The interview portion of your job search can be what makes or breaks your candidacy for a role. Your resume may have gotten you on the list of interviewees, but how one presents themselves in the interview will play a significant role in the outcome of their job search.

Whether it’s your very first interview or your hundredth, there are a few tried and true preparations that you can make to ensure that your first impression is a great one. Here we’ve outlined some suggestions that make for a great interviewee.

RESEARCH

There are two prongs to this approach when preparing for your first interview. First, you must know the Company, its values, its focus, its development, its product, and more. Not only will your familiarity and curiosity intrigue the interviewer, but it will provide you with the comfort and confidence to feel prepared for any “Why Us?” questions that they will inevitably ask you. Doing your research on the company will further help you determine if the Company is the right place for you.

Second, know who’s interviewing you and what you might have in common. This will not only encourage a natural flow of conversation but knowing more about your interviewer will help you in preparing thoughtful questions to ask at the end of your interview. These questions can be in regard to their experience at the company, their role and scope or what they’ve seen in successful candidates. 

Ultimately, going in blind will put you in an uncomfortable position, and your interviewer will notice that you didn’t care to do your research. Show that you have the initiative and the interest to put time into learning more about the company that you genuinely want to end up at. Solely “coasting” through the interview process will not get you very far. 

WHO ARE YOU?

Interviewers want to know about who you are, not just what’s on your resume. Your resume lists your experience and allows your interviewers to see your career progression and/or successes, but an interview gives you the opportunity to humanize yourself through conversation and allows you to show what kind of employee you are. 

Your background and goals make up the story that is your life, so connect the dots to help them truly understand you. Present yourself in a way that shows you have the characteristics of someone that is a good problem solver, a team player, and is motivated, etc. Your interviewer will remember your personal anecdotes and experiences. Detail your life in a concise, but articulate way so they will realize that you have the qualities they want in a hire.

A conversational interview can help your interviewer determine if you would be a good cultural fit at the Company. Be yourself, and don’t try to mold your personality into something you think your interviewer wants; if you get the job, you will be happier in an environment where you are a culture fit. 

BE CONFIDENT

This is your opportunity to tell your interviewer what you can do. Fill in the holes in your resume. Talk about your accomplishments at your previous job. Show your interviewer not only what you can achieve at the company, but also what you can contribute to them. Think about these accomplishments before the interview so you have them prepared for when it comes up and connect them to the research you did on the company. 

Think of some questions that you might be asked and prepare your answers. Even if they don’t ask the specific questions you practiced, practice alone will help you be more confident in the interview. In a previous blog, we outlined 60 questions commonly asked during a sales interview. Even if you’re not going for a sales role, these questions can help you prepare. 

TRANSPARENCY

During your interview, make sure that you’re honest and that your answers are genuine. It is easy for an interviewer to do some fact-checking to find out if you weren’t honest. If something on your resume doesn’t look entirely attractive, be honest in your explanation if you’re asked. Embrace your weaknesses and always explain what you are doing to overcome those challenges. 

ASK QUESTIONS

When an interviewer asks you if you have any questions, you should NOT say no. This is one of the most important moments in the interview. Come prepared with some questions and show you have an interest. These can include questions about the company, the expectations that they have of you, and the interviewer’s own experience. Here’s a list of 30 questions you can ask in an interview.

If you’re looking for a new job, RJR Partners would love to help you. Contact us, and our team of recruiters can help you through every step of the process.