How to Ace that Job Interview

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There are few things more nerve wracking than a job interview. People get nervous, stutter, sweat and tongue tied just faced with the idea of having to sell themselves to a potential employer. It can feel like you are under a microscope and the stress can be overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be this way! Getting through a job interview successfully isn’t as tough as you think!

There are steps you can take that will eliminate much of the stress and fear that is commonly associated with a job interview. Obviously you were invited to interview for this job, which means someone felt you were qualified based upon your resume. Take this as a vote of confidence. The hard part is over, you look good on paper and the employer now needs to see how you handle yourself in person. Half the battle has already been won, you got the interview!

The best thing you can do before the job interview is PREPARE yourself! Do some research on the company, what they do, how long they have been around, how are they doing financially? Are they publicly traded? Have they gone through new management recently, made any major changes in direction or perhaps started a new product launch? Find out as much as you possibly can about the company before the interview!

Additionally, you will want to research the mission statement of the company. You can get a great idea of what kind of company it would be to work for by reading their mission statement. Is customer service their top priority? Is charity a big part of their mission statement? Read and memorize the mission statement for the company. This will come in very handy if you can repeat significant portions at the appropriate times during the interview!

The one thing all those that interview have in common, they ask the candidate if they have any questions. Don’t be part of the majority that says “not at this time”. This is an interview killer! HAVE QUESTIONS! Ask about the position, ask about the department you would be working in, ask about the expectations, and the culture. Show a sincere interest in the daily atmosphere of the company.

You also want to prepare for questions you may be asked during the job interview. Bring a copy of your resume for the person performing the interview, this is standard practice. Have your previous work history, dates and responsibilities memorized! You should be able to answer all questions without having to look at your resume. You may be asked about previous jobs, what you liked most, what you liked least. Keep your answers positive! You don’t want to say anything negative about a previous job, or employer.

If during the job interview you are asked what you liked least about your last job, give an answer that ends with a positive. For example, you may say that you didn’t like how a certain task was performed, so you implemented, (with proper approval) a new process that made the task more efficient.

Show interest in the company, answer the interview questions as positive as possible. Be honest and be confident. You are the best person for the job, now you just need to say so!