Tips To Prepare You For Your Interview

Good preparation for your job interview requires much more than knowing how to answer a few common interview questions. You have to grab the attention of the hiring manager with your first impression appearance-wise, have a great knowledge of the company, it's culture, its product or the service that it provides, and most importantly, how to present yourself and your abilities to show that you are the best candidate for the job. That may sounds like it's alot, but you can ace your interview with good advanced preparation.

To help you prepare for a successful job interview, here are some great pre-interview tips. From setting the tone of your interview with that great first impression, what you should have in your briefcase for the interview, to knowing how to answer tough interview questions, we've got you covered.

Research and Know Your Audience

1.) Before your interview, learn as much as you can about the company, from as many sources as possible. Don't just look at the image the company is pushing out via their website and social media. Try to get the bigger picture by looking deeper underneath the surface glitter. Talk to friends, contacts (from your valuable network), read current news releases, and don't forget to Google the company and see what comes up. By doing these things, you will have a better idea of what the company is all about, it's culture and how you can fit in and contribute to its success, and it to yours. You can see if this is the company that you can grow with and build your career.

2.) With this advance knowledge of "who" the company is, you can learn how to embody a similar personality during your interview. Start by reading the company's Facebook page and blog. The content on these sites will speak volumes. You can also read individual employee's blogs to figure what type of people work and excel there.

3.) Twitter can also be an excellent resource because you can see what the company and its employees are discussing. Are they positive and supportive of each other? Is there a good management and employee relationship? Are they excited about an upcoming company event or rollout? Use it as a conversation starter.

4.) Check out Glassdoor for company reviews from current and previous employees—but take them as a guide, not fact.

5.) Whatever role you're interviewing for, sales, accounting, marketing, you should familiarize yourself with the company's product. Try to use it a few times before your first interview. By being a user of the product, you've taken the first step; if hired your goal will be to create value for the company's customers, the people that use that product.

6.) Find out who will be conducting your interview. You can find out before your interview by calling and asking your contact person for the company. Then, learn more about them. See if they have a Linked-In profile. Search for any social media sites they may belong to, see if they engage in the company's community discussions. Find out what type of behavior might intrigue them or aggravate them. Finally, prep some questions that are specific to each interviewer: Ask for details about her focus at the firm, discuss current events on his specialty, or bring up a common interest you know he or she has outside the office.

7.) Since different employers use different types of interviews, find out which one you'll be faced with. For example, some companies will ask you a standard set of typical interview questions, whereas others ask case questions or brain teasers. Asking the recruiter or HR contact about the interview format ahead of time is absolutely fair game. Investing time to become familiar with the interviewing style can make a huge difference.

Anticipate the Interview Questions

8.) It is essential to spend time thinking about the answers to the interviewer's questions that will draw the appeal of your hiring manager the most. Questions about accomplishments, creativity, special skills such as problem solving and management abilities should be expected and you should have answers and examples that cater to each employer you interview with. Don't assume that a generic answer will suffice. Personalize your approach to your specific position and employer that you are applying with.

9.) Be prepared for the "tell me about yourself" question asked at the beginning of most interviews. Have a strong answer ready, to start the interview in your favor.

10.) Don't get thrown out by the curveball question "What's your biggest weakness?" Answer with something that you've struggled with, but are working to improve on. An example may be public speaking isn't one of your strengths. But over the past several years, you've volunteered your time to raise money for a charity you believe in by hosting lunches with community business leaders, where you address the group with a short introduction and welcome at the beginning of the meal. You've also taken on a leadership position on your HOA (Home Owners Association) board where you live, to be more comfortable when addressing groups of people at the meetings.

11.) You can Google a list of common interview question to familiarize yourself and prepare your reply. For the interview, jot down a few notes or points to those question, rather than entire answers, to help you answer them naturally without sounding rehearsed and insincere. You definitely don't want to sound as though you're reading from a script.

12.) Impress with numbers. You will get the attention of the hiring manager with your description of your responsibilities and accomplishments by saying "I was able to increase company profits by 15% due to my negotiations with the supply vendor to lower his material cost to our 30 retail locations." "Direct shipment from vendor to our stores also saves our customer's the additional $25 special order charge, which has increase our commercial orders by 37% in the last quarter alone."

Finding some numbers, percentages, increases, or quotas you can use when talking about your responsibilities and accomplishments, goes a long ways to show the hiring manager why you're so awesome.

13.) Don't just think about how you'll answer certain questions; practice looking in the mirror and answering them out loud. This prep work will help you clarify your thoughts and make you much more comfortable during the interview. Do as many mock interviews as you possibly can with a friend. You’ll be much better at a question that you've practiced answering beforehand.

14.) Prepare a few smart questions for when it's your turn to ask. Make sure they're thoughtful ones that show you’ve been paying attention and have done your homework when it comes to researching the company and the specific job you’re after.

Dress and Pack Accordingly

15.) Wear the perfect interview outfit. Find out what the dress code is for the company by asking a friend or contact who works there (if you have one). If you don't, try going to the company when employees start coming to work and see what they're wearing. You can observe from a distance.

16.) Keep your look basic and conservative for the interview. Make sure that your outfit fits you, isn't dated, cleaned and pressed. Shine your shoes, make sure to comb or style your hair, your fingernails are manicured. Keep your colors and patterns conservative. Don't wear too much makeup and leave the cologne and perfume for your date night. Remember, this is the stuff that you don't always think people notice, but they do!

17.) Do a little pampering, because looking your best helps you feel your best. If that means you need a facial, haircut, razor shave, or even a new interview outfit, then by all means do it! Feeling good about yourself will boost your confidence—and we probably don’t have to tell you that confidence is key to landing your dream job.

18.) Prepare a reference list (just in case you'll be asked). For each reference, include a name, title, organization, division or department, telephone number, and email address, as well as a sentence briefly explaining the relationship (e.g., “Sheila was my team leader for two years, during which we collaborated on six major rollouts”).

19.) Print out five copies of your resume. You never know who you’ll be meeting with, and you want to have your resume ready to go in case you're asked for it.

20.) Prep an interview kit for your purse or briefcase. It should be large enough to hold your everyday essentials, plus your interview musts, such as extra resumes and a notepad, as well as a special emergency kit stocked with what you might need in an unexpected situation (think: Band-Aids, stain stick, umbrella, and breath mints). Everything you need should be neatly organized and readily accessible. The less you have to rifle through your bag, the better.

Get In the Right Frame Of Mind

21.) Spend the most time before the interview reflecting on your career chronology to date. When you know your story inside and out, it’s much easier to apply examples to just about any interview question.

22.) Be mindful of your body language. Be aware of what you’re communicating through your posture and stance, and make sure it’s good. (For example, sitting with your arms and legs crossed sends a message that you are closed-off or feel defensive.) Think your movements through ahead of time so you are not distracted (or distracting) during the interview.

23.) Get a good night's rest and have a good breakfast. There are few things that will throw you off your game like sleep deprivation. Don't skip the most important meal of your day. It will set the pace for your whole day. By doing these two things, you'll be more alert, less stressed, more energetic, think and feel stronger and better able to cope with whatever the day throws at you.