Three Tips for Your Next Interview

Posted April 20, 2021

Have an upcoming job interview? While there are numerous articles about this topic, there is always more to learn. Interviewing can be stressful, and at a time when many companies are still doing remote interviews, it can be more challenging than ever. If you have an upcoming job interview and want to head into it as prepared as possible, follow the below tips with suggestions you may not have thought of before.

Sell Yourself

If you head into an interview with the main goal of simply answering the interviewer’s questions, you need to re-evaluate your plan. The goal of an interview isn’t simply to “ace” the interviewer’s questions, but to communicate who you are and how you would be an asset to the company. While it is imperative to practice your answers and prepare for the interview as much as possible, you also need to explain what sets you apart from other applicants and how you’d be the perfect addition to the team. If you haven’t already, develop your elevator pitch, and list your key experiences that fit in with the specific role you are applying for. Focus on the company’s needs and how you are the solution to their problems.

Prepare as Much as Possible

Ahead of the interview, do your homework and research the company as much as possible. Go beyond learning the company’s mission statement and company facts on their website. Set up Google alerts to be notified when there is any news about the company and research recent press releases and company statements. Knowing these recent developments will set you apart from other applicants who just know a general overview about the company. If possible, drop any relevant company news into your interview answers. Role play before the interview and have set answers to the standard interview questions. Keep your answers short and concise and ideally between 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the depth of the question.

Have a Closing Statement

At the end of your interview, thank the interviewer for their time and end the meeting with a closing statement. You can include several key aspects in this; some suggestions in your closing statement you can include are:

• Find out what the next steps will be
• Ask if they have any concerns preventing them from offering you the job (if they do make sure to address this and clear up any hesitation)
• Recap why they should hire you

Practice your closing statement before the interview so you can make sure to leave a great final impression.