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14 Tips to Prepare for a Job Interview

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Image Credit: Jason Goodman (Unsplash)

When we search for a job, sending an application is the first step, and we usually have to wait for the employer's reply. But when you are selected for the interview round, this is a most nervous moment for many of us. 

I was in that situation when I had to give an interview with one of the biggest companies in the world, and my throat went dry and I wasn't able to open my mouth. But with little preparation, I was able to crack interviews and soon started receiving good opportunities. 

As a professional HR, I am sharing some of the tips that will help you crack a job interview easily, and also help you make an excellent first impression on the employer so that you can negotiate your salary on your terms.

  1. Know what you have applied for:
    Most of the time, when I have interview candidates, they even don't remember which job they have applied for. This is because we as a candidate scroll through endless job openings and apply for each and every job opening that we see. This is fine if you are desperately searching for a job, but at least have some idea about which jobs you are applying for.

    When you go for a job interview, and if an interviewer asks you for which position you have applied for, you should be able to answer that, or else they may think that you are not actually interested or passionate about the job opening.
     
  2. Read the job opening carefully:
    This is again the expansion of the first step. Whenever you apply for a job or if you are invited for a job interview, just go through the job description of the job that you applied for. This is important because you will be able to find out what the employer actually wants and can provide answers according to that.

    For example, if you have applied for a Data Analyst position and you can see that they need someone with experience in databases as well, so you can prepare yourself with database question answers and also provide insights about the projects that have included databases. 

    This will make your interviewer more interested in your job profile because they want a candidate with that profile itself. Hence this will help increase the chances of your selection.
     
  3. Do some research about the company and its history:
    When you are in a job interview, it is the best time to show your interest and passion towards the company and the employer. You should do some research about the organization by visiting its websites or just reading news about the company. You can also read about important people in the organization.

    This will give you content to relate yourself to the organization and when the interviewer asks if you have some questions, you can actually ask some questions about the company's past projects, which will in turn show your passion and interest in the company's growth.
     
  4. Check about the company's work culture:
    When you join a company, you are joining its workforce, and hence a work culture becomes important. Therefore, spend some time searching for the company's social media pages or blog posts. You can also check employees' comments and see how the work-life balance is actually in the organization.

    This will also make you more confident about the organization and you can even relate your overall habits and expertise with the company's culture, which will make it easier for the interviewer to take a decision on your hiring.
     
  5. Go through your resume:
    Although you know what you have mentioned in your resume, usually we update our resumes not so often. So there might be some skill sets or projects that are not relevant in your resume, or there can also be some skill sets that you are not so confident about but you mentioned them years before getting your first job.

    These all skill sets or projects can cause havoc while the interview because the more information you will share in your resume, then the interviewer is going to ask you questions from that information itself. Therefore, always try to add only the information, which you are 100% confident about.
     
  6. Practice using mock interviews:
    Mock interviews are one of the best ways to gather information about your job interview preparation. This is because mock interviews will help you in preparing for common questions that recruiters or technical interviewers ask.

    If you have practiced your questions in advance, this adds to your confidence and you don't fumble while speaking in the interviews. Also, this technique is even used in various MBA colleges to prepare their students before placement season begins.

    MBA colleges invite HRs from big companies and then ask students to give interviews. This prepares students for interview questions that they might have to face in real interviews. This also helps the students in finding faults in their resumes, which they are not able to discover themselves.

    Click here to register for a mock interview & feedback on your resume.
     
  7. Check for gaps in your resume:
    Having gaps in your resume is perfectly fine. Usually, people take time to adjust in their careers, and it's perfectly fine to have gaps in your resume, but you should have a proper explanation about the gaps that you have.

    You should be confident while explaining why you have 1-year gap or why you have hopped so many jobs.

    It is fine if you have hopped some jobs, but you should be clear about why you were exploring new options within a short span of time. Sometimes, our resume is not well built, because of which our internships also look like jobs, this is dangerous because you usually go for internships for 2 or 3 months, which should be included separately under the internship section or it can confuse employers.
     
  8. Talk about strengths and learnings:
    When in an interview talk about your strengths and the learnings that you had in your previous jobs. This is because you want to showcase the things that you can bring forward to your employer, and hence you will also be able to increase your value.

    Having said that, you should tell how you have handled a project or client or how you learned new technology by being part of a team, etc. These sentences show that you know how to use your strengths and how good you are at learning new things.
     
  9. Why us?:
    This is again an important question that the interviewer asks to see why you want to be a part of the organization. This question is generally asked to check your passion for your job and the company.

    I used, to begin with, the history and achievements of the organization and then used to connect those achievements with my skill sets, and at the end, I used to tell that, "I want to be a part of that legacy that your organization has created".

    This showed the recruiter that I was genuinely interested in the job, was also happy about the organization's achievements and would love to contribute as much as possible from my end for further growth and development. It is simple, if you respect and have pride in the organization you work for, you are more likely to stick with the company for a long time.
     
  10. Prepare some questions for your interviewer also:
    This is important because asking questions shows that you are genuinely interested in the organization. Asking simple questions like;
    a) What are the technologies that the organization is exploring currently?
    b) What does a typical workday look like in the organization?
    c) What skill sets they are exploring in ongoing projects? etc.

    Asking questions like these will give an impression to the interviewer that you are passionate about working with the organization and that you also have a business understanding, which is required by organizations these days.
     
  11. Wear professional attire:
    You can never be overdressed formally for an interview. Keep a blazer on your formal dress which includes;
    a) Formal Pants
    b) Shirt
    c) Belt
    d) Black or Brown Shoes
    e) Tie
    f) Watch
    g) Pen

    Keeping these things with yourself while you are going for an interview will make you stand out from the crowd itself, and will also show the recruiters that you are dedicated to your job.
     
  12. Be early on the day of your interview:
    Although being on time is fine, being 5 to 10 minutes before your interview time gives you breathing space. It will help you relax, and also give an impression to the interviewer that you are really looking forward to this job.
     
  13. Bring 3 to 4 copies of your resume:
    Having 3 or 4 copies of your resume is important. I have seen people getting better opportunities in the organization because they had extra copies of their resumes. For example, you have applied for Data Analytics Executive job, and your interviewer rejected you, but because you had skill sets with good tech knowledge, they might schedule a quick interview with another manager.

    And because you are ready with your resume, you can provide a fresh resume to another manager, because of which he or she might not make any perceptions while taking your interview.
     
  14. Be confident:
    When you have followed these all steps, you are already confident, but sometimes you feel nervous. It is better to understand that the person taking our interview is also a human being and that we should be confident because they can sense our nervousness, and if you are confident, you have a really comfortable charisma around yourself.

    If you feel a bit nervous, drink some water and take deep breaths 10 times, you will feel relaxed, and you will be able to give your best.

Conclusion:
Although job interviews are not that difficult, if you are prepared, you will be able to crack interviews and also negotiate in a better way on your salaries.

If you have some other tips or ideas to prepare for a job interview, please share the same below in the comments section. Thanks for reading & All The Best

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