7 Tips to Help You Rock That Interview
Here at Renegade Chicks we want to make sure that all readers are advised and satisfied in their personal lives, but we don’t want to keep things limited to dating, fashion and celebrity gossip! A Renegade Chick should also have a career that she is passionate about so we want to make sure that you’ve got what it takes to make that professional career of yours come true. You’ve previously read about ways to hunt down that great next job and how to dress appropriately for an interview—but what about the actual interview process?
Admittedly, I am no expert, but I have had plenty of experience interviewing, especially in the last couple of months and even this past week! Here are some great tips when it comes to preparing and nailing that scheduled interview:
1. Research the company. If you’re applying to work somewhere, well, you should probably know a bit about the place. Look online—check out their website, their LinkedIn page and get yourself familiarized. Who knows, you might be able to drop something into the conversation and impress them.
2. Practice. You should be able to successfully answer any question that’s thrown your way! This includes the typical “Tell me about yourself,” “Tell me about your position at…” and “Why do you want to work here?” Be ready to explain each and every single thing on your resume. I recommend having a mock-interview with a friend beforehand—it helps get you in the zone!
3. Have a copy of your resume on hand. Do not leave the house without this! Sometimes interviewers test you and ask for your copy rather than printing one out themselves. You don’t want to awkwardly tell them, “Er. I don’t have one.” While you’re printing out a copy, might as well print out a list of references too, just in case!
4. Dress appropriately. Your appearance should match that awesome resume of yours! Wear professional clothing, be well-groomed and be comfortable—this is the first time the company will be seeing you so make sure you dress to impress.
5. Be yourself and be confident. Although I am a fan of pencil skirts, the best thing you can wear to an interview is your smile and confidence. Remember, you already got an interview so that means the company is interested in what you’ve got to offer. The next step is showing them your personality and talking about your experiences. Make sure to smile and be sure of youself and you will surely leave a lasting impression.
6. Ask questions. It’s the best way to demonstrate your interest aside from the fact that you’ve applied. What do you want to know about the position and the company itself? Some of my faves include: What is the work environment like? What would a regular day look like for the position I’m applying for? When does the position start? What’s the best thing about working here?
7. Follow up. You applied for the job, had an awesome interview, so now what? Don’t just wait around—send an email to the person who interviewed you expressing your gratefulness for the interview and your sincere interest in the job. Once you’ve done that, you can patiently wait for their response—hopefully it’ll be them telling you you’re hired!
These are just some things that I’ve found to be helpful—especially as a jobless post-grad who is looking for employment. The most important thing is to bring the best version of you to an interview—that means being well rested, well-fed and on time!
What are some tips that you have to surviving that scheduled interview?
