Have you ever wondered how people ace an interview by talking calmly and confidently? Well, you can be like that as well with the use of these tips. There are many ways to prepare for an interview successfully, some of which being in the way you dress, your punctuality, and simply just remaining calm. Interviews can be filled with stress and anxiety, but there are many ways to calm the nerves beforehand which you will be learning during this blog post. Practice makes perfect for interviews and during this blog I will be telling you the ins and out of making sure you come prepared for your next upcoming interview.
Acing an interview is the gateway to your dream job!
Interviews can be a scary and anxiety inducing situation. The way to prepare for them is by making yourself as uncomfortable as possible beforehand, so the interview is almost more comfortable than the situations you put yourself in beforehand. Interviews are the time that it is a necessity to share your strengths and to tell a company why you are the perfect candidate for their organization, this is the time where you need to professionally articulate your past experiences while telling them the skills you bring to the table. To perform at your best, you need to cease all anxiety as well as coming prepared with the perfect answers that you have been practicing, during this blog post I will be sharing the best and most important ways to ace your next interview.
The Tools of a Successful Interview
During an interview it is important to remember your controllable variables. Those controllable variables include always arriving to the interview on time, dress like a professional, knowing the interviewers name as well as the correct pronunciation, bringing several copies of your resume, a notepad and paper for notes, and lastly be sure to come prepared with questions of your own. In addition to those controllable variables, it is important to remember to focus during your next interview. During your interview this is your time to shine, and more importantly your time to brag about the important skills that you excel in. It is imperative that you mention whether you are talented at time management, have skills in excel or Microsoft, or any other important strengths that you may convey. Lastly, absolutely no interview should be complete without a follow up thank you note or email. It is a necessity that you are thanking your interviewer for their time and make sure it is known how much you appreciate it. This allows the company to know that you are still very interested in their organization as well as the job.
The Techniques for Interview Practice
The best way to get good at any skill or activity is to practice and this rule still applies to interviews. Practice makes perfect and the best way to practice is to make sure you allow it to feel as real as it can get, therefore when you get to the real deal it seems like the easy part.
Rule #1: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
The best way to practice is to get ahold of a list of common interview questions, which you can simply get by just googling “Common Interview Questions”. Next, practice saying your interview answers aloud, this allows you to hear how you would answer the questions, and to be prepared when they are asked in the real interview. Next, it is important to not memorize your interview answers, when we try to memorize, we often find ourselves blanking when it is time to revoke the answers we were trying to memorize, rather than letting the answer flow naturally. To avoid memorization, you can write down talking points you would like to discuss.
Rule #2: Try a Mock Interview
Grab a friend or family member and ask them to act as if they were your interviewer. This allows the interview to feel more real by having someone else ask you the questions, yet still more comfortable than the real interview. For this to prepare you it is important for you to dress the part, come prepared as you would in the real interview, and to act like a professional.
Rule #3: Try and Record your Mock Interview
This rule is one step up from rule #2 because you can replay the video of the mock interview and you are able to see your body language, any common errors you’re making such as stuttering or using the word “um” too often. By doing this tactic you can expose any errors your interview weaknesses you have and correct them before the real interview.
Here is a Link to 50 Most Common Interview Questions:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/interview-questions-and-answers
Do Not Forget to be the Interviewer too!
This stop is very important in an interview and probably the most forgotten step. Don’t forget that this is your time to ask them questions as well. It is important that the interviewer knows that you are just as interested in them as they are in you. Coming prepared with questions will also help you understand whether this job is right for you, just like they are trying to decide if you are right for them. Some common questions that are important to ask are:
#1: Describe the Culture of the Company
This question allows you to see whether you would be a good for the company and whether your values align with the companies’ values. You can get a better understanding of what the company finds important such as whether they value communication between team members or if they even have a culture around the office. The culture of a company can very well affects your happiness and well-being so making sure it is right for you is important.
#2: Will I receive any type of training?
This question is important to ask because if training is something you are looking for and the job does not offer it, it may not be the right job for you. Or in contrast if they do offer training, you can get the time frame of the training as well as the details of it.
#3: What advice would you give to someone just joining the team?
This question is a very good one because it is something that you can apply to your own life if you are hired to the company. Listen carefully and take notes to their answer because it could make you more successful in the job.
Calming Anxiety Before an Interview
You are not the only one that experiences interview anxiety, and there are many ways to help minimize the stress. Some tips to calm anxiety are to do a mental dress rehearsal, which means visualizing yourself during the interview calm, prepared, and focusing. You must visualize yourself confidently answering the interview questions and seeing the outcome being successful. Another tip is to listen to a motivational playlist, this could include a podcast or even just a song that makes you feel more confident. Something that could also be beneficial to do is to simply give yourself a pep-talk, say your own name out loud and tell yourself that you are going to ace this interview. Another way to calm anxiety is to ease your mind a little bit by watching a funny video, this tactic allows your body to relax a little bit and put a smile on your face for the interview.
Simple Tips to Remember
Interviews can be a scary and uncomfortable thing, but it is important to remain calm, be yourself, and act as natural as you can. Always remember to be professional throughout the whole process of the interview which includes dressing professionally, smiling when you meet people, and always being on time. While answering questions it is important that you sound interested in the question, and make sure you are speaking clearly and not mumbling. In addition to that, do not rush through your interview. More importantly, take your time and answer the questions in full which could mean taking a second to collect your thoughts before answering aloud. Lastly, be confident in yourself during an interview, proudly state your work experience, skills, and remain positive!
Now You Have the Tools to get the Job!
All these steps that I went over were each a tool that can be used to be able to feel confident, calm, well-practiced, and prepared during your next interview. Remember your controllable variables during an interview which are to be on time, focus, and to follow up. In addition, remember the ways to practice for an interview. That you need to rehearse, perform mock interviews, and video recorded mock interviews to expose interview weaknesses. Also, do not forget to be the interviewer too! Asking questions lets you understand the company more and whether you would be a good fit. Lastly, remember your stress relievers before an interview. Interviews are not an easy task and remaining calm is a very important aspect because it will allow you to feel more like yourself if you minimize anxiety. The most important tip of all is to be confident in yourself and in your own skills, don’t be afraid to brag about your hard work.
Good luck on your next interview!