A job interview could be the gateway to a new career path. That might mean working at your dream company, getting a more challenging role, or scoring a well-paying job that helps you reach financial goals.
With those stakes, your pre-interview nerves aren’t just normal. They’re justified.
And while the nerves may give you an adrenaline boost that keeps you on your toes, they can also keep you up the night before or make you freeze in the face of a tough question.
Preparing well beforehand can grow your morale and set you up for success. The better you feel on the day of an interview, the more likely you’ll ace every question, manage your stress, and act with confidence.
These interview tips will help you prepare accordingly and make a great first impression. You’ll leave the meeting feeling proud of your performance, whether you land the job or not.
Before the big day: 4 interview preparation tips
Excellent interview skills don’t always come naturally. Developing confidence, stress management skills, and the ability to think outside of the box start with practice and solid preparation. Here’s how to equip yourself with the right skills and knowledge to crush your interview before it even starts:
1. Do your homework
Learn everything you can about the organization and role before the interview. Spend time on the company’s website studying its mission, vision, and purpose, and familiarize yourself with the job description to understand what the ideal candidate can do. You can’t explain why you’re right for the job posting without that context.
As you research these points, consider how your skills and qualities align. What about your personal vision supports the company’s? What skills could you bring to the organization’s projects? And how does your work experience match the role? Forming these connections will deepen your knowledge and maybe even your interest in the job. It also prepares you for questions about your core values and skills.
2. Practice
It may feel silly to talk to yourself in the mirror or hold a fake interview with a family member, but it’s worth it to prepare well and know how you behave on the spot. Use common interview questions to drill yourself and answer as genuinely and seriously as possible. You can even ask your interview partner to ask questions you don’t know beforehand. At this stage in the prep process, read up on the STAR method, which will help you craft compelling responses to “Tell me about a time” questions.
If your first mock interview is shaky, that’s okay. To level up your practice, consider working with a coach. Interview coaching can provide expert constructive feedback that a mirror or a loved one can’t.
3. Prepare your look
The things you wear to an interview might seem like an afterthought. But according to one survey, 75% of recruiters have interviewed a candidate in clothing that was too casual.
The goal is to dress for the job you’re applying for, as doing so will show the recruiter that you’re professional and understand the company culture. If you’re applying for a finance job on Wall Street, then you might want to wear a perfectly tailored suit. But if you’re interviewing at a tech start-up, smart business casual could be a good fit. Try researching the company’s environment and dress code first to get a feel for its expectations.
Whatever you decide to wear to your interview, make sure it represents your true self and what you might actually wear on the job. If you love to wear bright colors, try a colorful blazer. If you dislike skirts, wear trousers. Being professional doesn’t mean completely hiding who you are.
4. Consider timing
One of the most common and best interview tips out there is to make sure you aren’t late. If attending a live interview, study your transit route and add in extra time for potential traffic or delays. You can even travel there a few days beforehand to check how long it takes you.
Even if you’re taking the session via a virtual interview in the comfort of your home, set an extra alarm the morning of. Lay out your outfit the night before and ensure any materials you need for the interview (like copies of your resume) are right where you need them. You don’t want to scramble for something at the last minute.
During: 3 interview tips for the moment of
Once a work interview starts, it’s easy to get lost in the moment, draw a blank, and forget to pay attention to what you’re saying. Take a breath and check in with yourself throughout the process. Ensure you’re making a good impression with the following in-the-moment job interview tips:
1. Be honest
According to psychologist Ron Friedman, 81% of people lie during job interviews. But stretching the truth is never a good way to gauge whether a position is the right match for you. The more honest you are in your responses, the more likely you’ll land a role that’s a good fit. If you lie and say you’re familiar with Agile management when you aren’t, you could end up floundering on the job.
Just remember that being honest doesn’t equate to being negative. If the interviewer asks about your weaknesses or a challenging professional situation from the past, be forthcoming, but put a positive spin on your responses. Demonstrate how you turned a problem into a solution and worked to improve your skills, not the mistakes made in the process.
2. Ask questions
One of the most common interview mistakes is to end the interview early. Saying that you have no questions when the conversation ends can imply a lack of investment or curiosity. Even if you’re short on time, posing a few extra questions shows you’ve prepared accordingly and are actively trying to understand whether this role is a good fit.
Ask the hiring manager about a company project you’d read about in your research, the next steps in the hiring process, or the organization’s culture. Here are some example questions that apply to almost any role:
- What does a typical day-to-day schedule look like?
- What’s your favorite part of working here?
- What opportunities are there for career development in this position?
- If given the job, what would you expect me to accomplish in the first 90 days?
- Can I answer any other questions to guide your decision?
3. Take a breath
You might know you’re nervous, but the recruiter doesn’t have to. Sit up straight, make eye contact, and use approachable body language. Practice mindful breathing and try not to talk too fast when you’re answering questions. It can help to approach the interview as a conversation rather than a make-or-break meeting.
While you should show self-assurance, remember that confidence doesn’t mean arrogance. Speak honestly about why you think you’re the right person for the job, backing up every claim with anecdotes and nods to your abilities. Acting like you already have the job in the bag can be offputting for a recruiter.
After: 4 tips on the art of following up
Not all tips for interviews are about the interview itself. The process isn’t over after the session ends. Afterward, you can continue expressing interest and making an excellent impression. Here’s a post-interview guide to keeping your application top-of-mind with a recruiter:
1. Say thank you
In one survey from TopResume, 68% percent of recruiters said showing appreciation positively impacts your candidacy, so send a thank you note after your interview. In a quick email, thank the hiring manager for their time, cite a brief anecdote about what you enjoyed in the meeting, and reaffirm your interest.
Keep the message to a few sentences to avoid overwhelming the recruiter with too much information. The goal is to say “Thank you,” not explain again why you’re the right person for the job. And if they asked you for additional materials during the interview, like a portfolio, be sure to attach them here.
2. Follow up
Asking about the hiring timeline during your interview lets you know when to expect a response, and it helps you structure your follow-up cadence. If you know the hiring manager will make a decision in two weeks and don’t hear back in this period, you have the grounds to send them an email about it.
The lack of contact doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be getting a job offer. The company could be taking longer than normal to decide, and sending another email shows the hiring team that the job still interests you. Like the thank you note, keep your follow-up email short and sweet, saying that you’re looking forward to hearing back and remain enthusiastic about the position.
3. Keep looking for new work
No matter how well the interview went, continue your job search while waiting for an answer. If you don’t feel comfortable sending your resume to other organizations, at least research other options in case the current one falls through.
Looking for other opportunities can take the edge off because it’s a reminder that other interesting, rewarding roles exist. Having a clear route to finding another position also lessens the blow if you don’t get the job. And since you now know how to research a company and practice for an interview, you know what the upcoming process will look like.
4. Be careful what you post
During the interview process, all eyes are on you. A recruiter wants to ensure you’re a good cultural fit for the organization, so they may check out your social media accounts like Facebook or LinkedIn. Be sure that your image on these platforms represents your values, and when in doubt, set them to “private” so they don’t influence a hiring manager’s decision.
Use your interview to stand out
It’s normal to feel anxious about the unknown when you start a new interview process. But instead of giving in to the nerves and down-talking yourself into thinking you’ll interview poorly, use that adrenaline to fuel winning prep, delivery, and follow-up.
Researching interview tips beforehand can give you the insight you need to land the job. Even if you know your skills inside and out and have stayed up on your dream company’s progress for years, you can still up your game by preparing answers, looking sharp for your interview, and learning how to be yourself professionally.
-1.png)
