There are many individuals who might tell you that preparing for an interview process is a task which can be completed within a period of a few hours, but this is something that is completely wrong!
When appearing for an interview it is important to remember that you are being judged on not merely one thing, but on a number of things simultaneously. You must ensure that you are giving it your best shot, or else you will not be able to bag the job. To help you during an interview, here is the ultimate interview guide to job interview preparation which you will most certainly benefit from.
Job Interview Preparation: The Ultimate Guide
The following mentioned are few tips for job interview preparation.
1. Ensure that your job interview dress is complete formal, take no chances on this point!
The first and foremost thing which you need to remember when you go for an interview is that you have to ensure that you have a properly tailored suit, ironed and ready to go. One of the worst things which you can do is wear some shabby old suit which is bound to create a terrible impression in the minds of those who are taking your interview.
You should keep in mind that, once you are selected for the job, you will be representing the company brand and they will not want shabby as well as unkempt people representing them at any cost. So dressing for an interview is very important. Try your best to look your best!
2. Do not forget to look into the minute details of your physical appearance:
You might often be told that a person’s dress and physical appearance is not important, what kind of person he or she matters a lot more, while this may be true in the outside world, in the office this certainly does not hold true.
When you are working in a reputed company and are being paid a handsome salary you are expected to look your best and dress up well. When you look into the small aspects of your physical appearance like your hair, your nails, your bag and shoes, then you silently let the recruiters know that you are someone who has an eye for detail and you are a perfectionist.
3. Ensure that you have multiple copies of your well written resume:
When you are appearing for a job interview, the most important thing to have is a copy of your resume. Today a resume is most certainly not just a dull piece of paper which is made up of your educational qualifications as well as your job experience; rather it can be seen as a very effective marketing as well as the advertising mechanism,
where the product being sold is you! So make it a point to have a very well written resume which is neither too long nor too brief. The more effort you take over it, the better it is going to be for you. In addition to this carry a soft copy of your resume in your pen drive.
4. It is very important to have a properly written reference list:
When you appear for a job interview, there is no telling what you might be asked or what you might be asked for in terms of documents, which is why it is always better to be prepared. A reference list is something which is not always asked for, yet just to be on the safe side it is advisable that you carry one along with you.
A well written reference consists of the individual’s title, the company he or she belongs to, the department which he or she works under, the contact details, email address and finally a short sentence explaining your relationship with him or her.
5. Have a well organized interview kit so that you seem organized:
Companies are always eager to hire those employees who they know will be able to handle stress and manage jobs well in an organized fashion. When you are appearing for a job interview, it is important that you come prepared with a nice big bag which is able to hold all your important documents in a neat and organized fashion. .
If you have been for a number of interviews then ensure that after each interview you clear your bag of sweet wrappers, old receipts, spare pieces of paper or even bus tickets.
6. Read up on the company which you are going for interviewing to:
The best way to prepare interview is by reading up on the company which you are going for an interview too. Though brushing up on your own theoretical knowledge is very important, but will really help you seal the deal is when the recruiters and interviewers know that you are someone who has taken great pains to learn about the company and that you have a great deal of knowledge about what the company is all about and what it stands for. During an interview you should make it a point to really showcase how capable you really are as a worker, so do come out with all guns blazing.
7. Get in touch with the HR department for the interview format:
Various companies have different ways of conducting their interviews. Interviewees are asked direct questions in job interview pertaining to why they want the job and why they think they will be able to carry out the responsibilities well, similarly there are other interviews where interviewees are asked brain teasers and theoretical job interview questions where they must really rattle their brains.
So if you are confused about what kind of interview you think will be conducted, then you should go ahead and get in touch with the HR department of the company and get information about the interview format.
8. Brushing up on your communication skills is important:
For joining any company, having in-depth knowledge is most certainly important, yet at the same time it is equally important that you are able to talk and share your views in a smooth, clear as well as concise manner. If you know for a fact that you are someone whose communication skills aren’t very good, then you should spend some time brushing up on this skill of yours.
It has often been noticed that those who do not have good communication skills are never able to move ahead in the corporate world. If this is an area where you are lagging behind, attending some kinds of speech and drama classes might do you a world of good.
9. Write down any questions for interviewer which you think you would like to ask:
It is obvious that during an interview practice, the interviewee will be at the receiving end of the questions, yet at the end of the job interview, the recruiter asks you if there is something which you would like to ask him.
Thinking of a good and deep question on the spot is something which is most definitely not an easy thing to do, so it is advisable that you have a question ready or prepare for questions to ask interviewer. It is important to note that, rather than asking a silly question that is going to reveal your ignorance it is better that you do not ask any question at all!
10. Ensure that you get plenty of sleep before the interview:
When you appear for an interview it is very important that you are attentive and wide awake. One of the worst things you can do is stay up late preparing for an interview which is the next day. You should start preparing for a job interview well in advance if you really want to bag the job and then only will you be at peace.
Naturally, when you appear for an interview you will be a little nervous and with butterflies in your stomach you should not add on to your burden by not being properly rested. Make it a point to get your proper eight to ten hours of sleep if you really want to give it your best shot.
11. Using concrete data in your answers will certainly give you an edge:
While you are preparing for job interview, it would benefit you greatly if you would go that extra mile by learning up a few distinct facts and figures which you can easily remember and which is bound to create a good impression in the mind of the recruiters.
Yet at the same time, you must ensure that these are facts and figures which you can recall very simply without much effort. It would reflect very badly on you if you begin to quote erroneously. If you know for a fact that you are someone who is bad with mugging up details then it is better that you refrain from doing this.
12. Listen to what is being asked before you begin to answer:
When you appear for an interview, chances are that your nervousness might cause you to act in a weird way. So during job interview preparation what you can do is try and practice listening to what someone else is saying and concentrating on letting them finish before you actually go ahead and answer their question or refute their point.
You will come across as someone with really bad manners if you interrupt what is being said and start to give a monolog of your own. Being a good and keen listener is something that will not only help you during your interview but it is sure to help you in the long run as well.
13. Think about the manner in which you are going to sit:
One important thing which people forget to keep in mind while preparing for an interview is thinking about the way in which they are going to sit. Body language is something that is very revealing and can tell the interviewer a lot about the kind of person which you are.
Do make it a point to think about how you are going to sit during your interview and also the hand gestures which you can make use of to really get your point across and show that you are someone who is a true professional.
14. Ensure that you are familiar with your resume:
Typing out your resume and printing it out is certainly not the end of the story. You must ensure that you are familiar with your resume and know exactly where all you have worked in the past. If you are not familiar with the resume which you have submitted then the recruiters might think that you have made up some information or that you have not written down the resume on your own.
15. Do not stress on trying to sound smart and erudite:
If you are well prepared for your interview and are properly qualified for the job, then you need not try hard to sound smart as well as erudite. If you come across as someone who is fake then that is certainly something which is not going to work in your favor.
16. Prepare answers to questions which you know that they are bound to ask:
Finally, what you can do, in the course of your preparations is think about all the possible common interview questions which you may be asked in the course of your interview and also the answers which you can give for each question. Jotting down the answers in point form is also a good thing to do.
Conclusion :
Upon going through the list which has been compiled you must have understood that as opposed to what you might have previously thought, interviewers and recruiters are not merely interested in what you are saying, rather they are also quite interested in the way in which you are speaking and the manner in which you are conducting yourself in general. It is important to note that you cannot afford to let your guard down even for a second when you are appearing for a job interview as even one wrong move on your part could really cost you the job.
