My partner, Dan Toussant, often says that the goal of any meeting is to get another meeting. The goal of an interview is to get another interview. Sometimes he gets an argument over this, but the sentiment is genuine. In a job search, our overall goal is to get a job. But in the midst of the angst and hassle of the search, the goal of each individual action is to get to the next step, right? Of course. You’ve networked, you’ve schmoozed, and finally you snagged an interview. YEAH!!! 
The big day approaches. An interview is a terrible thing to waste so PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE! Here are seven ways to prepare for your big day:
- Make sure you look the part. Get your shoes shined and your hair cut. Have your suit cleaned and pressed and make sure everything that can be groomed is groomed.
- Research the company – read articles, use Google, figure out what are the important issues facing the company
- Know how you add value. Polish your response to “Tell me about yourself” so you know how you will highlight your value.
- Research the people you will be meeting. If you don’t know for sure, research on LinkedIn to figure it out. Look up the company and see who works there who is listed on LinkedIn then look at their profiles. What is important to those people? What groups do they belong to? Any special interests?
- Review your answers to the likely questions. Use our list of the 30 most frequently asked questions to start with. Write out your answers if you have not already done so.
- Practice your responses to likely questions. Practice out loud because it never comes out of your mouth the way you think it in your head. Make sure you have stories to illustrate the important points you want them to remember.
- Prepare a list of questions you want to ask them. Base the questions on your research so they know you know about their issues. Be curious about the future and about how the business operates. We recommend typing up the list of questions so you can pull them out of your portfolio when you are asked, reinforcing the interviewers’ awareness that you are prepared.
The best way to prepare for an interview is to think carefully about what you want the interviewers to know about you. Prepare and practice out loud. If you prepare and practice out loud, you will be calm, confident and courageous! You will get to the next step and ultimately you will get the job. For more information about interview preparation, see these other interesting blogs:
Looking Great at an Interview – Women
Five Best Questions You Should Ask in an Interview
What NOT to Bring to an Interview!
A little nervous? The Interview Doctor can help. Give us a call and we can help you prepare
for your next interview. After all, an interview is a terrible thing to waste!
Dan Toussant and Katherine Burik can put your job search back on track.
Call The Interview Doctor today! 800-914-7349
Dan@InterviewDoc.com Katherine@InterviewDoc.com