Preparing for an interview primarily means taking time to thoughtfully consider your goals and qualifications relative to the position and employer. To accomplish this, you should perform research on the company and carefully review the job description to understand why you would be a good fit. Let’s look at the steps to preparing for an interview.
Practice answering the questions you think they will ask, and practise asking questions. Talk the way you are going to talk and do it out loud so you can hear your own words.
Familiarise yourself with the company or organisation. Even if you’re aiming to be a small cog in their machine, it is important to understand something about what the company actually does. Find out what is important to the company and what may change in the future. Most of what you need to know can be found on their website or by searching online. Find out:
- What is the company’s main activity?
- What will change over the next few years?
- What do they help their customers with?
- What challenges do they have?
Ask yourself: why does this organisation and job interest you? What do they do that fascinates you? Why do you want to spend time with them in the coming years? You can ask more in the interview but, have some questions planned when you arrive.
The key to a good interview is not to answer questions but to ask them. Write questions in your notebook in advance and keep it in front of you at the meeting, so you remember what to ask.
Remember, the interview is just as much about you finding a good fit for your own work environment as it is about the company finding a good fit for the role. Knowing your values align with the company ensures a happy professional life. This is also the perfect opportunity to find out more about the company and show the interviewer how you’ll fit.
