Tips for Job Interview Preparation

The most important aspect of job interview preparation is to try to find some kind of comfort zone as you walk into the company to interview for a job. The scariest part of job interviews, according to job experts, is the unknown. Uncertainty about the questions and how you will react to the questions is the most unsettling part of the process for most people.

Job Interview Preparation Tips

• Research the company. It can only help to be knowledgeable about the company you are asking for a job. See if the company has been in the news the past few years. Find out how the stock has performed, if it's publicly traded. Look up the company's size and understand its place in the market and its main competitors.
• Be intimately familiar with your own resume. You should be prepared to answer questions about anything included on your resume. That's why it's important to update your resume periodically. You don't a question about something you weren't even sure you wanted on your resume in the first place.
• Look sharp, be early. Take care of the things that are in your control: Dress appropriately and make sure you arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes early. If that makes you look eager to make a good impression, that's exactly what you want to convey.
• Practice, practice, practice. Job interviews are uncomfortable because they aren't something we do very frequently. Maybe this is your first job interview, or you earned your last job without the need for a formal interview. Have a friend help you by asking questions that you write up. The more you practice, the more you get a feel for how you want to answer questions. Ask a friend you trust for feedback on your answers.
• Think about the tough questions. Instead of worrying about difficult questions that could catch you off-guard, think up a list of tough questions and practice giving answers. The more you practice offering answers, the less foreboding they become. Expect questions like why you left the previous company or your greatest weaknesses. If you've already answered that question a few times, it will be easier to handle if it does come up in the interview.
• All the other questions. Keep your answers brief. If asked about your greatest strengths, give an example of how your hard work help in our current job or in a previous job. Never lie, or even stretch the job. The company could fact-check anything on your resume and you don't want them to catch a so-called "white lie."