Steps to Prepare for the Interview

Nancy Anderson
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A key part of any job search is interview preparation. In order to ace the interview, you need to be prepared to answer tough questions, propose questions to the interviewer and present yourself in a professional manner. Prepare by researching the company, prioritizing your wants and needs within a position and practicing interview questions relevant to your dream position.

The first step of interview preparation is to research the company. Avoid simply memorizing facts about the company. Instead, investigate the company's goals and missions, brand and marketing strategies. Read news articles about the company's accomplishments, setbacks and financial status and learn about the company's clients, products, initiatives and projects to prepare yourself for the interview.

Take your research a step further by preparing questions about the company itself based off your research. For example, if the company has launched a new product, you can ask the interviewer specifics about how the product's sales have progressed. Show you are prepared and invested in learning about the company by using this research to expand discussions during the interview, which will impress the interviewer and show you are well-versed in the operations of the business.

Know the position before stepping foot into the front door of the company. Get familiar with the job description as part of your interview preparation so you have a solid understanding of what your responsibilities and tasks will entail. Think about how your skills and experience match the requirements and qualifications desired and use this information to justify why you are the perfect candidate for the job. Point to evidence such as accomplishments or sales goals met in past positions that are relevant to the duties of the position advertised to ace the interview.

Research the industry during your interview preparation. Find out the competitors or partner organizations associated with the business to arm yourself with information you could use while answering interview questions. Know the challenge the company is facing and brainstorm solutions that could be presented. Understand how the business compares to its competitors and the strategic plans in place to thrive and survive in the industry. Candidates who are familiar and well-versed in the company's initiatives are much more prepared to answer focused interview questions related to the needs of the company.

Prepare for tough interview questions. Interview preparation should include rehearsing your answers to ensure the responses do not sound scripted or vague. Instead, match your experience and skills to the job description and keep the responses focused on how you can benefit the company's overall productivity and profitability.

Interview preparation requires time, effort and dedication to land your dream job. Investigate why the position is desirable and formulate responses to interview questions that justify why you are the ideal candidate.


Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

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