Job hunting wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for the anxiety-inducing interviews, huh? We get it, but they’re inevitable so you might as well put on a brave face and walk into your next interview with total confidence and these tips in mind to ace it every single time.
Remember That the Interview Starts the Moment You Walk Out of Your Door
You never know who you may run into between your home and the place of your interview, so treat everyone around you with kindness, and don’t say anything that could be perceived as rude or hateful regarding your current employer or potential future employer, just keep things totally professional. The odds of you running into your future potential boss while you’re on the phone complaining about the starting salary are slim, but never zero.
Think of Some GOOD Questions to Ask at the End of the Interview
At the end of almost every interview, the person conducting the interview will ask if you have any questions. Most of the time, people say no. But just having one or two really good questions on hand will make you look really good. A personal favorite of ours is, “what keeps you coming in to work every day?”
Conduct Your Own Thorough Vibe Check
Before you interview, check out all the social media of your potential future employer, check out their website, read their mission statement, their reviews, and whatever else you can find that will give you an even better idea of what the company is like. This is also great info to have to go into an interview because it shows that you’ve taken the time to do your research.
Don’t Talk About the Things You’re Not
Just focus on all the things you are instead, and you’ll be in good standing.
Caution: Small Talk Ahead
One thing we are not: proficient at small talk. One thing guaranteed to happen during an interview: small talk. So before heading to your interview, read a little news, ask something vague yet personal like what someone likes to do for fun, and keep in mind that small talk makes most people feel super weird too, so don’t be too hard on ourself and just do your best.
Real Talk
Throughout your interview, work in some quick, personal stories to share. We aren’t saying to turn it into a therapy session, but sharing real-life experiences always makes a person feel a little more genuine and warm during an interview which can sometimes just feel stuffy.
Seriously, Just Be You
We know it sounds cliche, but your “you-ness” is what will set you apart from other candidates. There’s a good chance if you’re to the point of interviewing, you’ve done your research and think you’ll be a good fit, so tell them and show them why.
Universal Qualities for Candidates
What a company is looking for will vary from place to place, but some qualities are just universal. Here are some qualities most companies can agree on (in no particular order):
- Ambition
- Organization
- Excellent communication
- Creativity
- Confidence
- Integrity
- Critical thinking
- Goal-oriented
- Dependability
- Work ethic
- Determination
- Team player/cooperative
- Flexibility
- Loyalty
- Positivity/positive attitude