You might be surprised at how little time many candidates invest preparing for an interview. Then again, you might be even more impressed with how much time other candidates do invest preparing for an interview. But the bottom line is, you probably would not want to attend an interview without being as well or better prepared than the individuals that you will be competing with for a given role. How do you ensure that you are clearly the most-prepared candidate for any given position? Read along and you will find out.
An interview begins long before you step in front of the interviewer. Wise job seekers will prepare with this in mind. Some important steps to take on the journey to your interview are:
- Research the company. Know about finances, product plans, recent news, noteworthy executives, physical locations, operating challenges, the range of products, pricing, typical sales processes, operational approaches, and anything else you can find out prior to stepping into the room.
- Make the best possible physical impression. Rehearse what you will do if invited to a meal. Refresh your basic etiquette points. Have your hair, nails, suit, shirt, shoes, belt, etc. in the best possible condition – everything pressed, cleaned, trimmed, shined up and ready to go.
- Know the route to the interview. Plan for traffic issues. Ensure you arrive early and are not pressed for time. This is not a time to arrive anxious.
- Spend time rehearsing the interview. Try to anticipate questions. Develop fully your thoughts on various issues impacting the company. Look at the financial, local, and global news to see if issues may be pertinent to this business. Be aware of macro economic and technological trends that may be important to this business either for future course or already driving action. Work with an interview coach to role-play questions.
- Have your 30/60/90-Day Plan ready to go. Ensure you are prepared to take control of the interview and set it on a course where your profitable value to this company is clear and well-defined.
- Network. Reach out to contacts, check blogs, and try to get the inside story on what is happening at your prospective company. Be prepared to be conversant on these points.
- Have a plan to follow up once you leave the interview. Write appropriate thank you notes and email them quickly (try not to use your phone, though). Be sure to say a kind word to the receptionist, the assistant, and other folks you may meet. Be clear about any post-interview actions you may have. Ask your references to follow up reassuring the hiring manager that you are a great fit.
As you can see, an interview is a major event that should be supported with a full range of well-considered actions providing the best possible likely endpoint–your hire.
Article from Career Confidential
