things to prepare for a job interview

Things to Prepare for a Job Interview

Even if you have less than a day before your job interview, you can outshine the competition with a little interview preparation. Preparation ensures that you can hold your head high and walk into the interview room with confidence.

Your first step is to conduct some basic research on the company you are going to. Find out as much as you can beforehand. Call the person who scheduled your interview and ask simple questions such as : Who will you be talking to? Will you meet the manager you'd work for, or will you just talk to HR? What are the interviewer's expectations? If you don't have a detailed job description, ask for one. Most human resource divisions will have this available.

What's the dress code? It’s best to wear a professional suit in neutral colours. Get your suit ironed and ready for use in advance. Check the directions to the office. Plan to leave early and keep a phone number to call if you get stuck on the bus or in traffic. If you arrive late and stressed, the interview will not go well.

Remember a lot of information can be obtained online. Hence, learn about the company and search for information relating to annual sales, number of employees, its products or services, any recent developments, etc.

Always, be ready to answer typical interview questions with a story about yourself. Talk about your achievement at work or school. These stories demonstrate all those hard-to-measure qualities like judgment, initiative, teamwork or leadership. Nonwork achievement stories are good too; if you volunteer for the local food pantry, write down a time you overcame a big challenge or a crisis there.

Finally, go to bed early the night before. You will want to be up early, feeling fresh and optimistic about attending that interview.