Preparing for your interview – pt. 2

Preparing for an interview takes a lot more than Googling a list of common interview questions.

At HR Solutions Inc., an Indiana based human resources company, we know you have to make a great first impression appearance-wise (no wrinkly clothes here!), have a great knowledge of the company you’re applying for and, of course, know exactly how to get across that you’re the perfect candidate for the job.

To help you get prepared, our professionals have made a series of blog posts of some of the all-time best pre-interview tips. From strategizing about how to tackle the toughest questions to what to bring to the interview, this series of posts covers a lot of the ways to make sure you bring your A-game.

Prepare for the Interview Questions

Even if you’re experienced at interviewing, it’s essential to spend time thinking carefully about what skills, accomplishments, and interview answers will resonate with your interviewers most. Your management abilities? Your creativity? Your work ethic? The examples you share will probably be slightly different everywhere you interview.

Have an answer to “tell me about yourself” ready to go. Interviewers always ask it, and you want to be sure to nail this first part of the interview.

Don’t be thrown off by the question, “What’s your biggest weakness?” One foolproof method: Think of something that you struggle with but that you’re working to improve. For example, maybe you’ve never been strong at public speaking, but over the past few years, you’ve taken on leadership roles and volunteered to run meetings to help you be more comfortable when addressing a crowd.

You can easily find lists of common interview questions but don’t prepare by writing out your entire answer; instead, make a few notes or bullet points and keep them on hand for the interview itself. This will help you cover the bases without reading from a script.

Don’t forget about the numbers! Finding some numbers, percentages, increases, or quotas you can use when talking about your responsibilities and accomplishments really sweetens the deal and helps you tell a hiring manager why you’re so awesome.

It’s likely you’ll get asked why you’re interested in this particular role and company. (And if you can’t answer this question, you shouldn’t be in the interview!) To make sure you can, consider why you’re interested in the position and identify a couple of key factors that make it a great fit for you (e.g., I love patient service because I love the constant human interaction and the satisfaction that comes from helping someone.”).

Don’t just think about how you’ll answer certain questions; practice looking in the mirror and answering them out loud. This prep work will help you clarify your thoughts and make you much more comfortable during the interview.

Do as many practice interviews as you possibly can with a friend. You’ll be much better at answering, “What would you bring to the position?” the 100th time you do it than the first, right?

Prepare a few questions for when it’s your turn to ask. Make sure they’re thoughtful ones that show you’ve been paying attention and have done your homework when it comes to researching the company and the specific job you’re after.

 

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