Preparing for a job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience, but with the right mindset and some planning, you can set yourself up for success. Here are a few tested and trusted tips to help you prepare for your upcoming job interview:
Step 1: Research the company
Before you step your physical or virtual foot in an interview, it's important to know as much as you can about the company you're interviewing with. Research their mission, values, products or services, and any recent news or developments. If they are a public company, look at their financial statements, and read about their recent acquisitions and key hires. This will help you better understand the company's goals, challenges and culture and give you talking points to bring up during the interview.
In no particular order, below are a few resources that I use to research companies:
Blind: Blind is a platform where you can anonymously ask questions and employees of the company you’re looking to work at will answer you. It’s best for people interviewing with FAANG companies or other large tech companies in the US or Europe.
Google: You can find out a lot of information about the company you’re researching by running a couple of Google searches.
Techcrunch: Techcrunch has a ton of news about startups and technology companies. Leverage it.
LinkedIn: Reach out to current employees of the company (preferably someone in the role you’re interviewing for) to ask questions about the role and company. Ask about what they like the most about their job and company and also what they hate the most.
The website of the company you’re interviewing with. Look keenly at the various pages of the website. If you can sign up to use their product or service, do so and look out for areas of the product or service that can be better. Mention these during your interview.
Step 2: Practice your answers
While you can't predict exactly what questions you'll be asked during the interview, there are some common ones that come up time and time again. Make a list of these and practice your answers out loud to get comfortable with your responses. It's also a good idea to have a few examples of your past work or experiences ready to share.
A few examples of common questions include:
Tell us about yourself: This question provides you with an opportunity to show how your life experiences and decisions make you the best person to occupy the vacant position. Highlight the different things you have done (academics, extra-curricular activities, volunteer experience etc) that have prepared you for success in the role you applied for.
Why do you want to work for our company?: Talk about what excites you the most about the organization. Is it the product? the team you’ll work with? the culture of the organization?
What excites you the most about the role you applied for?: This is an opportunity for you to display your knowledge of the role. Think about the part of the job description that caught your attention and the information you got from the current employee in the role that you spoke to.
What are you most proud of?: This question is aimed at knowing what you value the most. Your response can be something from your professional experience or personal life.
Tell us about a time when you let someone down: The interviewer is trying to detect if you are humble enough to admit that you mess up sometimes and to see if you take ownership of those mess-ups. However, don’t stop talking just after you state the mess up, tell them about what you learnt from it and how you rectified the situation.
Step 3: Dress the part
It's important to look professional and put-together for your interview, as this is often the first impression you'll make on your potential employer. Choose a clean and pressed outfit that is appropriate for the company culture and the type of position you're applying for.
Step 4: Arrive on time
Being punctual is essential for a successful job interview. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early to allow for any unexpected traffic or technical or non-technical delays. This will also give you a few minutes to be calm, collect your thoughts and mentally ready yourself for the interview.
By following these tips and being well-prepared, you'll be able to approach your job interview with confidence and give yourself the best chance of landing the job.
Do you have any questions? Please drop a comment and I’ll be happy to provide clarity. Did you find any of these tips useful? Please let me know by dropping a comment and giving this post a like. If you have additional tips, please feel free to drop them in the comment section as well.
Wishing you and your loved ones happy holidays and good luck with your next interviews!
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