How to Prepare for a Job Interview

A job interview is one of the most drawn-out and intimidating ways of making first impression. However, it’s also your opportunity to get on an employer’s good side, which can give you a distinct edge over even those applicants whose credentials are better than yours. To prepare for a job interview, use these pointers.

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Sample Questions and Responses

Sample Job Interview Questions and Responses

Part 1: Before the Interview

Research the company's profile and background. Start by looking into their future goals and plans. Conducting the interview with this in mind will make you seem like a good long-term investment. You should also be ready to talk in depth about the industry, the organization, and the position you are applying for.
- Learn your interviewer’s name and job position before going to the interview. You may need to call the company to find out.
- Talk to current employees. Show initiative while getting a feel for the office environment. Learn as much as you can about the company from people who work there.
- Know as much about the company as possible. You can't change your employment history or your qualifications, but you can work harder than every other applicant by being supremely knowledgeable about the company. Use the company's website, their annual report, and newspaper/business magazine articles to gather as much information as possible.

Think of questions to ask your interviewer. Participating actively during the interview gives a good impression of your level of interest in the job. It's a good idea to come prepared with at least three thought-provoking questions to ask your interviewer. (Avoid asking anything that could be easily answered through a quick internet search, or you will simply come across as lazy.)
- Ask questions that reflect your interest in future prospects. “Which are new markets the company is planning to explore in next couple of years?” or “What are the chances for professional growth in this job opportunity?” both show that you want to be on the same page as the people you’ll be working for.
- Ask questions to bond with the interviewer and project your enthusiasm. Inquire about his/her position and background or how long (s)he has been with the company.
- Ask questions about what is discussed during the interview itself. Though you may be tempted to respond to everything with an “Absolutely!” or a “Sure thing!” to show how competent you are, this will actually make it look like you’re not listening. Show that you are paying attention by asking for more details whenever something isn’t clear. (Avoid asking questions for the sake of asking, though, or it’ll seem like you can’t keep up.)

Practice with a peer. If you have a friend who is also preparing for an interview, consider preparing together. Not only will this give you a way to structure your preparation, but it will also help you get comfortable with giving answers, telling anecdotes, and using appropriate terminology. Practice giving concise, complete answers and maintaining eye contact with the interviewer(s) while you give them. Make sure you aren't speaking too slow or too fast and that your answers are stated with confidence.
- Get feedback from your peer. Even if you think their feedback isn't on the mark, it's something to consider: We don't always know how me come off to other people, and the actual interviewer could share some of the same concerns.
- Know basically what you want to talk about before the interview. If you're stumbling and fumbling for an answer on a very basic question, you're not putting your best foot forward. Have your very basic answers down pat, and anticipate some of the tougher questions before you step into the interview.

Anticipate questions from the interviewer. It’s best to prepare for a wide variety of questions by thinking about your own career goals, long-term plans, past successes, and work strengths, but you should also brace yourself for the deceptively simple questions that most employers like to throw at their interviewees.
- “What’s your biggest weakness?” is a classic canned interview question that many people dread. Answering this question is a bit of a tightrope walk: While you don’t want to be too honest (“I have a really hard time staying motivated”), you won’t fool anyone by trying to spin an obviously good quality into a weakness (“I just can’t bear to do less-than-outstanding work!”). Instead, think of a genuine issue you have as well as ways you have managed to work with/around it (“I’m not naturally a very organized thinker, but I’ve become very organized on paper and in my personal space as a result”).
- “Where do you see yourself in five years?” is another common question that can take you off guard if you don’t see it coming. Your panicked reaction might be to blurt out, “Working diligently for you, of course!” but unless you are actually trying to get a job in your chosen career, this probably isn’t a good strategy. If you’re going after what will clearly be a short-term job – or even one that lasts only several years – be honest about what your greater aspirations are (ex. going back to school, starting your own business); ambition is a very desirable trait in an employee – to say nothing of honesty.
- “Why do you want this job?” is so straightforward it can throw you for a loop. If you’re going into a field you care about, you will have a much easier time answering this. However, if, like many people, you’re just trying to make ends meet, you can answer the question by using it as a way of highlighting your skills (“I shine in fast-paced, high-pressure situations and would love to have the opportunity to cultivate my talents here”).
- “Why did you leave your last job?” is a common question that shouldn’t be hard to answer provided that you didn’t have a major blowout with your previous employer. If you did, be honest (without being bitter or laying blame, as this will make you look ungracious and hard to work with) and try to put a positive spin on things.
- Don't be afraid to admit that you don't know something. While you definitely want to seem knowledgeable, don't lie to make it seem like you know something you don't. You probably won't fool your interviewer, and admitting to not knowing something is much more impressive than lying during your interview. If need be, just acknowledge that you do not know the answer but will find out more about it and let them know afterwards.

