Being able to nail an upcoming job interview will often mean the difference between you landing that dream job, and having to settle with the position that you have now. Making a strong first impression really is crucial, but luckily for you, interview skills can be both practised and learnt.

Why Interview Preparation is Essential

The more you can prepare yourself for an interview, the better. Here’s why. Confidence will really work in your favour when going for a job. The more confident you are, the more at ease you’ll be and the quicker you’ll be with your responses. If you prepare ahead of time, then you’ll also show the employer that you are committed to the position and that you are willing to work for it.

What Recruiters Look for

Recruiters know that the interview process won’t really give you the chance to showcase your personality. They also know that sometimes, your confidence will be knocked a little too. That’s why they tend to watch your body language, as this will show how well you convey your words. If you want to help yourself here then sit up straight, smile and always make eye-contact. It’s also a good idea for you to project professionalism, by wearing the right clothing for the position you are going for.

The Week Before

The week before your interview is due to take place, you need to do your research. Set a Google Alert as this will help you to stay up to date with the local company developments. You might also want to review their social media presence too, so you can find out who their target market is and the way that the company themselves have impacted the industry as a whole. If you want to take things to that next level, then research the interviewer too. What’s their title? What interests do they have? If you know a bit about them then this will help you to create valuable talking points that will really help you.

Practice Questions

Find a list of industry-appropriate questions and test yourself. This will help you to prepare for what lies ahead and it will also give you the chance to really be on the ball when the big day comes along. It also helps to refresh your resume, as your interviewer will most likely ask you questions about its contents and even about your previous positions.

On the Day

The day of the interview has finally come around. It’s full steam ahead from now on and the nerves are probably setting in. If you’re feeling jittery, then it helps to soothe your nerves by exercising, and by also trying to take things slow. You might also want to try and arrive early, so you don’t walk into the interview feeling frazzled and out of sorts.  Before you go in, give yourself a quick refresher and take a deep breath. Another thing that you can do to try and help is to visualise yourself nailing the interview, then focus on making it happen.