Landing an interview is a great sign, but you haven’t gotten the job yet. Preparing for the interview will improve your chances of success. This is your first chance to impress your potential employer, and being prepared for your meeting will help you make a positive impression on the hiring manager. Read interview tips from the experts at Employment Solutions.

Research the Company

Before going in for your interview, take the time to research the company. Go beyond just reading through their homepage. Take a look at their quarterly reports and other information the company has published.

The more information you have about the organization, the more detailed and relevant your answers will be. Including information about the company in your answers will demonstrate your interest in the organization and help you make a good first impression.

Prepare Interview Answers

After you’ve taken the time to research the company, take some time to research common interview questions and prepare answers for them.

While you have no way of knowing exactly what questions will be asked, you will have at least some answers prepared for questions that interviewers commonly ask, such as:

• Tell me about yourself/walk me through your resume.
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• Tell me about your strengths/weaknesses.

The goal here is to prepare answers that are concise, specific and focused on your accomplishments. Even if the interviewer asks you to tell them about a time you made a mistake or to discuss your weaknesses, you can always spin these answers to make them positive. If possible, put your answers into story form.

There’s no need to memorize your responses, but come up with some talking points for each question.

Prepare a List of Questions

Towards the end of your meeting, the interviewer will give you a chance to ask some interview questions of your own. As a general rule of thumb, you never want to tell the interviewer that you don’t have any questions. This will give the impression that you’re not serious or really interested in the position.

That being said, it’s also not a good time to ask about salary information and benefits. Instead, create a list of insightful questions. For instance, you may ask the interviewer to describe a typical day in the position you’re interviewing for, or you may ask why they work for the company.

Dress to Impress

It should go without saying, but you should dress to impress for your interview. Even if the company’s dress code is casual, wear a suit. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Arrive on Time

To make a good impression, arrive on time. In fact, be there early. Make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to get there and account for any traffic you may run into.

Take a drive to the interviewing location to see how long your commute is and to familiarize yourself with the area. This will help you avoid getting lost on your way there and help prevent you from being late on interview day.

Follow Up

Once the interview is over, be sure to follow up with the hiring manager by sending a quick thank you message through email or over the phone. This will reinforce your interest in the position while showing your appreciation for the opportunity. It will also help keep you fresh in the hiring manager’s mind, which may help you stand out in the crowd. Don’t hesitate to contact us today for more info.