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Introduction
Going to a job interview can be stressful and nerve-wracking. You want to make sure you stand out from other candidates, but you don't want to come across as overconfident or cocky. It's important to prepare for your interview because it shows that you care about doing a good job and showing the interviewer that you're the best person for the position. It also shows that you're interested in learning more about their company and what they do on a day-to-day basis—which makes them more likely to hire someone who is truly interested in working there (and not just collecting a paycheck).
Do your research before the interview.
"Do your research before the interview."
This is the golden rule of interviewing. The more you know about the company and its operations, the better prepared you'll be to answer questions like: "Why do you want this job?" or "What experience do you have with our product?" You should also know all about your interviewer. For example, if he's a former colleague of yours who was fired for being too lazy in his position, don't mention that! You'll just embarrass yourself. Whatever it takes for your interviewer to feel comfortable around you (and trust me—he wants that) is what will make him remember you positively when it comes time for decision-making on hiring candidates.
Practice, practice and practice!
In order to get the hang of answering questions, there are a few techniques you can use.
Practice answering questions out loud. If you have time before your interview, practice answering them out loud by yourself or with another person. For example, you could say "So I really enjoy working at [place]. What do you like most about working there?" as if responding to an interviewer's question. This will help get your voice ready for the actual interview and give you a chance to become more comfortable with what it feels like talking about your past work experiences and skills in person rather than just reading them off a piece of paper or computer screen.
Practice answering questions in front of a mirror or friend (or family member). Not only does this give you the opportunity for feedback from another person so that they can let you know if their understanding matches yours but it also allows them to offer encouragement and remind yourself that this is not an important test—you will have time later on during the real thing!
Know your resume inside and out.
Be prepared to talk about your resume. This is an easy question to answer, but you should make sure that you can explain your career progression and the skills you have that are relevant to the job. It's also important that you know what kind of work experience you want to get out of this position.
Be prepared for the "typical" questions.
While you're preparing for your interview, it's easy to get so caught up in your own preparation that you forget about the interviewer's side of things. Interviewers are just as nervous as you are—they want to make a good impression and get the right person!
