The Ultimate Interview Preparation Guide

The interview is one of the major parts of every recruitment process. It helps employers to find the right candidate for the job. During the interview, you will get an opportunity to prove your candidacy and show that you are the best to serve the company. But, job interviews are stressful for several candidates. Still, proper preparation will enable you to gain confidence.

Before providing you with a guide, we need to say that interviews can be of different types.

Directive style interviews

Some companies choose this style to maintain consistency between interviews. Interviewers will create a particular list of questions for all interviewers. They will compare results and make their decisions.

Behavioral interview

Recruiters like to know about the candidates’ past behaviors, which will affect their future performance. In this case, you have to focus on the skills that you have mentioned in your resume. Interviewers will ask questions related to these skills. 

Audition

It is another type of interview where employers will evaluate your skills.

Follow-up interviews

Candidates may need to appear for multiple interview sessions. These follow-up interviews will ensure your suitability to work for the company. The supervisor, CEO, and other decision-makers may be present during these interview sessions.

How to prepare for interviews

Although interviews can be of different styles, you need to go through some common steps for preparation.

·         Know about the company

Before attending the interview session, you have to research the company and know about its products or services. You must also know about the industry and the challenges it faces. It is better to visit the social media pages and website of the company. For example, you will need to focus on practice tests if you are applying to a global company like Korn Ferry.

·         Read the job description carefully

Several interviewers like to ask candidates to describe the position for which they have sent a job application. Interestingly, lots of applicants cannot give a proper answer to this question.

Thus, take some time to understand your job position. You may also write notes about it and read it thoroughly before the day of the interview. You must learn about your responsibilities as a potential employee in a company.

·         Try to know about the interviewer

It may not be easy for you to learn about the interviewer until you enter the interview room. Still, you can try to get some information about interviewers. You can check their social media profiles and read their professional bios. Social media platforms also give an opportunity to build a rapport with them.

·         Be ready to tell your story

In most cases, interviews begin with the most common question- Tell us something about yourself. Although it seems to be an easy question, several candidates make a mistake.

The interviewer does not like to know about your personal life story. He is eager to know why you have an interest in the job. Your goal should be to give precise detail about your career.  You may also talk about the challenges and problems that you can tackle. Try to make your story compelling and maintain your honesty. It will let you beat other candidates.

·         Prepare some answers for basic questions

The commonly asked questions are-

ü  What are your good traits?

ü  What are your weaknesses?

ü  Why have you chosen this job?

Have a printout of your resume-

Although it is a digital age, you have to carry a hard copy of your resume with you. At least one copy of your resume is a must.

·         Choose the right outfit

Before the day of attending the interview, you can pick the right dress from your wardrobe collection. You can choose an attire, which reflects a professional look. Men can choose a jacket, while women can prefer a blouse-slack combo. Do not wear jeans and hoodies on the day of the interviews.

·         Have a sound sleep

Sleep is highly important to get prepared for the interview. You will perform best on the interview day. Lack of sleep can cause distractions, and you cannot concentrate on interview questions. That is why you can go to bed early and have a sound sleep.

These are some important tips for getting prepared for the interview sessions.