Ready to shine in your job interviews?
Our comprehensive Interview Prep Guide will help equip you with the skills and knowledge to stand out. We’ve got you covered, from researching the company and perfecting your elevator pitch to acing the phone screenings and in-person/virtual interviews.
Let us be your ally in landing the perfect job, guiding you every step of the way!
Preparing for the Interview
Preparation is key to standing out from other candidates during job interviews. The interview process goes beyond your resume and the hard facts of your employment history; it’s an opportunity for potential employers to gauge your compatibility with their organization and team dynamics.
Making a good impression involves being sincere, polite, and enthusiastic about the company and industry. Your task is to convince them that you fit their team through your skills and adaptability when things don’t go as planned.
Researching the Company
- Check out the company website to learn about its history and growth over the years.
- Research other companies in the same industry through websites like LinkedIn or Glassdoor.
- Look for relevant press about the company in major news sources or trade publications.
- Review any research or notes about the interviewers you will meet.
- Study the job description to help showcase your background as it relates to the role.
- Prepare questions for each interviewer focused on responsibilities, not “what’s in it for me?”.
Practice, Practice, Record!
Before you go into an interview, it’s vital to practice your responses. Use the MyInterviewPractice tool to simulate real interview conditions, allowing you to answer questions in real-time, record your answers, and review them later. You’ll be able to spot your strengths and weaknesses, adjust your responses, and gain more confidence before the actual interview.
Acing Your Interview
In the interview, your preparation comes to fruition, giving you the opportunity to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Your tone, body language, and demeanor are as important as your answers, all aiming to demonstrate your fit for the role and your value to the company. The goal is to guide the conversation effectively, build rapport with your interviewer(s), and leave a lasting, positive impression.
Phone Screening
Phone screenings are essential in the job selection process, serving as your first impression with an employer and laying the groundwork for further hiring stages. Preparing for these interviews can significantly increase your chances of advancing to the next steps of the interview process.
- Treat phone interviews with the same level of preparation as in-person interviews.
- Find a quiet, distraction-free area with good reception for the phone call.
- Practice beforehand, conducting mock interviews to get comfortable speaking on the phone.
- Focus on sharing your interest and energy through your voice since physical cues are absent in phone interviews.
- Allow enough time for the phone interview, considering potential delays or extended conversation.
- Send a follow-up thank you email post-interview to show appreciation and to help ensure you stand out from other applicants.
In-Person or Virtual Interviews
Present Your Best Self
- Get there 5-10 minutes early or log in a few minutes ahead of time to double-check your tech.
- Have a digital copy of your resume ready to share. If it’s an in-person interview, bring copies of your resume and references, along with a notepad and pen.
- Be sure you know how to pronounce your interviewer’s name correctly.
- Be polite to everyone you meet, because they all matter.
- Do NOT chew gum, swear or use slang. If you have an in person interview, AVOID strong smells like cigarette smoke, perfume, and/or cologne.
- If you have questions about what to wear, ask your recruiter!
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
To craft an effective elevator pitch, start by identifying your most relevant experiences and skills. Next, highlight your key achievements that connect directly to the role. Keep your summary concise yet impactful.
Answer Interview Questions Like a Pro
We recommend you use the STAR method to structure your answers, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. The idea behind this approach is to gain a deeper insight into how a candidate would react in a particular situation and how their experience can be applied to the new role they are applying
- Be sure to provide evidence of your experiences and show the interviewer how you have applied them in similar situations.
- When providing examples, be as specific as possible by using concrete details and facts rather than relying on broad generalizations.
- Emphasize the positive outcomes of your actions and the value they brought to your past employers.
Pro Tip: Do NOT badmouth old employers
Beat Those Interview Jitters
Try practicing mindfulness techniques like deep breathing or visualization before the interview to calm your nerves. Remember that it’s perfectly okay to take a moment to compose your thoughts during the interview – the conversation is not a race but a chance for both you and the employer to find the best fit.
Bypass Interview Brain-Freeze
If an interview question momentarily stumps you, pausing to gather your thoughts is perfectly acceptable. You could say, “That’s a great question; let me take a moment to think about it.” You can also ask clarifying questions before answering.
