Preparing for an Interview

You’ve fired off your resume to a potential workplace, and they’ve contacted you to set up an interview. You’re super-excited to prove yourself, but also super-nervous. What if you mess up and jeopardize your chance at landing the job? What happens if you get tongue-tied and can’t answer the interviewer’s questions?

There’s no need to panic; we're here to help! Here’s how to prepare for an interview that will have you presenting yourself as polished, professional and capable to any potential employer.

Research the company well

Before you step through that door, you’ll want to learn all you can about your potential new workplace. Speak to current employees and study the organization’s website to get a sense of the company culture, goals and services. You can look up company reviews on sites like Glassdoor and Vault to see what it’s like to work for this business.

Highlight what you can bring to the company 

At this point, your interviewer doesn’t care much about your personal salary needs. All they want to know is what you can bring to the table. Prepare a mental list of your strengths and talents and explain how you can use them to help the company grow. At the same time, avoid talking about salary and days off during your first meeting. If you land the position, there will be plenty of time to talk about that later.

Anticipate and rehearse for challenging questions

Spend some time researching common interview questions and prepare your answers. If possible, grab a friend and role-play these questions in advance. This exercise can go far in reducing your anxiety at the interview.

Rest up, eat well and plan your attire carefully

You want to show up looking sharp and focused. The best way to achieve this is to get a good night’s sleep before the interview and eat a nutritious breakfast. You’ll also want to prepare your interview clothing the night before, taking care to present yourself as neat, professional, and polished. Appearances matter.

Act confident

You may be quaking inside, but it’s crucial that you put on a show and appear confident for the interview. Sit up straight in your chair, look your interviewer in the eye and speak in a clear, confident tone. Here, too, you may want to practice a bit to get this right.

Follow up

After the interview, follow up with a brief email to the interviewer. Thank them for their time, let them know what a pleasure it was to meet them and reiterate any important points from your conversation. This shows your interest in the position and leaves the interviewer with a positive impression of your personality and people skills.