Top 5 tips to prepare
for a job interview
Job interviews can be stressful. Especially if you are pursuing a job opportunity that may include new skills or that you may not feel as confident about. These 5 tips will help you prepare for the interview and impress the interview panel.
1. Research the organization.
When applying for a job for a company that is new to you, it may be helpful to take some time and research the organization where you would like to work. Take a look at their website, social media accounts, and LinkedIn pages to get a feel for the organization’s mission, vision, and climate. This will help you identify whether or not this organization is a good fit for you. It will also help you understand the expectations that the company will have for you should you be offered the job.
2. Read the job description.
This may seem like an obvious tip but there is so much information that can be found in a job description that may be helpful in an interview. It’s helpful to print out and highlight specific job duties that you may be unfamiliar with and search the terms in google. This will help familiarize you with what your day-to-day responsibilities may be. It’s a good idea to also look closely at the education and experience sections to help you determine if you meet the basic job requirements. While you’re going through the description it’s a good idea to jot down some key terms and begin brainstorming what prior experience you may have that aligns with that description.
3. Tailor your resume.
Some organizations employ technology designed to search the resumes of each applicant to look for specific terms. For example, if you are applying for a job as a social work case manager. The search engine may look for terms that indicate that you have experience in this area. The technology may search the resume specifically for terms such as “case management”, “care coordination”, etc. A great way to prepare your resume is to tailor your resume specifically for the job you are applying for. Pull out key terms in the description and be sure to include them in your resume. This will ensure that your resume is identified in the system as a potential candidate with tons of experience in the preferred area.
4. Research similar positions.
To give yourself a more thorough description of the job, doing plenty of research is key. It is always a good idea to search the job title on google to compare things like job duties, salary, and the reputation of the organization. Websites like Glassdoor.com can also help give you reviews written by real people offering their take on the salary, onboarding process, and opinions about the employer. While this information is self-reported and difficult to verify. It may offer some guidance on job opportunities.
5. Prepare some responses.
We’ve all been there. In the middle of an interview where the panel asks you to “tell me about a time when..” and our mind goes blank. We can’t think of a single example of a project we a completed, a goal we accomplished, or a challenge we overcame. Brainstorming such examples ahead of the interview is helpful to overcome the interview jitters. A day or two in advance, jot down some strengths, weaknesses, successes, and challenges that you can easily recall during the interview.
6. Bonus Tip: Be Yourself
We all want to knock the interview out of the park but a perfectly crafted resume and scripted responses can only get us so far. What most employers want to see is your personality. Don’t be afraid to let the true you shine in front of the panel. That will let them know that not only are they getting a qualified candidate but also a one-of-a-kind addition to the team.
Keep Shining,
Ashley