answers, you can write down some keywords as a reminder for some important points you do not want to miss when answering an interview question.
6. An Interview is a Conversation
Treat the interview as a conversation. Just imagine what kind of conversation makes both sides engaged: it’s when both sides are actively listening and interested. As an interviewee, you don’t have to be the only one answering questions; you can also ask the interviewer questions if you want to learn more. It’s like ping-pong. Just don’t forget to convey the message that you can do the job and you have the relevant skill sets required for this role.
7. Be Energetic and Friendly
You can try drinking a cup of coffee or taking a quick walk outside before your interview, which will enhance your energy level. When you are energetic or excited, you will come across this way during the interview. Also, don’t forget to smile, as this increases your likeability. Everyone likes working with a friendly person. Lastly, lean forward during the interview, as it shows you are interested in what the other person is saying.
8. Thank-You Email
An interview process is not finished until a thank-you email has been sent. Do not send a general thank-you email; use this as another opportunity to show your work etiquette and mention something you talked about in the interview. Usually, this email should be sent out within 24 hours of the interview.
Here you go! 8 interview tips that will help you get hired! From my point of view, getting an interview is actually the most difficult part of getting a job. If you are given the time and the opportunity to be interviewed, they already have an interest in hiring you. All you need to do is maintain their expectations and validate your qualifications with examples. If you prepare hard, an interview should lead to an offer. Good luck!