How To Prepare For Interview Success

Are you looking for a job and have an interview coming up that you need to prepare for? Don’t sweat it. Although they can seem intimidating, interviews are in fact designed to let you shine – you just need to know how to play it. Today we’ll take a look at some of the best ways you can prepare for an upcoming job interview to ensure that you are set up for success on the day.

Make The Best Use Of Your Prep Time

Depending on the situation, you can sometimes have anything from a couple of weeks to a few days to prepare for your interview. The best way to approach either scenario is to assess what the best use of your time is. Do you need to do further research on the company and position or is it important that you take off the pressure and ensure you are in the right headspace? Only you can know what you need, so be sure to listen to your instincts.

Depending on the kind of interview you are having and the industry there are different specific concerns to consider, however, below are some of the essential tips that apply to every interview candidate. Be the master of your own success and project the best version of yourself on the day.

Reread Your Resume

An essential but often overlooked part of interview prep is rereading your resume and application letter. As this is the source from which the interviewer will be formulating their questions for you, make sure that you are intimately familiar with each event and figure recorded there. Be prepared to elaborate on each professional milestone you have passed and consider your areas of strengths and weaknesses. Using the C.A.R sequence helps give your responses to questions structure, by sticking to a ‘challenge; action; response’ format.

The more nervous you are in public speaking scenarios, the more important it will be for you to do this preparatory work. Talking about ourselves is often the most difficult topic as it can prove difficult to be objective. Making a list of key tasks you have fulfilled that demonstrate your particular strengths make it easier to recall this in the interview situation and not get flustered.

Prepare What You Are Going To Wear

The formality of your attire will be dependent on the kind of role you are going for and the office environment, but it is still important to carefully plan each detail of your outfit. Not only does the way we look greatly influence the way other people regard us, but it can have enormous effect on the way we feel.

Even if in your potential new office all current employees are dressed in jeans and t-shirts, you are still going to want to wear something smarter. A shirt for men is mandatory, even if paired with jeans or chinos, while women have slightly more options with a simple dress and smart tennis shoes sufficing in particularly relaxed environments. Simple accessories can help to add a touch of class to an outfit without looking overdressed. A classic watch, such as one of these from Longines, is the ultimate power symbol while being understated and suiting any outfit.

Plan Your Morning

No matter whether your interview is at 8am or 8pm, making sure to start your day right is the ultimate key to success. It goes without saying that getting a long and restful night’s sleep is essential and will contribute enormously to your energy and mood the following day. Equally, performing light exercise in the morning can be a great way to immediately kick start your metabolism and increase your energy levels.

A healthy but filling breakfast is essential so as to power you through a long interview without the interruption of hunger cramps. Read over your emails and deal with any outstanding business you might have first thing so that you can focus all your thoughts and energies on the interview. Planning everything you want to do with your morning is a great way to ensure you aren’t stressed.

Don’t forget: planning your route to the interview and accounting for possible delays is the only way to ensure you aren’t late!

Watch Inspirational Videos

Channeling the right mindset is important for projecting confidence in your interview. A great way to do this can be to watch an inspirational video before heading to your appointment. Watching a professional speaker address an audience is a great way of learning how to present yourself: notice the body language they use and the way they communicate themselves clearly and confidently.

These tips about public speaking have been collated from various different TED talks, offering some of the best insider knowledge from those who have already attained a high level of success within their industries. Learn from the best and always keep a strong, positive attitude about what your day entails: this confidence will shine through and leave a deep impression on everyone in the room.