Guest post by Anabel Monet Ramire
Job interviews can be nerve wrecking even for the veterans who have been to dozens of them. But, there are steps you can take a few days (or even the night before) to ensure that the interview goes smoothly and you present the best version of yourself.
Go Over Your CV and Cover Letter
It’s essential that you go over your CV and cover letter before the interview because the employer will base a lot of the questions around them. That’s why it’s important that you have a good CV in the first place that shows all your qualifications and achievements and a cover letter that expands on things you weren’t able to talk about in the CV. This way you can decrease some of the questions that will be asked. The employer will generally ask you to give evidence of things you’ve mentioned on your CV/cover letter. For example, they might ask you to demonstrate a time where you demonstrated great communication skills. I recommend jotting down an example for each skill mentioned and link it to the job if you can since it shows that you’re qualified.
Read the Job Description Again
By reading the description again you can make sure that you know what the employer is looking for. This way you can come up with examples that show you’re right for the job and again it allows you to imagine what kind of questions will be asked. Plus, making sure you know the job description prevents you from asking questions that were already answered in the text which is a huge no-no since it shows employers you didn’t give much thought into applying.
Practice Questions
Thinking of possible questions that might be asked and coming up with answers will help you a lot! Now, you don’t need a full script planned out! But, having a jist of what you’re going to say will make you less nervous and more confident when it’s time to have the interview. You can think of questions yourself or, thanks to the internet, you can find common questions asked at interviews and how to answer them. Also, make a note of the questions you shouldn’t ask during your first interview such as the salary.
Plan Everything
The worst thing you can do before your interview is to be stressed. Following the tips above will help, but you should also make sure that you plan the route you’re going to take making sure that you get to the interview at least 15 minutes before. It already shows the interviewer that you have good time-management and a professional attitude. Also, pick your outfit a few days before so that if you find yourself with nothing appropriate you have enough time to buy something new.
Do Something Fun!
Rehearsing all day before the interview is no fun and can definitely leave you feeling burned out. So, do something you enjoy the day before. It’ll take your mind off the interview if you’re feeling nervous and will leave you feeling more relaxed. Nothing too wild though! You need to be in top shape for the interview. That means no clubbing until 5am!
Interviews are not as bad as they are made out to be and remember no matter how the interview goes it’s a huge achievement that you passed onto the second stage of the application process.
Anabel Monet Ramirez is an Online Marketer at StudentJob. Looking for a job but not sure where to start or have an interview coming up? Our application tips talks in great detail about how to create an effective CV, cover letter and how to be a boss at interviews!
Find additional information on job search skills on officeskills.org.
Tags: cv and cover letter, job description, job interview skills, job search skills, practice interview questions, what to do before the job interview
