How Do You Prepare For An Interview?
How do you prepare for a job interview?
1. Do you review the job description or job posting?
2. Do you read any books?
3. Do you write down specific examples you want to use in the interview?
4. Do you do a mock interview - out loud?
5. Do you visualize yourself in the interview?
6. Do you write down answers to potential questions?
I was over at JibberJobber going through the site. I initially went over there a couple of weeks ago to begin to type in my network, but I started surfing the site. There is an interview Preparation portion to the site.
You can write in potential questions and answers. You can write your 30 second statement. You can write a power statement. There are lots of questions to choose from. My favorite, “So Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself.” Lots of great questions that give you a running start for preparing for an interview.
I liked the interview preparation at JibberJobber and wanted to recommend that you use it for taking notes and keeping your notes organized concerning your interview preparation.
Let me go back to my questions above:
1. Do you read the job description? Your answer should be yes! There is so much you can glean from the posting to help you in the interview. If there is something in the posting you don’t know, ask when given an opportunity during the interview.
2. Do you read any books? My all time favorite interview book is 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions by Ron Fry. Read it! It is not very long, easy reading and I wrote my workshop, “Tough Questions? Great Answers! using the priniciples Ron Fry shares.
3. Grab a piece of paper or login to JibberJobber and start typing your questions and answers! It is a great tool to use so you don’t have to shuffle lots of paper.
4. Do you do Mock Interviews? If you get nervous, it is VERY important that you practice interviewing out loud. Get someone to ask you questions and you answer them. Pretend you are in an interview. Stay in character throughout the process.
5. Do you visualize your interveriw? You must play the game of interviewing to win. Review this post I did recently about Tiger Woods. He plays the game to win. I personally believe he wins prior to ever getting on the greens and hitting his first ball. He believes he will win. He sees himself winning prior to getting on the green. We need to be like that.
6. Take some time and write down thoughts, stories, strengths that you want to share in your interview. Review the job description and make sure you can speak to the core competencies in the job.
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Tags: ever_have_a_bad_interview, fail_to_plan, interview_chatter, JibberJobber, job-_description, _plan-to_failRelated Stories
POSTED IN: The Interview
6 opinions for How Do You Prepare For An Interview?
University Update - Fred Thompson - How Do You Prepare For An Interview?
Aug 22, 2007 at 2:36 am
[…] Clark How Do You Prepare For An Interview? » This Summary is from an article posted at Interview Chatter on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 How […]
SEO ROI
Aug 23, 2007 at 8:16 pm
It depends on how important the interview is, and how familiar I am with whom I’m going to meet and what we’ll discuss. For instance, my interview for university admission saw me do several practice interviews, read my interviewers’ profiles on the university website, prepare answers to expected questions and just get myself in the right frame of mind.
The flip side is that when I wanted summer jobs, my preparation just consisted of some mental rehearsal of answers to basic questions like why do you want to work here, and of course dressing clean and showing up early. [I got the jobs.]
It all depends on the seriousness of the interview, really.
Darlene McDaniel
Aug 23, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Thank you for visiting. Very interesting comment. I can appreciate it because I would guess that most people probably do the same thing.
Despite your success with the summer jobs, I would only ask, what types of jobs you are interviewing for. The process you use will not work for more sophisticated opportunities unless the person conducting the interview is a novice.
I write this blog to help people better prepare I hope to get the positions they want to get. I have gone to interviews with little to no preparation, and gotten those positions, but as I have grown, and competed for higher level positions - the jobs I get take a little more preparation than thinking through basic questions.
When I walk into an interview today, I am bringing substance, experience, value. And if nothing else I position myself to compete for the opportunity.
I wish you much success! Please feel free to stop by anytime and share your success stories as you continue to interview for job opportunities or anything else you want to share!
To Ensure You Don’t Get The Job
Sep 23, 2007 at 11:14 pm
[…] Tip: Preparation is better than […]
Gab from SEO ROI
Nov 14, 2007 at 11:08 am
I’ve noticed what you write about - believe me. Keep up the good work :).
As to preparing more for different interviews. It makes sense for bigger positions. Just making the point it’s not always necessary.
Darlene McDaniel
Nov 14, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Hey Gab,
Thanks for stopping by! Thank you, I will. Please let me know if there is anything specific that would help you. I open to ideas, suggestions and more than happy to answer any question! Also, your point about it not being necessary for all position is correct. I agree with you. I know there have been times I have gotten jobs without going through the “gymnastics” of what I do today when preparing for a job. As I mentioned in an earlier comment, I definitely want to help people prepare better. As a hiring manager in the past, and a candidate, I have seen people, many people who have no idea about how to prepare for an interview. As a result, they don’t get the jobs they want. My hope is that Interview Chatter will be a resource for candidates, when they need it!
Have a great day!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: