23 Interview Tips: How to Get the Job

Making a great impression and demonstrating your best qualities during an interview increases your chances of getting a job offer. By preparing for the interview and following certain steps afterward, you can impress the hiring team and make them remember you. In this article, we review 23 tips that can help you get ready to succeed in your interview.

Helpful tips for before the interview

Here are some tips to help you prepare before the interview:

• Learn about your interviewers and the company

• Use the company's product

• Ask for the interview format

• Prepare your answers for commonly asked interview questions

• Read the job description more than twice

• Answer questions using the STAR method

• Ask for help to practice your answers

• Prepare a reference list

• Come prepared with your work examples

• Have smart questions for the interviewers

Learn about your interviewers and the company

It is important to get an understanding of the company and the interviewer's role in the organization. Learning this information can help you feel more confident in the interview. Study the company's website, recent press releases and social media posts to understand its goals, and determine how your experience makes you the best fit. Search specifically for its mission statement and overall objectives so you can talk about them with the interviewer.

Use the company's product

Regardless of the role you are interviewing for, always use the company's product before the first interview. It is better if you use it a few times since you will represent this product or service if you're hired. Learn about the various features and how customers view the product. Demonstrate your knowledge during the interview to impress the hiring manager.

Ask for the interview format

All firms have different ways of interviewing, so find out what type you should expect. Some will ask brainteasers, case questions or typical interview questions. Most will ask specific questions about the role, and you may need to solve a problem or complete a daily task. Ask the human resources manager what you can expect so you can adequately prepare.

Prepare your answers for commonly asked interview questions

Come prepared for some common questions, like, 'Tell me about yourself.' Answer this question by highlighting your background and what makes you competent for the job. This is the best way to present your personal elevator pitch.

Other common interview questions include:

• Why do you want to work for our company?

• What are your greatest strengths?

• What are your greatest weaknesses?

• How would your last supervisor describe you?

• Why should we hire you?

• Why did you leave your last job?

• Explain a challenge and how you overcame it.

Read the job description more than twice

Highlight specific sections and skills that seem to be the most important. Recall examples from your current and past work that match the requirements. This helps you show how you would be a good fit for the job, which is what interviewers expect.

Answer questions using the STAR method

Expect the employer to ask you about how you applied a specific skill in your previous job. Tell stories using the STAR method:

• Situation: Describe a specific challenge you faced.

• Task: Explain your role in the situation.

• Action: Detail the steps you took to overcome the challenge.

• Result: Explain the results you achieved, including anything you learned.

Ask for help to practice your answers

An effective way to work on your answers is by speaking them out loud. Ask a trusted friend or family member to help you in going over the questions and answers, or repeat them to yourself. Friends or family members should be able to give you constructive feedback about your answers and how you deliver them.

Prepare a reference list

Your interviewers might ask you for a reference list just before or after the interview. Having a reference list ready to hand over in the interview shows you're prepared and organized.

Come prepared with your work examples

During the interview, the employer will likely ask about the specific work you have completed related to the position. After going through the job description, recall the work you have done in your previous jobs, volunteer positions or clubs that show your expertise and success in doing that work. Bring a portfolio of examples if you can.

Have smart questions for the interviewers

Employers prefer to hire applicants who come with questions. They are interested in finding out about your seriousness in working with their company. Following are some of the questions you can ask your interviewers:

• Can I know some of the daily responsibilities of this position?

• What qualities would you expect in someone successful in this role?

• How do you measure performance for this position? How often?

• What departments does your team interact with regularly?

• What do these departments use to collaborate?

• How does this process work?

• What challenges are you currently facing in this role?

Tips to follow during the interview

After preparing for the interview, you can be successful by following the tips below:

• Arrange your interview dress the night before

• Bring your resume copies, a pen and a notebook

• Make your schedule to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early

• Leave a positive first impression

• Respect everyone you meet

• Be confident

• Be positive and authentic

• Be truthful in your answers

• Relate your answers to your accomplishments and skills

• Be concise and focused in your answers

• Speak positively about your former employers

Arrange your interview dress the night before

If you get in touch with the human resources manager before the interview, ask them about their dress code and prepare accordingly. If you're unsure of how to dress, research the company online to see what employees seem to wear on a daily basis. Choose business professional dress if you can't find any information on the dress code.

Bring your resume copies, a pen and a notebook

Have a minimum of five printed copies of your resume to hand out during the interview. Highlight your job-related accomplishments on a copy that you keep and refer to. Bring a notebook and a pen with you. Be prepared to take notes in your notebook instead of a smartphone or any other electronic device. Write down the information that you can reference when sending thank-you notes.

Make your schedule to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early

Find out the directions to your interview location ahead of time to ensure that you are there on time. Do a practice run in whatever method of transportation you plan to use. If you get there early, spend some time observing employees and how they interact with each other to see what the atmosphere is like.

Leave a positive first impression

Be mindful of the little things—check your clothes for loose threads, pet hair, stains or holes, keep your nails clean and tidy and polish your shoes. Maintain a smile and a confident body language throughout the interview.

Respect everyone you meet

Some interviewers ask for feedback from other staff members. This includes the front desk staff, security personnel and others. Therefore, respect everyone you meet on the way to the interview. Not only does this help employers make a hiring decision, but it also starts building connections with the people you might work with.

Be confident

Look confident and accessible the moment you enter the premises. Sit or stand upright. Build self-confidence and release anxiety and stress by taking deep, slow breaths. When the interviewer offers a handshake, stand upright, look at the person confidently and smile. Be firm in your handshake.

Be positive and authentic

Being authentic during interview conversations helps employers relate to you. A smile and positive body language can help you feel relaxed when speaking with interviewers.

Be truthful in your answers

It can be tempting to overstate your accomplishments and skills, however, interviewers prefer and respect honesty. Stay focused on your major strengths and explain how your background qualifies you for the position.

Relate your answers to your accomplishments and skills

Make sure to answer a question by relating it to your previous job experience with examples of results and solutions you have achieved. Use the STAR method to tell stories that detail your process and achievements. Relate every opportunity to the requirements in the job specification.

Be concise and focused in your answers

Interviewers are usually busy and only have a limited amount of time for each interview, so keep your responses concise. Stay focused by practising your answers ahead of time.

Speak positively about your former employers

Instead of offering negative input, direct your discussion on what you have gained from previous work experiences and what you plan to do next. Companies prefer hiring problem solvers who can overcome difficult situations.

Helpful tips after the interview

After the interview, improve your chances of moving ahead by following the tips below:

Ask for the next steps

After the interview, it is better to ask your recruiter, hiring manager or interviewer about what you should expect in the following week. They will possibly send you a follow-up email with your interview results and a request for additional requirements like a reference list, an assignment or another interview.

Follow up with a personalized thank-you email

Request a business card from each of your interviewers to send them a personalized thank-you email. If your interview was in the morning, email your thank-you note the same day. If your interview was in the afternoon, the next morning is fine. Make sure to keep each email distinct from the others by using the notes you wrote during the conversations.