Job interviews can be intimidating and stressful, even for veterans who have a number of job interviews under their belts. One way to reduce the nervousness is to be prepared ahead of time. Good preparation can not only give you confidence, but it can also lead to a successful interview.
Research the Company and Industry
The first thing that you should do is to understand the company you are interviewing with. Do your research. Find out where they are and where they want to be. Figure out, if you can, what they need. Study the industry as well. What are the competitors doing? Not only will this help you be be ready with expert answers to any questions that come up during the interview about the company, but it will also give you a clear sense about whether or not you really want to work there.
Know the Interview Questions
Interview questions may vary a bit depending on where you are interviewing and who is interviewing you, but for the most part they fall into specific categories. A potential employer will want to know your work history, for example. Be prepared to talk about any major challenges that you faced and how you handled them, as well as what you liked or disliked about the company, what have you learned from working in your current or previous job, and even what your biggest failure was.
Another area of questions in an interview will focus specifically on you. For example, a typical question is “What ate your greatest strengths and your greatest weaknesses?” A potential employer will also want to know what specifically motivates you, your work pace, how you handle stress, pressure and deadlines, whether you work best independently or on a team and what type of work environment you like best.
Another set of interview questions may have to do with the specific job you are interviewing for and your interest in it. Be prepared to answer why you want that particular job, what you can specifically do in the position, how long you would like to stay with the company and how you can contribute. If you have done your research ahead of time, these questions should be pretty easy to answer. You may also get asked your salary requirements for the job, your career goals with the company, and what will be important for you to achieve in the next five or ten years.
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