Parker's Points
March 2008
Interview Confidently - 10 Preparation Tips
There is a lot to think about when you have an interview scheduled. These ten tips will help you to prepare. Following these 10 tips will allow you to feel more relaxed during the interviewing process.
- Clothes - The day before the interview (or earlier) decide on what to wear. Conservative attire is usually most appropriate. Suits are a safe bet. Be sure everything is clean and pressed. Last minute catastrophes can sap your energy.
- Directions - Review the directions to the interview site. Do a trial run if you have never been there before. Try doing it at the same time of day you will be driving so you know how long it takes.
- Time to Arrive - Arrive early on the day of the interview. No matter how long you think it will take to get there always give yourself extra time so you aren't rushed when you get there.
- Practice - Prepare for the interview by practicing your answers to standard questions. Be sure to have an answer to the question, "Tell me about yourself". It helps to have a coach or friend critique your answers.
- Job description - Review the job description so you know exactly how your skills fit into what the job requires. Be ready to point out your strengths in relation to the job.
- Resumé - Bring extra copies of your resume for each person you know you will be meeting with. Be sure to bring the right resume if you have altered it several times for different positions. (Keep good records!)
- Strengths and Skills - Know exactly what you want them to remember about you. During the interview you will need to stress these qualifications at any appropriate point.
- Stories - Prepare some stories that demonstrate how you have successfully used your key strengths in the past. Stories often are more memorable than a straight description of your skills and strengths. They give a context for the interviewer to remember what you have told him/her.
- Questions - Have some questions about the company and job ready so that you can ask them during the interview. By this time you should have done a lot of research on the company so that you can demonstrate that you know about them too. Good questions say a lot about you.
- Sleep - Go to bed early. Get a good night's sleep
so that you can be fresh and alert for the interview. Set the alarm if
the interview is at an early hour!