Ace Your Next Big Interview: The Inside Scoop
You finally landed an interview for your dream job. Awesome! The adrenaline rush comes with equal parts excitement and anxiety as you prepare answers and coordinate your outfit. While nerves are inevitable, they don’t have to derail an otherwise strong candidacy.
Follow these insider strategies to tackle even the toughest job interviews with flying colors:
Research the Role and Company
An sharp candidate enters each interview with deep knowledge of both the open position and the organization. Study the job description, company website, press releases, and employee profiles on LinkedIn to immerse yourself in their priorities, challenges, products, culture and strategic goals. Use the information to weave these insights into your answers.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The best way to get comfortable answering any question is practice. Compile likely interview questions based on your research and role requirements, and practice responses out loud until articulate answers flow naturally. Time yourself to check that you can concisely convey key messages within the allotted interview duration.
Prepare Examples and Achievements
Interviewers frequently ask candidates to describe examples and achievements that demonstrate desired competencies, so you’ll need sharp, concise stories that showcase your abilities. Reflect on your proudest career moments and how you made a difference in each role. Quantify results whenever possible.
Articulate What Motivates You
Interviewers want to understand what energizes you in a role, so clarify early on what aspects you find most meaningful, exciting or rewarding. Then provide examples of how you pursued motivating work. This builds a personal connection with interviewers who seek passionate candidates aligned to company goals.
Ask Insightful Questions
The interview is as much about assessing the company fit for you as vice versa, so come armed with thoughtful questions. Inquiries about leadership vision, new initiatives, challenges awaiting the role, and what success looks like in the first 12 months demonstrate genuine interest while helping you evaluate cultural alignment.
Effective Interview prep combines understanding the company and role with practicing to succinctly express your relevant strengths, passions and cultural fit. What strategies do you leverage to ace interviews? Please share any best practices in the comments below.
Need professional help?
First, download our free Interview Success Guide for more techniques to land your next big opportunity. Contact us for a 1:1 interview preparation consultation.