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Job Interview Tips: Practice Strong Answers

The document provides tips for job interviews in several areas: 1) Research the company and job description, prepare answers to common questions, and practice responses aloud. 2) Develop smart questions to ask the interviewer about the role and responsibilities. 3) Focus on first impressions by dressing appropriately, arriving early, and observing workplace dynamics. 4) Bring multiple copies of your resume, questions, and notes to the interview.

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Bel Sterling
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51 views

Job Interview Tips: Practice Strong Answers

The document provides tips for job interviews in several areas: 1) Research the company and job description, prepare answers to common questions, and practice responses aloud. 2) Develop smart questions to ask the interviewer about the role and responsibilities. 3) Focus on first impressions by dressing appropriately, arriving early, and observing workplace dynamics. 4) Bring multiple copies of your resume, questions, and notes to the interview.

Uploaded by

Bel Sterling
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Job Interview Tips

Practice strong answers

1. Research the company so you can go into your interview with a solid
understanding of the requirements of the job and how your background
makes you a great fit. Review our Complete Guide to Researching a
Company.
2. Prepare your answer to the common question: “Tell me about yourself,
and why are you interested in this role with our company?”. The idea is
to quickly communicate who you are and what value you will bring to
the company and the role—it’s your personal elevator pitch.
3. Re-read the job description. You may want to print it out and begin
underlining specific skills the employer is looking for. Think about
examples from your past and current work that align with these
requirements. Prepare to be asked about times in the past when you
used a specific skill and use the STAR method to tell stories with a
clear Situation, Task, Action and Result.
4. Practice! Actually practicing your answers out loud is an incredibly
effective way to prepare. Say them to yourself or ask a friend to help
run through questions and answers. You’ll find you gain confidence as
you get used to saying the words.

Prepare smart questions

5. “Can you explain some of the day-to-day responsibilities this job


entails?”
6. “How would you describe the characteristics of someone who would
succeed in this role?”
7. “If I were in this position, how would my performance be measured?
How often?”
8. “What departments does this team work with regularly? How do these
departments typically collaborate? What does that process look like?”
9. “What are the challenges you’re currently facing in your role?

Think about first impressions

10.Dress for the job you want. If you’re speaking to a recruiter before the interview,
you can ask them about the dress code in the workplace and choose your outfit
accordingly. If you don’t have someone to ask, research the company to learn
what’s appropriate
11.Don’t forget the little things. Shine your shoes, make sure your nails are clean and
tidy, and check your clothes for holes, stains, pet hair and loose threads.
12.Plan your schedule so that you can arrive 10–15 minutes early. Map out your
route to the interview location so you can be sure to arrive on time. Consider
doing a practice run. If you’re taking public transportation, identify a backup plan
if there are delays or closures.Pro-tip: When you arrive early, use the extra
minutes to observe the workplace dynamics.

What to bring to the interview

13. At least five copies of your printed resume on clean paper. While
the hiring manager has likely seen your resume, they may not have read
every line. Or you might be speaking with someone new. In either case,
you might want to highlight specific accomplishments on your copy
that you can discuss.
14. A pen and a small notebook. Prepare to take notes, but not on
your smartphone or any other electronic device. Write information
down so that you can refer to these details in your follow-up thank you
notes. Maintain eye contact as much as possible.
15. A written version of the prepared questions for your interviewers
16. A single bag for all your materials. It’s easy to mistake nervous
for disorganized, so keep all your documents in a single, multi-use
messenger bag or portfolio. Make sure that it’s professional and
appropriate to the corporate culture as well as your own style.

Remember good manners and body language


17.Practice confident, accessible body language. Sit or stand tall with your shoulders
back. Before the interview, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. This will help
you manage any feelings of anxiety and will encourage greater self-confidence.
18.Treat every single person you encounter with respect. This includes people on the
road and in the parking lot, security personnel and front desk staff. Treat everyone
you don’t know as though they’re the hiring manager. Even if they aren’t, your
potential employer might ask for their feedback.
19.Nail the handshake. During a job interview, the hiring manager (or person in
seniority) should extend their hand first to initiate the handshake. Stand, look the
person in the eye and smile. A good handshake should be firm but not crush the
other person’s fingers.
20.Send personalized thank you notes to each interviewer. Ask for the business card
of each person you speak with during the interview process so that you can follow
up individually with a separate thank you email. If you interviewed in the
morning, send your follow-up emails the same day. If you interviewed in the
afternoon, the next morning is fine. Make certain that each each email is distinct
from the others, using the notes you took during the conversations.

Be authentic, concise and upbeat

21. Respond truthfully to the questions you’re asked. Tie your


answers back to your skills and accomplishments by providing
examples of solutions and results you’ve achieved.
22. Keep your answers short and focused. Your time with each
interviewer is limited so be mindful of rambling.
23. Don’t speak negatively about current and former employers or
colleagues. Companies want to hire problem solvers who overcome
tough situations. If you’re feeling discouraged about your current job,
focus on talking about what you’ve gained from that experience and
what you want to do next.

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