Part 2: The Day of the Interview

Dress for the interview. As a rule of thumb, you should dress for the interview the way you would for the job itself. (If the job is unusually casual, however, you might want to show up in business-casual clothes to be safe.) Choose subdued colors (blues, browns, grays, black) and make sure that your clothes are lint- and wrinkle-free. Avoid wearing perfume, after-shave, or scented lotion (but do wear deodorant).
- Applicants in banking or wealth management, business, academia, politics, and health-related sectors should show up for an interview in business formal clothing unless otherwise noted. For women, this means a skirt suit or pant suit in a dark color, along with closed toe shoes and subtle makeup. For men, this means a dark-colored suit and tie and dark-colored shoes.^[1]
- Applicants in the service sector are usually invited to wear business casual to an interview, although business formal is optional. For women, this means a simple, knee length dress with conservative shoes (no jeans). For men, this means dark or khaki pants with a collared button-up and leather shoes.^[1]
- If you're unsure of the customary interview clothing expected by the company, simply ask the HR rep or interview liaison. There's no shame in it. There is shame in feeling horribly over- or under-dressed when you show up for an interview.

Show up in the best possible shape. Make sure you know exactly how to get there and just where to park so that you can arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the scheduled interview time. Go to bed early the day (or the days) before the interview so that you look rested and healthy on the big day. Bring an extra copy of your resume, CV, and/or references in case your interviewer wants to go over any points with you or neglects to bring their own copy.
- If the interview is in the morning, be sure to eat a healthy breakfast. This is not just an empty suggestion. A breakfast high in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and foods high in vitamin E, such as nuts and seeds, will help improve brain function and leave you feeling more alert and invigorated.^[2]
- Consider exercising before the interview to annihilate stress and increase blood flow.^[3] If you're generally nervous or fidgety before an interview, it might be a good idea to work out before your interview. Go hard for an hour, and give your body at least another hour to calm down. Shower after exercising.

Show courtesy to everyone during the interview. This means everyone from the reception staff to the interviewer herself. You never know who has input in the hiring process, and you can only make a first impression once.
- Look everyone in the eye and smile. Looking people in the eye will telegraph alertness, and smiling will signal friendliness.
- Speak clearly and say "please" and "thank you." Make sure the people you talk to during the interview can make out what you're saying. Talking audibly, with good enunciation, tells people you're confident, while good manners tells them you're considerate of other people.
- Don't noodle around on your phone or electronic device while waiting. In fact, leave it in your car. Even though it's practically acceptable, playing around on your phone can communicate boredom and frivolousness (even if that's not the case). Stick with a book or review your notes while waiting.

Be honest. Many people think that an interview is the perfect time to embellish. While you want to structure your answers so that your best, most qualified aspects take center stage, you don't want to deceive or outright lie. Companies do perform background checks, and lying about your experience is simply not worth it.
- In a pinch, take a cue from politicians. When a politician hears a question they don't like, they simply answer a different question. You don't want to do this all the time, but you can do it in a pinch.

