Being interviewed for a job can be stressful and sometimes terrifying.
But preparing well for this interview will help you go to the interview with confidence and give your best.
What you should do before a job interview
Invest every moment before you go to the interview.
Here’s what you need to do before that big day:
1- Do some research on the company
It is very important to gain a strong background about the company you intend to hire in, as this is the first step in preparing for a job interview.
No one likes to stutter if they are asked about basic, intuitive information during an interview.
Try to spend some time perusing the company’s website until you become familiar with its mission statement, key customers, bosses, and history.
2- Try to communicate with former employees of the company
To form a good opinion of any organization, it is important to know the opinions of its employees.
While checking out the company’s website is a good start, it’s only one perspective.
Seeing the opinions of former employees of the company is essential to understanding its culture before conducting the interview.
For example, you can use LinkedIn to connect with current and former employees of the company directly.
That way, you’ll have a clear understanding of the company’s employee experience.
3- Clean up your social media accounts
What you include on your LinkedIn profile is a direct target for the company’s human resources department.
But what about Facebook and Instagram? There is no reason not to include your social media accounts in the resume.
However, some employers and recruitment agencies resort to them anyway to screen applicants.
You have to make sure that no embarrassing photos of you are made public.
And you have to ask yourself an important question: If someone looked at your profile for ten seconds, what would their impression be? What is the first phrase he utters?
4- Conduct a mock interview, and study the circumstances of the place
Doing a mock interview will make everything easier when the day of the interview comes.
What we mean by a test interview here is to go to the interview site to find out the available logistics, such as parking and traffic, and choose a friend to conduct a mock interview with you.
5- Prepare your documents
Depending on your industry and job application instructions, the documents you may need to prepare could include your resume, portfolio of achievement, or any previous exams you have been assigned by the company.
But you should bring extra copies of your resume with you just in case, no matter what your field, not all of your interviewers may have had the time to review your application thoroughly.
And even if they do, having an extra resume on hand will make you look prepared.
It is best to have these documents printed out and ready the night before.
6- Choose what you will wear
Your appearance at the interview, and your professional qualifications, may be just as important.
Choosing the right interview outfit can sometimes be a little awkward, and another source of stress for some people.
Try to look clean and well-groomed, without being pretentious or unserious.
For example, if the interview is in a commercial company, it is advised to wear a suit, knowing that suits may be an exaggerated choice in other fields.
If you work in fields such as computer science or advertising, it is best to dress casually.
The important thing here is that you choose based on your research, not your own guesses.
And since you have already contacted a former employee of the company and talked to him about its culture, asking him about the appropriate dress will ensure that your choice is in the right place.
7- Sleep well the night before the interview
Following all of the above tips will put your mind at ease and help you sleep.
Try to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours to be fully focused the next day, and that this number is the total number of hours you slept, not the number of hours you spent lying in your bed.
You may get a little nervous before going to bed, so be sure to get into bed an hour before your bedtime.
What to do during the interview
Now is the time to reap the fruits of your labor.
Try to stay alert and relaxed, don’t worry about rehearsing your answers, remember that you’ve already done so.
Focus on the present moment, to make an impression that you are genuine and admirable.
8- Make sure to arrive early
General rule: your arrival ten minutes early means that you have arrived on time, and your arrival on time exactly means that you have arrived late.
Ten minutes is the most appropriate time, as it allows you to arrive early, but not so early that your arrival might surprise them.
9- Treat all employees with respect
Even if you’ve had a rough day, or you’ve stumbled before you get to the interview location, don’t be rude or irritable to anyone in or around the company, whether to the security guard in the lobby or anyone you meet on the street.
This person may happen to be an employee in some department within the company.
He won’t think that you might have gone through something really bad before you met him, all he knows is that you tripped over him and made fun of him on the way to the office.
10-Make your previous work experience a short anecdote
When you’re asked the usual question, “Tell me about yourself,” this is your time to shine.
You’re not going to get the job if you stick to what you say on your resume again, it’s all about your style of telling and what stories you have.
This is also a good opportunity to incorporate experience that was not directly relevant to the job application, but is related to your soft skills or personality.
Maybe you took part in an exchange program, or studied abroad during my college years, talk about it all.
11- Ask the important questions
Don’t forget that interviews are two-way conversations.
You need to know from the company whether it is suitable for you or not.
Prepare some questions that may help you determine whether it will give you everything you need to develop yourself, as it is not just a monthly salary.
Bonus tip: Ask the question, “next to the primary job duties
