So you got a call-back. After days of waiting anxiously by the phone, the company you submitted your resume to called and said it would like to set up a job interview. Let the heavens rejoice as you dance around the apartment you can barely afford, but thanks to the sweet little lady downstairs in the leasing office, you've been able to slip checks in two weeks late and not get caught.
But not so fast. You've got work to do. Sure the resume you labored over for months got you noticed, but that's only half the battle. You still have to close the deal by acing the interview process, and beating out even tougher competition. But have no fear. With some job interview preparation, and by following these job interview tips, you can win over your prospective employer.
Preparation is key. You wouldn't show up for a test without studying, now would you? In the case of a job interview, you would to prepare yourself for every possible scenario, every possible question, and of course, how you will respond to them. If you can, find out what types of job interviews the company typically conducts, and find out who will be giving the interview. Typically, companies use an interview process filled with multiple stages to weed out applicants, which if this is the case, you'll want to be on top of your game each step of the way.
First you'll want to prepare for the types of job interview questions and answers. Some will be standard questions that you should have a fairly easy time answering, such as, "Tell me a little bit about yourself," or, "What made you decide to get into this field?" The more difficult questions will follow, and will need much more thought to ensure you provide the interviewer with the appropriate answer while remaining true to yourself in the process.
Providing answers to tough interview questions can be difficult, but there is a way to handle it tactfully and gracefully. You must first assess yourself and determine your actual weaknesses, both personally and professionally. If you were let go from your previous job because you struggled with time management or couldn't complete projects on time, you'll have to figure out a way to address those without sounding incapable.
This goes along with number two — always try to turn a negative into a positive with job interview weakness questions. It sounds clichéd but it's true. Somehow you're going to have to make that lemon mentioned in number two into the best darn lemonade your potential employer ever tasted. Okay, maybe not to that extreme, but you need to address it without sounding like you failed at your previous job.