Keep things simple and short. Talking about yourself can be very difficult to well: You're trying to convince someone you don't know that you're qualified for a position without sounding too cocky or pompous. Stick to what you know well, and keep things short and sweet.
- Structure your answers so that you're talking in 30-90 second chunks. Any less and you're likely to seem unqualified; any more and your interviewer is likely to lose interest in what you're saying. In the "tell me about yourself" question, highlight 2-3 illustrative examples about yourself before wrapping up. ^[4]
- Don't use slang or off-color humor during your interview. It's important not to say "awesome" or "rad" during an interview, unless you're interviewing for the local lifeguard position. It's also a good rule to avoid off-color humor; you never know when someone might take offense, and it's best not to risk it.
- Talk about what other people think you do well. Don't add the preamble, "My friends think I'm a competent social organizer." Just go out and say it with the right touch of confidence and humility. Women tend to underestimate their overall job performance,^[5] so be aware of that before you second-guess or undercut yourself, because it's unlikely to get you a job.
- Don't criticize your former employer. When you're talking about your past experience, be courteous about your former places of employment. Be honest about your experience — what you liked and disliked — but don't indict your former boss unnecessarily. Your class and restraint will shine through.

Be personable. Try to come off as a genuinely likable person if you can. If you're cynical, pessimistic, and absolutely disabused of any faith in humanity, try to tone it down during the interview. Being personable is about getting the interviewer's emotional side to like you and believe in you. Employers don't always hire the candidates most qualified for the job, but rather the candidates they like the best.

Part 3: After the Interview

Shake hands with the interviewer and exchange pleasantries. Try to invest some feeling into the handshake and pleasantries, even if you think you bombed the interview. The interviewer should give you a time frame for when to expect to get a callback, if applicable.
- Hold your head high and keep your cool. Your emotions are probably teetering at the highest of highs or the lowest of lows, but try to stay measured. Project a cool confidence — not cockiness — and walk out of the interview with your head held high.
- If the interviewer does not tell you when they will contact you if you're a good fit for the position, it's appropriate to ask, "When can I expect to hear back from you about the position?" This will prove important later on.

Send a thank-you letter to your interviewer and/or liaison. Now is a good time to thank the person you interviewed with, even if it's just a formality. You can say something like:
- "Dear [interviewer's name], Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you. I remain very impressed by [interviewer's company], and invite you to contact me if you have any further questions. I look forward to hearing from you about this position."
- If you missed any important points in your interview you wanted to stress, you may include one or two in the thank-you letter. Keep the points brief, and tie them into a discussion point that you or the interviewer made during the interview.
- If you received any help in getting the interview, follow up with appropriate parts of your network. Inform them that you received an interview, are grateful they helped you in your career search, and would be eager to help them in the future.

Follow up with the interviewer at the appropriate time. You should have received some information about when you could expect to hear back from the employer. The standard time is about two weeks, but it can depend. If you've waited past the designated callback date — or the callback date wasn't set and it's been two weeks — follow up with the interviewer in a short email. You can say something like:
- "Dear [interviewer's name], I interviewed at your company [at such and such date], and am still interested in the position if it hasn't yet been filled. I'd greatly appreciate any information you might have about my candidacy. I look forward to hearing from you."
- While you can't control your past experience or the way someone measures you against someone else, you can control how much of your time you dedicate to showing the interviewer you really want the position. Don't be needy, and don't be greedy, but be persistent and courteous. You'll work harder than at least half the other candidates, and it could be the decisive factor in getting a job offer.

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Start preparing for the interview well before the interview day. Thorough preparation is a prerequisite to success in any interview. Ideally, start preparing about a month before the interview. If that isn't possible, start preparing as soon as you are able.

Don’t be afraid to be confident. Set your mind to why you are the best candidate for the job. If you truly feel that way, it's likely you'll pass the sentiment on to your interviewer.

When you are introduced to the panel of interviewers, shake hands firmly with each person, create eye contact with each person & say that you are pleased to meet them, and smile as you say so.

If the venue is far from your place of residence, stop in the washroom when you arrive to reset your hair, tie, etc.

As you are about to enter the interview room take 2 or 3 deep breaths to calm your nerves. You will do better if you are relaxed and have a calm mind.

Your preparation for the job interview should be taken seriously. The competition against another candidate with a better qualification is fierce. Preparation helps you keep what's in your mind, and not slip it when you're in a most uncomfortable position. An interview is the key before a company hires you, so you better discover how to sell yourself before meeting with the prospective employer.