4 Must-do Tasks to Prepare for Your Interview

Just like the purpose of the résumé is to get you an interview, the purpose of a job interview is to get you a job offer. The interview helps the decision-maker identify your qualifications for the position, but also assess things like personality, cultural fit, and your ability to do the job.

So, let’s examine things you can do before the interview to improve your chances of securing a job offer.

1. Research The Company

Before you even apply for a position, you should research the company. Not only will this help you tailor your résumé and cover letter for the job, it will also help you identify the real hiring decision-maker(s) — especially if the job posting directs you to apply to the human resources department.

At a minimum, you should:

• Review the company’s website. Pay particular attention to the “About Us” page — and, if it’s a publicly-traded company, look at the information for investors.
• Google the company. Conduct both a regular Google search as well as a search on Google News. You can also set up a Google Alert for the company, so that you will be notified via email when there is something new about the company online.
• Assess the company’s social media presence. Check out their Facebook business page, company page on LinkedIn, and/or Twitter account. They may also have a company Google+ page, Instagram account, or Pinterest boards. Look at what the company posts to help you get an idea of the company culture.
• Check out the company on Glassdoor.com. On Glassdoor, you’ll be able to get “inside” company information from employees and folks who have interviewed at the company.

Also, once you have been contacted for an interview, ask for the name of the person who will be interviewing you (if it’s not the person who contacted you to set up the interview).  An easy way to do this is to ask, “Who will be conducting the interview?” You can also ask, “Will anyone else be participating in the interview?”

Make sure you get the correct spelling of the interviewer’s name. Conduct a Google search on this person, and look them up on LinkedIn. If you are going to be interviewed by a committee or group, ask for the names of all participants, if possible.

2. Pick Your Interview Time

When you are contacted to schedule the interview, sometimes you may be offered a choice of interview times. Which time is best? The answer depends on how interviews are being scheduled. Ask the interviewer. If interviews are being conducted in a single day, or on consecutive days, choose the earliest slot you are offered. Surveys reveal that hiring managers who try to interview a large number of candidates in a short period of time suffer from “interview fatigue.” That means that, by the end of the day, the interviewer is tired, and the interviews all start to run together. Consequently, you have a better chance of making a positive, memorable impression if you interview relatively early in the process.

However, there is one exception. If the interview dates are separated over several days (for example, a Friday and Monday), your best bet is to choose the earliest slot available on the last day interviews are being conducted.

Also be sure to find out how much time to set aside for the interview. You don’t want to be caught off-guard if the interviewer wants to show you around the office or introduce you to potential co-workers, and you have to politely end the interview to get to another appointment.

Make sure you arrive early for your interview — at least 10 minutes early, but no earlier (wait in your car if you have to). You may have to fill out some paperwork prior to your interview.

3. Dress For Success

The easiest guide for choosing interview attire is to dress “appropriately.” From your company research, you should have a feel for what employees of the company wear. You want to demonstrate that you understand company culture, so if employees wear “casual” attire on a daily basis, you may choose to wear slacks and a jacket instead of a suit.

In general, however, you want to “overdress” rather than “underdress.” At a minimum, men should wear dress slacks, a sport coat, and tie. And, for women, dress slacks or a skirt are preferred over a dress, and a conservative suit is appropriate in most situations.

You want the interviewer to remember you for your interview, not for your outfit.

4. What To Bring To The Interview

You can increase your chances of being offered the job by being prepared for the job interview. This extends to what you bring to the interview.

Bring a few extra printed copies of your résumé with you. You should have also prepared a page of reference contacts. These individuals should have all agreed to being listed as a reference, and you should notify them that you are interviewing and they should be ready to expect a call. Also bring along a printed copy of the job posting.

You should also prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer — 3-5 questions is usually sufficient. Often, interviewers will ask if you have any questions for them. The wrong answer is, “No.”

These should be questions that demonstrate that you’ve done your homework on the company — not “Does your company do business internationally?” but instead, “I saw in your annual report that you are targeting emerging markets in Europe. How will this position contribute to the development or support of these new customers?”

Also bring along anything the interviewer requested you that you bring to the interview. This could include a portfolio, writing sample, or any other pre-interview “homework.” You may need to bring along identification documents, either to get into the building (if there is a security desk) and/or to submit along with your job application.

You should also pack a notepad and pen to take notes during the interview. A leather or faux-leather portfolio provides a nice place to store the résumé copies, references page, list of questions to ask, and other documents.

If you follow these steps, you will not only increase your chances of having a great interview, but you’ll also increase your confidence.

What else do you do to prepare for an interview? Please tell us in the comments below.

photo credit: Victor1558 via photopin cc