Interview Tips: Preparing for the interview

Download PDF

Find out as much as you can about the company:

• Visit the company's website to find out about its: org structure, business ventures, culture, etc.
• Recruiters will notice if you have researched the company.

Look up information on a company's competitors:

• Get a feel for the market that the company operates in. This will also let the recruiter know that you have done some research prior to the interview.
•  

Prepare for the interview:

• Behavioral interview questions are designed to gauge your ability to perform under a given set of circumstances.
• The basic belief behind behavioral interviewing is that the best predictor of a candidate's future behavior is how he/she performed in a similar situation in the past.
• Take the time to identify two or more examples of how you performed in a work situation.
• Behavioral interview questions typically begin with a phrase such as "Tell me about a time when you...."
• Interviewers look for examples of leadership, motivation, initiative, communication skills, and judgment.

Relax:

• The interview is a basic screening tool
• If you have not understood the question, it is better to ask the interviewer to rephrase rather than committing a blunder.
• If you are getting nervous, take a few deep breaths
• If you haven't done much interviewing before, it's a good idea to practice at least once before the "real thing".

Ask Questions:

• You may want to ask for more information about the position, or you may want find out what it's like to work at a particular location.
• Companies are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Writing a Thank You Letter:

• Near the end of your interviews, ask each interviewer for his or her contact information and correct name spelling, or just ask for a business card.
• Immediately after a round of interviews, always send a thank you letter to each of your interviewers by fax, mail or email.
• Email is the quickest way to get thank you letters in front of interviewers, and is perfectly acceptable these days.
• Regardless of how you send them, follow professional, business letter standards. Avoid using cutesy Net stuff, like emoticons (e.g., happy faces), shorthand and acronyms (e.g., u for you and TIA for thanks in advance).
• It's also an effective interviewing strategy.
• It shows that you are courteous, knowledgeable and professional
• Demonstrates your written communication skills
• Helps to make you stand out in the minds of the interviewers
• Elevates you above competing candidates
• Gives you an opportunity to reinforce your good points
• Allows you to include something important you forgot to mention during your interview
• Confirms your understanding of topics discussed and helps to avoid misunderstandings .