Hitting a home run on an interview can be just as simple as following a couple of key preparation steps.
1. Understand the need – Make sure you have completely read through and understand the job description the hiring organization has put out regarding the opening. Take a hard look at your qualifications and make sure you are ready to state your case as to why you’re the best candidate for the job.
2. Know your audience – It begins with conducting a thorough review of the company who you are interviewing with. Look at their recent news in the SBJ, local newspapers, and others. Do you have any connections who can give you any thoughts about the organization? For phone interviews make sure you check out the interviewers LinkedIn profile and understand their background. For in-person interviews make sure you ask who you will be speaking with and make sure you review their backgrounds before your big day.
3. Nail the “Lay Up” questions – There are a few common interview questions in almost every interview used to get the conversation flowing. Make sure you have these answers etched in your memory. Some of those are: Tell me about yourself? What is your greatest strength and weakness? Why should we hire you? Why are you interested in this job?
4. Leave a lasting impression – A surefire way to make up for a good not great interview is by preparing a couple of great questions at the end of the interview. Always have a couple of questions! Write a thank you a note for everyone you spoke with. An email is sufficient but a hand-written note makes a bigger impression. Lastly, game-plan an appropriate strategy regarding next steps.
Sometimes it really is just as easy as being the most prepared candidate when it comes to interviewing and making your candidacy stand out.
