Interview Preparation – The Key to Success!

"Nothing is more feared or more misunderstood in the job search process than interviewing. People tend to conjure up all their fears and insecurities when an interview is requested and sometimes the level of anxiety is so high it actually sabotages the interview.

A certain level of nerves is good. Any athlete will tell you that being a little nervous “tunes” us up for the competition and sharpens our “edge.” However, in an interview situation we do not want appear so nervous that it detracts from our ability to present a professional image. That is where careful preparation comes in.

When we are well-prepared, we can present a relaxed and polished image and are less likely to get flustered by unexpected questions. Always keep in mind that the interviewer already thinks you are qualified for the job or you would have gotten the interview!


Here are six steps to effective interview preparation:

1. Research the company. Make sure you know what the company does, who their customers are, and how they are doing. If they are a publicly traded firm, reading the most recent Annual Report is very helpful. Running a search on Google for the company usually turns up loads of information about any firm.

2. Download and study everything you can find about the specific job position for which you are interviewing. If the job was published, study the job description thoroughly and be sure to read between the lines. If there is no specific job description, then analyze the firm’s most likely needs and think about how you an help them with their business objectives.

3. Research the person who will interview you. Simply searching for the person’s name is usually enough and if they are in LinkedIn that may be all you need to do! Study their background and especially look for anything you may have in common with them.

4. Read your own resume and be ready to talk about your career accomplishments by telling stories. Stories are very powerful ways to explain what you can do for a company. Use the SAR model – Situation, Action, and Results – to help guide you and don’t talk too much about a single accomplishment. Two or three minutes is more than enough.

5. Prepare two or three substantive questions about the company based on your research about the company. Questions like “Where do you see the company going over the next few years?” or “Do you have plans for any new products or services?” or “What do you think is the key to the company’s success?” are good questions that will position you as a strong candidate.

6. Be ready with a 30-second “commercial” in answer to the possible invitation to “tell me about yourself.” Write it out and practice it frequently. The commercial should talk more about what you can do than who you are.

Finally, be very clear that every interview is a selling opportunity. The potential customer is the employer and you are the commodity that you are trying to “sell”. Make sure the interviewer knows what you can do for her firm and stay focused on the needs and priorities of the interviewer, not your own."

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.