Ask Questions
Even if you don’t ask any questions during an interview, many interviewers will ask if you have any questions at the end. Make sure you ask a few questions so you don’t appear passive in pursuing the opportunity, and be prepared to ask insightful questions about the organization.
Good topics to touch on include:
- The competitive environment in which the organization operates.
- Executive management styles.
- What obstacles the organization anticipates in meeting its goals?
- How the organization’s goals have changed over the past three years.
- What obstacles were commonly encountered in reaching corporate goals?
- What resources are available from the company, and what must be found elsewhere to reach position objectives?
Here are some examples to get you started:
- Can you share more about the company's culture and values?
- How does the company support the professional development and growth of its employees?
- Can you tell me about the team I'll be working with? What are their roles, and how does this team interact with other teams within the company?
- How do you see this role evolving over the next few years? What are potential growth opportunities within this role or department?
- What are some of the biggest challenges facing the team or company right now, and how could this role help address these challenges?
Generally, it is not recommended to ask about compensation or benefits. Questions about these subjects make you seem more interested in what they can do for you and less enthusiastic about the position.
The last question you should ask is this: “Do you feel I have the qualifications necessary to be successful in this position?”
Listen very carefully to how the interviewer responds. If they give you a resounding “yes,” you have done a good job of covering all the important issues for them.
If they say something like: “You appear to have all the qualifications we’re looking for, but …”
Listen for that “but.” Whatever they say after is an area where you need to improve their view of you. Review your experiences in that area again because it could make a positive difference in how they perceive you.
After the Interview
Congratulations on completing the interview!
It’s important to remember that the process doesn’t end here – the post-interview phase is a crucial time to ensure you clinch the role.
The goal is to solidify your interest in the role, keep you at the forefront of the interviewer’s mind, and position yourself as the top choice for the job.
Send a Thank You Note
Send a personalized thank-you note to each interviewer within 24 hours, expressing your appreciation for their time, reiterating your interest in the role, and summarizing why you’re a strong fit.
Here are some tips to get you started.
Reflect on the Interview
Reflection after an interview is a crucial step to improving future performance and is your chance to think through both your wins and any areas for improvement.
Here are some strategies to make the reflection process more actionable:
- Review Your Performance: Reflect on your answers to the interview questions. Were there questions that you struggled with? Could you have provided more detailed examples? Practice how you might answer these questions in future interviews.
- Evaluate Your Preparedness: Did you feel well-prepared going into the interview? Were there aspects of the company or role that you wish you had known more about? Consider how you might improve your research and preparation process for next time.
- Analyze Your Presentation: Reflect on your communication skills and body language. Were you clear and concise? Did you maintain eye contact and use positive body language? Practice these aspects in a mock interview setting if possible.
- Consider Your Engagement: Did you ask thoughtful questions that showed your interest in the role and company? Think about how you can formulate insightful questions based on your interview experience.
- Assess Your Compatibility: How well would you fit into the company culture? Was there alignment between your values and those of the company? This can help you decide whether to accept an offer if one is made.
- Reflect on The Interviewer’s Reactions: Did they seem engaged and interested in your responses? Did they provide any feedback or hints about your performance? Use this to gauge how well you performed and where you might need to improve.
- Note Areas for Improvement: Identify key areas where you can improve. For example, if you noticed that you were nervous, you might want to practice stress management techniques or more mock interviews.
- Celebrate Your Successes: Don’t just focus on what needs improvement. Reflect on what went well, such as a particularly good answer or your strong connection with the interviewer.
Once you have reflected on these points, create an action plan for addressing these areas. This might involve practicing common interview questions, learning about a specific industry, or improving your communication skills. Remember that the aim of this reflection process is to continually improve and refine your interview technique, helping you perform more confidently and effectively in future interviews.
Give Honest Feedback to Your Recruiter
Share how you truly feel about the opportunity (there is no wrong answer)! Your honesty helps us champion you more effectively. We’re not just here to find you a job but to help you discover a role that truly excites you. After all, your career success is our success too!
Lastly, keep us in the loop about any other interviews you have going on. This way, we can be your advocate and help move things along faster or slower, depending on how this opportunity ranks against your others. Let’s work together to make the job search process a smooth and stress-free experience for you!
