Job interview: How to ace it?

There are tons of websites and youtube links out there for you to look at before your interview and there are ways to combat that fear. Hopefully ace it and get the job you want.

I've done countless interviews in my life. It can be nerve wracking, I tell you. It is all about preparation and of course the question if the job is something that you really want where you will grow professionally. Other questions such as: Is this the right fit? Is it something that I will enjoy in the next few years of my career? How is it going to help me with my career progression? All these questions should be in your mind when you are applying for a job.

Preparations needed can be overwhelming but make sure that you have an updated resume. All the dates are up to date and matching. You don't want your potential to be asking you during the interview about date inconsistencies. You have to be consistent and precise. For some it starts with a phone interview before you are invited for a face-to-face interview with the hiring managers, directors and possibly HR. So now that you have the resume and you have clicked send, you are going to be waiting for that phone call. Here are the things you need to prepare for that interview which hopefully will lead to landing a job. Here are some tips:

Do some research of the company. This is a must. Hiring managers are looking for someone who is familiar with the company. Understand the mission and vision, the services they are providing, the clientele, company's culture, the management team, their competition and other pertinent informations. Doing your research will increase your chances of getting hired. There are ways on finding out those informations such as the company's website, linkedin profile, social media accounts etc.

Dress professionally/Grooming. I am guilty of preparing my outfit first before anything else. Dressing professionally and giving importance to grooming play a significant role on how you will ace that interview. Neatness and cleanliness go hand in hand this includes brushing your teeth, not putting too much cologne or perfume, no dangling earrings or limited jewelry.

Be on time. It is important that you are on time and not late for your interview. I'd say 15 minutes is good. Plot the direction on your phone's GPS. Take note of the bus schedule the day before so you won't get lost.

Bring a copy of your resume. It is 2019 I know. Your question might be, "Why can't they print it themselves?" or "Have they not seen it online or on my profile?". Ok these hiring managers are very busy looking through all the applicants so they are not going to memorize every details in your resume. It is safe to bring a copy of your resume. Normally, when they phone you or email you about the job interview time and date for confirmation, it will say the names of the people who will be part of the interview. If it's two, prepare 2 and bring an extra in case someone might want to sit in.

Courteousness and Friendliness. Once you are in the building, this is the rule: Be nice to everyone. Give your best smile to the receptionist and security personnel. You never know who is watching you.

Eye contact. Well, I know you are nervous but it doesn't hurt to continue giving that smile but also making eye contact to convey friendliness. Remember to not stare into the person's eyes, make eye contact from time to time.

Prepare answering interview questions. Give examples. Prepare stories. This part is the biggest chunk of the interview process and you should be practicing your answers beforehand. Some questions might include: Tell me about yourself. How do you see yourself in 5 years? What are your short term and long term goals? Have you experienced conflict and how did you handle it? (*This can be part of another blog post.) Bear in mind that all these questions are gauging your skills and how you are going to handle situations in the workplace. At the end of the interview, make sure you have prepared questions for the interviewer. Ask them meaningful questions that will show your enthusiasm and willingness to be part of the team.

Post interview Thank you note. Thank the people you met during your interview, thank them for the time and opportunity they have provided to you. Also, it is important to reiterate to show your interest in the position and give them reasons as to why you are the right candidate for the job.

Be nice to everyone. Give your best smile to the receptionist and security personnel. You never know who is watching you.

Key: Do not be discouraged

After your interview I am sure you will have these questions in your mind as to how you did on your interview. It is best to do some sort of debriefing. Gather yourself and try to remember the interview questions and write them down, what I do is I write the interview questions in my notebook and I will try to remember my answers. Most of the time, I remember them especially with the examples I provided. Hopefully, it will cue you that some of your answers might be off or you did not hit it all the questions. That's ok! It will serve as a learning experience for the next interview. If you don't get the job, continue searching and putting your resumes out there. Seek help from someone to edit your resume and do more practice session alone of with a friend. Everyone gets rejected. It can be difficult but keep pushing, eventually someone will give you that job you have been looking for.