Top 7 Ways to Prepare For a Successful Job Interview

[Erin23]

Research
Do your homework and research the company you are interviewing. Some examples include: size of the firm, organizational structure and career paths, percentage of annual sales growth in the last five years, locations/home office, competition, organizational goals and of course their products and services. Demonstrating your knowledge of the company and their products and services can help you stand out from the crowd.

Know yourself
Understanding how your values, interests and skills fit into the company's mission and overall goals is going to allow you to showcase your value to the company. Discussing your career objectives will give the interviewers an idea of where and how you fit within their organization. Without this knowledge you fail to paint a picture of your potential role within the company.

Mock interviews
Participating in mock interviews with family, friends or other people within your industry will give you an opportunity to practice "selling" yourself as well as receive feedback on both nonverbal and verbal communication (facial expressions, eye contact and posture, tone of voice, positive words/phrases and sense of humor).

Stack your pack
Be sure to always have a copy of the directions and phone number to the company. A career portfolio may be a good idea to showcase your successes and leave a lasting impression. Always have more than enough resume copies on hand because you never know how many people will be interviewing you or stopping by during the interview. Bring extra copies of references and business cards. Lastly, make sure you have a pen and pad of paper to take notes during the interview.

Questions
Writing out a list of questions prior to the interview is crucial. Some examples may include questions about the position's responsibilities, reason for the opening, more about company's goals and missions, career paths, training opportunities etc. will give you more insight into what your role will be and if this position aligns with who you are and what you are seeking in a position.

Dress Appropriately
It is important to note that although the company's dress code may be relaxed your attire should remain conservative, neat and professional. For men, appropriate attire may include a solid color dark suit with tailored slacks and a conservative tie. Women's attire may include a navy, black, brown, gray or beige suit color avoiding bright colors and patterns. Remember to keep jewelry, make-up and perfume to a minimum. Lastly, don't forget to wear a smile!

What not to bring
gum, candy, cigarettes, cell phone and blackberry (leave in car), IPods, coffee or soda, and any visible tattoo's (cover them up).

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[Nathan-land-that-job]

One thing I think was missed off of that list (which was very good by the way) i where necessary bring portfolios, perfromance charts, sals charts etc. all of these tangible items further help to promotoe your skills.

Land the job you desire: www.land-that-job.com

[Jennifer107]

Erin,

That is a great list of items to prepare yourself for an interview!

Here are a couple more...

-Name, title and phone number of the person you are interviewing with
-List of references (just in case they ask)
-Proof of identity (usually don't need this right away, but it's good to have in case they want to start the hiring process the same day)

Hope this helps!

Jen

http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts...-10-things.cfm

[Michael06]

Wow!

It is good to see so many people taking initiative and giving us a good information on job interview. Thank you everyone for sharing it.

Certain jobs in life would require following a basic parameter but if you stick by the simplest and most decent of job interview tips, there is no denying that you will create an ever lasting impression. One of the very first things that people notice about you when you come to a job is your grooming. So never underestimate this aspect of your appearance when days before you are heading for the job interview.
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Job Interview Tips

This is all very useful job interview information. It always amazes me how most people prepare so little.

[Michael06]

One of the most important job interview tips is to prepare for the questions. Fortunately, many job interviews use the same or similar questions, so preparing for this part of it is pretty simple.

[Nathaniel01]

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the useful job interview tips.

Before applying for any job one needs to know the number of job openings, qualifications needed and application form details. For example for a police jobs candidates need to know about the physical requirements and information on written test.

[Nancy08]

hello guys,

Thanks for the tips.
I will take note all of these.

[Jayson]

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the useful job tips.

If one is applying for more than one cruise or yacht job, it is crucial to optimize resume accordingly for each vacancy. Make slight alterations depending on which particular position you are applying for, highlighting specific skills and abilities you possess in that field. This aspect is essential in the cruise ship industry.

[Michael06]

One of the most important job interview tips is to prepare for the questions. Fortunately, many job interviews use the same or similar questions, so preparing for this part of it is pretty simple. Use your own past interview skill to visualize questions you will be asked, and also their answers, and there is also a wealth of info on this on the internet.

[OlaPK]

A great way to prepare for a interview is to go through every single line of the job requirements, prepare detailed mock practical work based answers to every single potential job responsibility, when all is said and done we have found the person who can perform the "job duties" more effectively almost always gets the job!.

[sarahpinton]

I think more important than everything is to be confident and solid in your position. If you appear slightly cowardish they will try to take advantage of you in every way they can.

Also, don't be overqualified for the job.